Cities

Rolling Towards the Mark

Denver, the capital and most populous city of Colorado, has over 600,000 residents and a metro area population of 2.4 million. The Mile High City – so called because it sits exactly one mile above sea level – Denver has over 300 days of sunshine per year. This makes for some decent cycling conditions, both in the summer and during the snowy winter months. The city has also taken steps to make cycling safer and more accessible to local riders by constructing 60 miles (97 kms) of shared-use paths and striping 15 miles (24 kms) of surface street lanes. Still, Denver’s mode share sits at a small but encouraging 1.6 percent.

Part of that 1.6 percent is cycling commuter Carolyne Jansen who regularly rides her 17-year-old mountain bike to work. On weekends, she pedals to a greenhouse on the north end of Denver to relax and garden. A graphic artist by trade, Jansen said the quiet and solitude of being on the bike are what she finds the most appealing. Up until recently, she felt “invisible” to those getting around in automobiles. Now she feels less defensive about traveling on local streets because she believes drivers in Denver are becoming increasingly aware of cyclists on the road.

Occasionally a car might honk, but she said that she chooses to interpret this as “an expression of encouragement,” instead of a letting it get to her. “I feel a sense of happiness and accomplishment riding my bicycle instead of driving a car,” she said. Jansen’s route also includes some appealing features, such as watching birds and other animals that frequent the city’s bike paths and experiencing subtle changes in the attitudes of local residents whom she sees increasingly embracing cycling.

Piep van Heuven, executive director of BikeDenver, believes the city is undergoing a “revolution” in its approach to cycling. No longer is the bicycle an afterthought in transportation planning. The B-cycle bike sharing program – with 400 bicycles spread out over 40 stations throughout the city – is the largest bicycle sharing program in the US; a nice feather in Denver’s cap. There’s the annual VeloSwap held at the National Western Complex. The Bike Depot offers bike safety classes and runs an Earn-A-Bike program; the non-profit organization also accepts donated bikes, “whips them into shape and finds them new homes in the community.” Residents can also “Build-a-Bike if you need a bike” at the Derailer Bicycle Collective, a community-run non-profit. And many bike shops offer bike maintenance classes, such as the Salvagetti Bicycle Workshop.

There is still a ways to go before trans-portation cycling becomes a mainstream practice in Denver, but van Heuven believes that “Denver has developed solid building blocks” to support the future growth and development of cycling in the city.

Racking it Up

Boulder is certainly leading the pack by having the cycling infrastructure needed to support a strong and vibrant commuter culture, an example that can be emulated by its Front Range neighbors. On the other hand, there is much to be said about the grassroots approach of Fort Collins and the enthusiasm of local Denver cyclists.

Despite their differences, one point is crystal clear; change is being cranked out on the Front Range and many people are behind the movement.

........................................................................

VeloSwap – veloswap.com

The Bike Depot – thebikedepot.org

Derailer Bicycle Collective – derailerbicyclecollective.org

Salvagetti – salvagetti.com

.........................................................................