Cycling to work gaining speed in Central Texas - kcentv.com - KCEN HD - Waco, Temple, and Killeen

Glenn Putnam is a rare site in Waco: he rides his bike to and from work every day.

"Every once in a while I'll see someone else commuting on a bike, but not a lot. It's kinda lonely out there," he said with a smile.

But that's all about to change.

As gas prices continue to climb, more drivers are exchanging their keys for gears, and going from four wheels to two. Nationals bike sales increased 9 percent in the first quarter of this year.

"People have started looking for ways to cut back and cycling is a good opportunity to do that. There's the initial investment of a bike but long-term it can save you a lot of money and gas," said Bicycles Outback sales associate Emilie Miesner.

April marked the shop's best month ever. It's part of a community shift that times out perfectly with the city's new bike lanes and the rising price of gas.

Timing Waco Traffic Services Program Administrator Norman Hogue says is very lucky.

He led the project a month ago to begin creating the bike lanes that now span 4th and 5th St. They're still a work in progress - within the week they will have colorful legends every few hundred feet to get drivers' attention.

"Many places in Texas are really not known for heavy biking communities, and what a lot of people really look at is you know...they would do it, but they would only do it if it's safe," Hogue said.

The lanes will soon extend to Baylor and cover more of downtown with each extension.

That's the kind of momentum Glenn wants to continue, as he hopes for more company on his morning commute.

"It just makes sense to just kinda hop on a bike yeah instead of hopping in the car," he said.

The lanes will also include experimental bike boxes at every intersection.  They will span all the lanes, allowing cyclists to move freely in front of the cars so they can turn any way they need to. The best part? The paint will be a cool lime green color.

Reporter: Rebecca Schleicher/Photographer: Thuan Nguyen

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