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‘Scenic Bikeways’ help power Oregon bike tourism to $400 million annual impact


It’s been another big momentum-building week for bicycle tourism in Oregon. Yesterday, during a special hearing on bicycle tourism at the House Transportation and Economic Development Committee in Salem, representatives from Travel Oregon released a major new report on the economic impact of bicycle-related travel. Also yesterday, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department named two new Scenic Bikeways.

The Travel Oregon study, The Economic Significance of Bicycle-Related Travel in Oregon Detailed State and Travel Region Estimates, 2012 (PDF) is the same study we gave you a preview of back in March when preliminary findings were released at the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C..

The study was conducted by Dean Runyan Associates and it looked at bike tourism’s impact throughout the state during 2012. The big number — which garnered a headline in The Oregonian and has been adjusted up since our story in March — is $400 million. That’s how much people “involved in bicycle-related activities” spent in Oregon last year. The data was gleaned from an online questionnaire followed up by interviews with selected households. All told, 5,000 people who rode bikes in Oregon last year took part in the study.

Here are a few more of the key figures:

And a few graphs:

Bike-related trips by activity type.
Bike-related trips by travel region.

This detailed, 55-page study will prove invaluable to advocates, the media, and policy-makers. As The Oregonian reported yesterday, “Cycling’s not just hip and healthy; it’s becoming big business in Oregon.”

One key reason for the ascension of bike tourism in Oregon are initiatives like the nation’s first State Scenic Bikeway program. Yesterday, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) announced two more bikeways — Tualatin Valley and Madras Mountain Views — to bring the total number of specially designated bike routes throughout the state to 11.

Here’s more about each route from OPRD:

The Tualatin Valley Scenic Bikeway features the best of the northern Willamette Valley, from friendly downtowns to fertile farmlands and lush natural areas. Set in the heart of Washington County, the Bikeway covers more than 50 miles one-way, and includes the Banks-Vernonia State Trail.

The Madras Mountain Views Scenic Bikeway is a 30-mile loop on rural country roads with Central Oregon volcanic views, pastoral scenery showcasing basalt palisades above the Deschutes and Crooked Rivers and stunning views of the iconic Cascade peaks of Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Hood and Three Fingered Jack.

Detailed maps, cue sheets, and information on accommodations and amenities along both routes are available at RideOregonRide.com.

Read more articles on this tip via our bike tourism page.

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