Gene's Green Scene: Riding bike to work saves money but takes planning

By Michael Turnbell and Dana Williams, Sun Sentinel April 16, 2012

It is part of a cycle: As gas prices rise, so do the number of folks who pedal to their jobs.

Census data show the number and percentage of people commuting to work by bicycle has increased in South Florida in the past few years, with more than 13,600 in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties riding to their jobs in 2010. Gas prices were about $3 a gallon then; today, they average close to $4 a gallon. Still, less than 1 percent of all commuters trade horsepower for pedal power.

Bicycling to work takes planning and also might require taking a bus or a train if the commute is long. But it can result in big savings. A person who bikes five miles to work three days a week could save $311 a year in fuel costs alone. To calculate how much you can save, go to SunSentinel.com/biketowork. If the idea appeals to you, here are tips on how to do it.

Planning your route

First, determine your goal. Are you looking at the fastest route, or one with the least interaction with traffic? Most cyclists either make their own maps, use GPS-type devices or go to MapMyRide.com.

Both Broward and Palm Beach counties have interactive route planners that rank streets by riding suitability, based on the amount of interaction with traffic. You see if your route includes a marked bike lane, a wide shoulder or a separate path away from traffic.

In Broward: go to sunsentinel.com/bikebroward

.In Palm Beach County, go to sunsentinel.com/bikepalm.

By bike, bus and train

Tri-Rail began installing bike lockers at stations in 2009 to relieve crowding on trains.

The commuter train now has bike lockers at every station except Pompano Beach, which is being rebuilt. Out of 560 lockers, about 220 are rented.

To rent a locker, you'll need to present a form of identification and put down a $20 refundable deposit. Rentals are available through ticket agents at the West Palm Beach, Pompano Beach, Fort Lauderdale Airport and Hialeah Market stations, or go online at http://www.tri-rail.com to register.

You are allowed to bring bikes on the train for free, but space is limited. The train goes from Mangonia Park, just north of West Palm Beach, to Miami International Airport.

Broward County Transit has 215 buses equipped with racks that can carry three bikes, and the remaining 40 to 50 are being retrofitted to carry three as they are repaired. Palm Tran buses have two racks.

There is no cost to use them but it's first-come, first-served, meaning you may have to wait for the next bus if the rack is full.

Greenways and bike lanes

In Palm Beach County, you can ride from the Tri-Rail station south of Yamato Road along the El Rio Trail. The 12-foot-wide "stand alone" path built by Boca Raton runs about 5.5 miles from the L-40 Canal just north of Clint Moore Road to Glades Road by Florida Atlantic University.

Palm Beach County has built eight miles of greenways in the northern part of the county, but none has been completed in the southern part of the county.