Bike Commuting at Cincinnati NIOSH

This article was first published on CDC’s employee intranet, CDC Connects. It is posted here to help others interested in commuting to work by bicycle.

Even as the weather turns cold and windy, a core group of NIOSH employees in Cincinnati continue to commute by bike whenever possible. As they maneuver the winding roads and hills of the Queen City, these committed cyclists are saving money, getting exercise, and reducing emissions along the way.

While there have been a few bikers at NIOSH for some time, the bike commuting “movement” there really kicked into second gear largely through the efforts of Bradley King, an industrial hygienist who works at the Hamilton building. King was involved with a bike-advocacy organization in Cincinnati called Queen City Bike, which had started a program for organizations that encourage bike commuting among their workforce. King worked hard to get NIOSH certified as a Bike Friendly Destination (both the Hamilton and Taft buildings subsequently received a silver certification). As part of the eligibility for certification, NIOSH held training at Hamilton and Taft, where employees were invited to lunchtime seminars to hear presentations from people who have expertise in bike commuting. The training included information about equipment, selecting a route, and bike safety.

Mary Schubauer-Berigan, who began bike commuting last May, is now a serious convert. She rides a road bike to work, traveling 7 miles in about 35 minutes each way. Photo by Faye McDonald Smith

Training Made All the Difference

Mary Schubauer-Berigan, PhD, MS, an epidemiologist at NIOSH Hamilton, and a relatively new convert to bike commuting, says that the seminars played a major role in her decision to bike to work. She had always enjoyed biking but after moving to Cincinnati was hesitant to bike because the city is so hilly. “I live on a steep hill, so the most intimidating factor for me was getting out of my door—and having to either bike downhill or uphill to go anywhere.”

But the training seminars at NIOSH helped her overcome that fear. She was particularly encouraged by the initial speaker. “If he had come in as a super-fit young man in lycra and spandex, I think I would have just walked out and said forget this! But he was an older man, wearing street clothes, not in super-human shape. He had great practical suggestions on how to ride your bike in traffic, and answered questions and eased your mind about taking that first step.”

Schubauer-Berigan adds that other people who attended the training also inspired her because they were beginning to bike to work—and they weren’t people whom she considered superior bike athletes. Bikes that for a long time had sat idle in garages were now getting a work-out on the pavement. A motivational message soon became apparent: “You can do this.”

Before commuting to work for the first time, Schubauer-Berigan and a co-worker who lives nearby decided to map their route to NIOSH from their homes. They did a test run on a Sunday, when there was little traffic, and that significantly boosted their confidence.