Columbus, OH

Sick of Suits? Columbus Residents Go Green, Try Spandex On for Size

When Doug Morgan’s daughter totaled his car six years ago, he decided against replacing it, opting to buy a bicycle instead.

“I hadn’t been on a bike since I was a paper boy,” he says.

A prominent Columbus attorney and outspoken cycling advocate, Morgan represents a growing number of the city’s residents who are ditching automobiles in favor of alternative modes of transportation.

“That was six years ago, and I’ve never looked back,” says Morgan.

Columbus ranked dead last in SustainLane’s 2006 rankings, due in part to its lack of sustainable transportation options. With the 2008 adoption of the “Bicentennial Bikeways Plan,” the city has taken a stance against auto-dependence and is moving to completely revamp the way people get around.

The 300-page bike plan calls for 500 miles of marked bicycle routes and lanes and the installation of 1,000 bike racks. Intersections will be redesigned to streamline car and bike interactions.

Columbus ’ flat terrain and relatively mild climate are conducive to cycling, which begs the question: why didn’t’ the alternative transportation trend come sooner? Regardless, the city is pumping its pedals hard, making up for lost time. And it’s caught the attention of editors at Bicycling Magazine, who named Columbus among the top five cities to watch for cycling improvements.

“Other than bike messengers, you didn’t really see very much cycling,” says Susan Ashbrook, the city’s Environmental Director. “Now I know people who bike to work everyday,”

The city has particularly targeted commuters. It’s adopting a “Two by 2012” goal, which aims to have workers take an alternative form of transportation to work at least two days a month by 2012.

“I figured that there are twenty work days a month, and by not using your car for only two of those days, that would translate into a ten percent transportation mode shift,” says Morgan, who helped push city officials to adopt the goal. In 2005, less than one percent of people biked to work, he says.

Morgan says biking can solve many of the United States ’ environmental and health issues.

“We need to incorporate activity into our daily lives,” he says. “We’ve been exercising and dieting for the past 50 years to no avail; we still have a growing obesity problem. Even nine-year-olds have high blood pressure and diabetes.”

As part of the shift-to-bikes movement, Morgan is also championing a new kind of work attire. He frequently arrives to work dressed in full cycling regalia.

“I’ve show up at board meetings in spandex,” he says. “I used to apologize for being under-dressed; now I apologize to everyone else for being overdressed. I’m managing partner at our law firm, and I violate the dress code every day,” says Morgan with a playful sternness.

Photo Caption: Doug Morgan is at the front of a movement in Columbus, OH to get work commuters out of their cars and onto bicycles. (Photo courtesy of Doug Morgan)