[M II A II R II K]

Where to ride those bikes?


06/16/2010



Read More: http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_15303628

It's exciting to see that Denver's bike-sharing program is meeting with early praise and plenty of use. Count us among those hopeful that the cleverly named B-Cycle network of 400 bikes conveniently located at 42 stations around town leads to long-term benefits for both the city and users. But our enthusiasm is tempered by key challenges that the program and commuters face going forward. If the non-profit program staged with the cooperation of the city wishes to achieve its ambitious goals of reducing traffic congestion on Denver's core urban streets, far more attention and work need to be directed to providing the infrastructure that enables such a transformation.

Because while the attractive red bicycles now becoming a routine sight downtown are a nice fit with our city's active lifestyle, they also help draw attention to the lack of consistently reliable bike lanes along the primary streets and avenues riders share with automobiles. Though we are happy users of Denver's nearly 400 miles of bike paths, we mostly use them recreationally and don't risk commuting on our bikes. We aren't alone; statistics show that less than 2 percent of commuter miles comes in the form of bicycle traffic.

Nick Soloninka assembles a bike for the Denver B-cycle program at a warehouse in Aurora. (Kristin Morin, YourHub )