David Watson can no longer consider himself a second-class commuter. In January, his daily bicycle trip to his downtown Boston office became eligible for commuter transportation reimbursement, like the commutes of motorists and public transit riders have been for decades.

The new Bicycle Commuter Tax Provision was part of this year’s $700 billion federal stimulus bill. Under the provision, individuals who commute to work by bicycle at least three days a week are eligible to receive $20 each month from their employers to pay for commuting-related expenses. Bikes, helmets, locks, and access to showering facilities are all covered under the provision. Watson, executive director of the Massachusetts Bicycling Coalition, says the change was long overdue.

"It's really a question of equity, because currently people who drive their cars to work get parking subsidies," he says. "It was literally just adding the word 'bicycle' to the existing statute that created these benefits for other commuters."

The new tax break comes at a time when concerns over high gas prices and the environment have made cycling an increasingly popular alternative to driving to work and getting around town. In recent years, many cities have begun to accommodate an increasing number of cyclists. Philadelphia's 200 miles of bicycle lanes and 4,000 on-street bicycle parking spaces earned it a Bicycle Friendly Community Award from the League of American Bicyclists in June; and in 2008, Washington, D.C., started a ride-sharing program with 120 bikes available at 10 stations throughout the city.

At the federal level, the bicycling tax break signals a concerted shift away from auto-centric modes of road building and community planning. In 2005, the Federal Highway Administration launched its Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program, giving a total of $25 million each to four communities to develop bicycling and pedestrian networks. And last March, politicians in the House and Senate introduced the Complete Streets Act of 2009, which would require states and metropolitan planning organizations to consider the needs of bicyclists, pedestrians, and public transit systems when constructing new roads.

Many cities and states have adopted their own policies. In 2006, Massachusetts revised its Massachusetts Highway Department Project Development and Design Guidebook to ensure that engineers provide adequate space, crosswalks, and other accommodations for cyclists and pedestrians when building thoroughfares. Watson has already seen some improvement in Boston, including a mile of new bike lanes near Boston University and bridge retrofits along the Charles River.

Even bigger changes are planned for Boston, including a proposed ride-sharing network with 2,500 bikes at 250 stations. The program could debut by next summer. Ultimately, Watson says, today's economic and environmental factors have helped make Boston—and the nation—more bike-friendly. "I think what has changed is really public perception," he says. "As people become more concerned with the environment, traffic, or the economic crisis, they're looking for different ways to get around—ways that are[, like bicycling,] healthier for themselves, better for the environment, and easier on their wallets."