Avoid, Shift, Improve: CO2e and the Bike Commuter

Having already reached my goal of 4500 miles of commuter cycling for the year, I raised the bar to 5500 miles (6000 miles if you listen to the goading of my friend Todd). Looking back, I began to wonder about the differences in CO2e (CO2 emissions) for the 4500 miles of cycling versus 4500 miles of driving. A little web research uncovered this study from the European Cycling Federation (ECF) - Cycle more Often 2 cool down the planet: Quantifying CO2 savings of Cycling. Released in November of 2011, this guide attempts account for all the CO2e involved in transportation by bicycle and by car. This includes not just the emissions involved daily use, but also those that result from producing and maintaining automobiles and bikes. The study also attempts to account for CO2e related to the production of food that cyclists must consume to fuel their cycling. Though this study focuses on the EU (European Union), it is nevertheless an interesting read and can be used to make broad assumptions about CO2e in the US. And it helped to estimate just how much CO2e I had contributed by cycling 4500 miles (7200 km).

When considering GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, the study estimates the amount of raw materials in the average bike, assumes a lifetime of 8 years, and a distance traveled of about 2400 km per year to arrive at 5 grams CO2e/km. The authors assume the average cyclist weighs 70 kg (155 lbs), travels at 16 kph (10 mph), and burns about 4 kilocalories per kilogram per hour. There are various ways to try to determine the GHG  emissions related to a cyclist's diet, but that depends on the cyclist's diet because some foods (like meat) require more energy to produce. In the end, the study concludes that cycling contributes 21grams CO2e/km. The average car contributes 271 grams CO2e/km. If you're not particularly fit physically, consider that electric-powered/assisted bicycles have an estimated CO2e of just 22 grams/km.

I weigh 78 kg (about 172 pounds) and average about 26 kph (16 MPH) on my bike commute, so I probably generate slightly more than 21grams CO2e/km. With all my gear, my bike is close to the 19.9 kg (44 pounds) assumed in the study, but I cycle considerably more per year. So I assumed 22 grams CO2e/km and given that 4500 miles is 7242 kilometers, I generated about 329 kilograms CO2E (or 725 pounds). Driving that same distance would have generated about 1962 kilograms of CO2e (or 4326 pounds - just over 2 tons US). That's 6 times more CO2e for driving versus cycling. If you're thinking the discussion of CO2e and cycling falls into the category of "who cares?" consider that in the European Union (EU), about a quarter of all GHG are produced by transportation.

While there are similar statistics for the US, I've focused on the ECF's study for two reasons: One is that they have nicer, simpler graphics and two, the study shows how various strategies for increasing bicycling as transportation could help EU countries meet the stated CO2e goals for the year 2050. By contrast, the EPA's CO2e reduction strategies look decidedly disorganized and ineffectual. Just sayin' ...

The ECF study suggests three strategies that could be used independently or in combination to meet goals to reduce CO2e - Avoid travel, shift travel to public transportation and non-motorized transportation and improve the CO2e footprint for motorized transport, If you've been thinking there's nothing you can do to significantly reduce CO2e by cycling more and driving less, consider these graphics from the study.

Bike Friendly, Bike Aware

When asked what keeps them from bicycling, most people complain of a lack of bike routes completely separate from automobile traffic. How to safely integrate cars and trucks with pedestrians and bikes is a challenge that some cities handle better than others. I've recently had the good fortune to visit two US cities that have good reputations in the bicycling world. I blogged about Boulder, Colorado last month and I just returned from Seattle, Washington. What I saw led me to conclude that some cities succeed in being bike friendly while many cities are just bike aware.

Seattle Bike Rental

I'd considered bringing my folding bike for my visit to Seattle, but the logistics didn't work out. So I did some research before visiting The Bicycle Repair Shop, a repair shop that caters to bicycle commuters but is well-stocked with high-quality bike accessories and a nice fleet of rental bikes.

They offer two basic rental models - a hybrid model with flat handlebars and beefier tires or a road bike with drop bars. I saw some of the hills I was going to climb and opted for the lighter-weight Giant with drop bars. The shop staff even helped me attach the waterproof iPhone bike mount I had brought with me. As I headed out on my adventure to Discovery Park for a dry run of Google Maps on the iPhone (now with bike directions!), I did wish the bike had been equipped with fenders. A light rain would be falling during much of the day's 43 mile ride and fenders would have kept me a bit cleaner.

Navigating Seattle by Bike

The Seattle Bicycle Club offers some nice bike routes with maps that I used to formulate a plan: I'd ride along the Elliott Bay Trail on the western edge of central Seattle, then head north through the Magnolia District to Discovery Park and onto the West Point Lighthouse. Along the way, I'd find some espresso, then head back to the Capitol Hill and cross the I-90 bridge to circumnavigate Mercer Island.

Getting to the Magnolia District from Elliot Bay is a bit hair-raising. There is a multi-use trail that gets you most of the way, but then you're on surface streets, some marked with sharrows and bike lanes, but many without. Most drivers appear to be aware of bikes and treat cyclists with deference, but crossing some of the roads and bridges is not without risk.

The aforementioned waterproof iPhone bike mount was a big help in navigating, though water puddles tended to accumulate around the button for the phone's home key. My only real gripe was that the iPhone's battery is not up to the task of acting as a bicycle-based GPS for more than an hour or so. Several supplemental battery options are available, but I hadn't availed myself of any so I stopped periodically and charged my phone at various cafes.

Seattle is known for coffee, but as a self-confessed coffee snob I found some of the offerings I sampled to be lacking. Not so with Uptown Espresso, where I stopped on my way to Discovery Park. They bill themselves as the "home of the velvet foam," but I had a double espresso sans milk. Nicely done.

Discovery Park

Like San Francisco's Presidio, Discovery Park was a military installation (Fort Lawton) that was decommissioned and repurposed, mostly. Several of the buildings appear vacant, but the roads now serve as multi-use paths in a park setting, free of cars. Given that it was a weekday, I found the area  had a quiet, almost deserted feel.

FAA/ATC Radar site at Discovery Park

Heading down a steep hill, you can make your way to the West Point Lighthouse. There you'll find more deserted buildings and a well-maintained lighthouse building. While there, I noticed a seaplane flying low over the water in the rain and mist.

One mile vis and clear of clouds? Perhaps ...

After heading back through Seattle, I rode some of the city streets. Seattle has many designated bike lanes and sharrow lanes, probably more than most big US cities. Still, you are close to auto traffic, often on steep hills. Nothing can ameliorate the risk of a car-auto accident except sharp vision, good situational awareness, and fast reflexes. Most drivers are aware of cyclists, but that doesn't stop cars from commandeering a designated bike lane for their own purposes.

On my way to Mercer Island, I felt safer once I was on the multi-use path that leads to the I-90 tunnel and bridge. Unlike other communities, the I-90 tunnel was designed so that it is not shared with motor vehicles and that, frankly, makes a huge difference.

Tunnel, Eastbound

Tunnel, Westbound

The trip around Mercer Island was mostly uneventful, though Google Maps got confused about what constitutes a bike path and what is a trail. There are some designated bike lanes and some separate multi-use paths, lots of trees and shade, and generally quiet streets.

Attention Google, a trail at the top of a driveway is not a road!

Bike route? WTF Google!

Mostly Separate ...

The next day the weather was much drier and so I decided to make my way from Central Seattle to Alki Beach in West Seattle. Taking the Elliott Bay Trail south you head through a lot of construction with several bike path detours, some clearly marked, others not so much.

It could be my imagination, but it seems like the diesel trucks that shuttle about the port are not as clean-burning as those found in the Bay Area. When transiting an industrial area, there's not a lot you can do about air quality.

The signs to the Alki Trail are pretty extensive, which is good because you have to make your way through a maze of turns, street crossings, and switchbacks. Google Maps handled the circuitous route very nicely and I was glad I had it for reference. Eventually I found the entrance to the West Seattle bike bridge, complete with a electronic, bike-counting sign.

Once across the bridge, the multi-use Alki Trail becomes much quieter and less industrial. As I followed the trail around to the Alki Bath House, I was reminded of the Marina in San Francisco. It was a beautiful day and there were many trail users about, some more situationally aware than others.

Bike Aware and Pretty Friendly

My conclusions about Seattle, albeit drawn from a visit during pretty good summer weather, is that it is a very bike aware city that is well on its way to becoming truly bike friendly. There's a dedicated group of cyclists, cycling organizations, and city leaders who have made many improvements and accommodations for non-motorized vehicles. If you find yourself in Seattle, why not visit The Bicycle Repair Shop, rent a bike and helmet, and see for yourself?

Cars, Trains, Planes, Folding Bikes & the Dumbo

Whether it's commuting to work, a shopping trip, or just running errands, it's all too easy to get into a fossil-fueled rut that can only be escaped by conscious and physical effort. Intermodal transportation to the rescue! I'm not referring to intermodal freight transportation, though the idea is similar for human beings. I'm refereing to combining a folding bike like a Bike Friday Tikit, Brompton, Dahon or other make with one or more modes of motorized transportation. This is where a folding bike really shines, even if it's not your regular, go-to bike. Last week I needed to ferry an airplane from Palo Alto to Oakland and the combination of BART with my folding bike provided an elegant, physically active solution. What's more, it afforded me the experience of crossing the Dumbarton Bridge by bike.

I needed to carpool to Concord for a morning meeting before heading to Palo Alto, so I loaded my Tikit into my car. After the meeting, I dropped my passenger off near Tunnel Road and headed to Alameda. My plan was to park just across the estuary in Alameda, ride to the Fruitvale BART station, board a train to Union City, then cycle the rest of the way to Palo Alto. I could have parked in the BART parking lot, but that would have cost me $1.50. Besides, I would eventually end up at the Oakland Airport and would have to ride farther to get back to my car. I was lucky to arrive on the Fruitvale BART platform just as a Fremont train was arriving. The trip to Union City took about 30 minutes.

Arriving at Union City, I was pleasantly surprised by a clean, European-style train station. So I snapped this photo before heading out to cross the Dumbo. A while back a friend sent me a link to a study that compared the condition of BART stations with the income of the local residents. My personal experience would suggest there is indeed a correlation between the average income of local residents and the general spiffiness or shabbiness of their local BART station (see graphic below). Ah, America! Land of (in)Equality!

This trip also provided a test of the new GoogleMaps app on the iPhone which now (finally!) provides bike directions. I don't have a handlebar mount, so I put my iPhone in my shirt pocket so I could (mostly) hear the GoogleMaps voice prompts. An exciting part of the route involves crossing the I-880 overpass on Decoto Road, a particularly dicey endeavor given the poor lane striping, complete lack of signage warning drivers or the presence of bikes, and the need to cross multiple freeway entrance/exit ramps. Next comes an relatively unique, dedicated bike/pedestrian-only underpass beneath the southbound I-880 exit ramp to Decoto Road. It empties onto a two-lane path that is at once secluded and creepy (several cul de sac paths to homeless encampments), yet picturesque (tree-lined and next to an active farm). The buckled asphalt resembles a washboard and requires one to slow to walking speed in several areas.

Next you double-back onto Lake Boulevard to an overpass across Decoto to Jarvis Avenue.

Once on Jarvis, the bike lane is well-marked, well-paved, and quite civilized as you make your way through a mixed residential-commercial neighborhood. Approaching Gateway Boulevard, the area becomes more business park and light industrial in flavor. The left turn onto Gateway has no signs to lead cyclists to the Dumbarton Bridge and the traffic signal will not detect the presence of bicycles. I waited and waited before finally just running the red light and making a left turn. Same thing for the left turn onto Thornton Avenue. Thornton has wide bike lanes, reasonable pavement quality and more wide-open landscape.

Turning onto Marshlands leads you into the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay Wildlife Refuge and pavement that is best described as rustic. I experimented with riding in the car lane and the bike lane/shoulder. The pavement appears equally bad in both areas, but it's actually a bit smoother on the shoulder. Soon you're paralleling the causeway that leads to the Dumbarton Bridge, along the edge of marsh that used to form the salt evaporation ponds of the Leslie Salt Company, founded in 1901 and acquired by Cargil in 1978. These are gradually being restored to their wetland salt marsh and the odor of the mud is ... pungent.

Marshlands Road, looking westward toward the Dumbarton Bridge

The pavement on the section of Marshlands Road leading up to the Dumbarton Bridge deserve a d-minus rating. It's not so bad as to instantly ruin your bike's tires, but rough and tiring to ride on. The chain-link fence that separates Marshlands from the bridge traffic is pretty tired, too. Some sections have wooden slats that block the wind and dust, but most sections do not.

An obvious bike commute comparison for the Dumbarton Bridge is the Posey Tube. The good news is that at eight feet, the Dumbarton Bridge path is far more usable than the sidewalk on the Posey Tube. The noise level on the Dumbarton Bridge is not as loud as in the Posey Tube, but it's not what one might call peaceful. The bad news is that the design of the Dumbarton path makes the accumulation of trash and debris a problem, as this blogger so eloquently describes.

This section was actually pretty clean. Other parts were debris strewn.

The cement K-rail that separates eastbound motor vehicle traffic from the two-land path on the south side of the bridge is barely adequate. It does not stop sand, grit, and debris from sandblasting poor bastards like me who are headed westbound toward the peninsula. Had I known, I would have brought a scarf to cover my face and neck. Passing trucks are particularly good when it comes to this unwanted dermabrasion. And if a truck were to blow a tire or run over debris on the roadway, it could easily catapult shrapnel into the pathway and likely would be fatal for a cyclist or pedestrian. If you ignore these issues and turn your back on the noise and the blowing sand from the vehicle traffic, the views can be quite lovely.

Exiting the bridge on the western side, the pavement is far better than what is found on Marshlands. Perhaps the difference is that you're now in San Mateo county, adjacent to well-heeled Palo Alto and Menlo Park? At any rate, on this side of the bridge, cyclists get a bike path that is altogether separate from the vehicle traffic. Almost ...

Nice pavement, but no barrier at all from motor vehicle traffic?

My goal was to get to the Palo Alto Airport and the Bay Trail runs right by it. Unfortunately, the trail comes about 500 yards short of joining the bridge bike path. This necessitates crossing University Avenue at a particularly busy traffic light to join the bike lane into East Palo Alto. At least there are crossing switches you can press to eventually get a walk signal. Winding my way through the residential streets I could hear GoogleMaps periodically barking instructions, but I just followed my nose and found the Bay Trail on my own. Parts of the Bay Trail are gravel, parts are paved, but even the gravel sections seem smoother than Marshlands Road on the eastern side of the bridge!

So close, and yet so far ...

The Bay Trail passes adjacent to the marshy areas and eventually leads to the golf course on the western side of the Palo Alto Airport. Soon I was loading my folding bike into the aircraft I needed to ferry and just a few minutes later, the engine run-up complete, I departed straight up the Bay for Oakland. The South Tower controllers coordinated a straight-in landing on runway 33 which provided a short taxi to the hangar where this aircraft will temporarily be stored. Then I was ready to unfold the Tikit, head into Alameda to where I had parked my car, fold up the Tikit one last time, and drive home for the evening. Car, train, bike, plane, bike, car: All in all, a challenging, yet pleasing day of intermodal transportation.