But after moving to the District from Philadelphia two years ago, Jordan said she quickly discovered that it was far easier to get around the city on her bicycle, a choice, she said, that gets easier by the day.

“I am finding which roads have the bike lanes and choosing my paths like I would with a car,” Jordan said. “On a couple streets, it’s now like the morning rush-hour commute on the bike lanes.”

District officials are reporting a surge in the use of bicycles to commute or for recreation, helping Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) realize a key goal as he prepares to leave office in January.

With the city adding bicycle lanes and storage facilities in recent years, officials say more residents are discovering that getting around the city on two wheels is becoming safer and easier and is even adding a bit of coolness to a city that has long battled its stuffy reputation.  Read more…