Bike community held steady as a mode of transportation from 2008 to 2009, despite falling gas prices, according to U.S. Census numbers of the 70 largest U.S. Cities, compiled by The League of American Cyclists.

In Atlanta, the share of bicycle commuters to the total city population rose from .51% to 1.08% from ’08 to ’09, an 111% increase.   This was in line with the key takeaway from the League’s analysis that cities with the fewest bike amenities saw the largest year-to-year growth this past year.

Still, Atlanta’s numbers are impressive.  That 111% increase propelled the city from a rank of 39th in % of bike commuters in 2008 to 22nd in 2009.

Lain, who also forwarded the study, notes that it’s sort of shocking that Atlanta’s % of bike commuters was almost the same as the city of Chicago, where 1.15% of commuters bike to work.

According to the ranker, the top 5 bike cities in the U.S. are 1. Portland, OR 2. Minneapolis, MN, 3. Seattle, WA, 4. San Francisco, CA, 5. Oakland, CA.

Photo of commuting Decatur students courtesy of BeActiveDecatur.com

Your random Decatur history tidbit of the day…

Photo submitted by James

Thomas Wheatley’s got the goods.  And I don’t just mean that in a slightly uncomfortable way.

Creative Loafing’s resident transit-psycho has obtained a 2007 analysis done for MARTA (PDF), which details all of the potential financial problems that would need to be overcome if Metro Atlanta’s Rapid Transportation Authority was ever dissolved and merged into a larger regional transportation infrastructure – as has been recently suggested by Decatur Mayor Bill Floyd and a majority of Fulton County mayors.

Among the higher hurdles that would have to be cleared:

• Any “entity” that acquired MARTA would be required to pay in full or defease (aka annul) all $1.9 billion of MARTA’s bonds and $400 million in sales tax revenue “commercial paper” notes.
• If MARTA still has withstanding “lease back” transactions on any of its railcars – Wheatley thinks that most of these have since been “unraveled” – a merger would trigger a default under the lease agreements and MARTA would be forced to give up the railcars “or require a significant termination payment”.
• If MARTA ceases to exist, the existing 1-cent sales tax in Fulton and DeKalb would also cease to exist.

Wheatley believes with an insane amount of “lawyering”, all of these issues could probably be overcome.  However, this just goes to show you, none of this is going to be EASY.

Remember a post from a while back that referenced the Burundi Farmers who started a farm project on a parcel on New Street in Decatur?

Well it’s comin’ on harvest time in the South, and you know what that means.  It’s festival time!

Buy your tickets HERE for the October 23rd “Our Community Farm Project” Harvest Festival and Picnic and head over to the New Street urban farm “for a celebration, featuring Burundi and regional African cuisine, restaurant-sponsored side dishes, and a ceremonial roasting of an animal. The event will also feature farm tours, a farm stand, music performed by refugee artists, locally created crafts, a lucky numbers auction, face painting, henna, and a children’s garden activity.”

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 after October 20th.  Children tickets are $10 a pop.  The farm is located at 121 Sams St, next to Avondale MARTA Station.  More info on tickets and the “Our Community Farm Project” can be found HERE.

If you can’t make the event, but would still like to support these farmers in our community, there’s currently a wish list of items you can donate on their website.  The list currently includes: 5 gallon buckets, compost thermometer probe, hanging scale, chain link fencing, bales of hay, organic fertilizer, shovels, hoes, pitchforks or other garden tools.

Thanks to Andisheh for the event info!