it may be easier than ever to bike or walk to work as communities become more pedestrian and bike-friendly.

This week is Bike and Walk Week in Marathon County and many are taking advantage.

Wausau City Planner Brad Lenz bikes to work whenever he can.

"It's about 2 miles one way so for me it's about the same amount of time to drive," he said.

Lenz, along with members of the Marathon County Metropolitan Planning Commission, want to make the area even more pedestrian and bike-friendly.

"We're working with the metropolitan group on regional routes, not only in the city of Wausau but connecting to other municipalities," Lenz said.

Along with improving infrastructure, members of the group are encouraging residents to leave their vehicles at home when they can.

"I have seen a definite upsweep in more people making the choice to bike even if its only on the nice days," said John Nowaczyk, owner of Sprocketz Bike Shop in Weston. "We're seeing more people coming in saying I want a bike I can commute to work on."

He says it's important to keep safety in mind. Bicycles are considered vehicles in the state, so the same rules of the road apply.

Nowaczyk recommends wearing bright colors and a helmet.

The American League of Bicyclists has named Wisconsin the third most bike-friendly state in the country.