The path system is wonderful, if and when it goes from where you are to where you are going. It comes with the standard list of complaints that other locations face when dealing with multi-use paths--runners, dogs, children, etc. The city of Boulder has combined several interests with regards to funding some of the path's coolness. Namely, they've used flood remediation money to pay for underpasses, which allow us to ride our bikes under major roads without stopping. At last count, I believe there are/were 92 or 93 total underpassed on the bike path. The combining of flood remediation money basically means that if and when it rains hard, the underpasses flood (instead of the roads.) Last year, I remember this happening once or twice to a degree that made the underpasses unrideable.
 
 One of my main criticisms of the path is that there are few sections which are properly lit, so at night, even with a decent headlight, it's difficult to see where the path goes; the problem is worse with sharp curves ahead. Add to the danger the fact that the path follows one creek system or another (again, flood remediation), and a misturn could land you in a cold, wet, rocky creek.

 With as many cyclists as Boulder has, and with the varying degrees of interest and purposes for cycling--commuting, recreational, etc--another big problem we face is consistency when it comes to cyclists' behaviour and riding..."style." We have people who use the path system (which for the most has users staying to the right;) people who ride in the street--with traffic mostly, but some unaware folks just can't be bothered; and then people who ride on the sidewalks, going in either direction. At intersections, i've seen the convergence of all three types of riders, and I know it's confusing for drivers when three different bikes are doing three different things. These three don't even take into consideration the scofflaw-prone types who run red lights, stop signs, etc. (Full disclosure: I've been known to fit into any or all of these groups myself.)

One of the big advocacy projects i'd like to see us take on is one of educating cyclists on proper riding locations and methods. It's a big project, to be sure, but i believe is one of the steps on our long road ahead which Rich mentioned.




On Mon, Dec 15, 2008 at 4:56 PM, David Kuch <david@communitycyclingcenter.org> wrote:
My recollections are that while Boulder had constructed a physical system to facilitate city-wide bike use with minimal automobile encounters, except for the Boulder Creek corridor out to the University and the north-south downtown/univ routes, the rest of the system was sparsely used, and the encounters between cyclists and motorists were nasty, brutish, and short. What's changed?


On Fri, Dec 5, 2008 at 5:06 PM, Rich Points <rich@richpoints.com> wrote:
Collectives,
As you may know the League of American Bicyclists recently awarded Boulder the platinum level for bicycle friendliness.  This prompted Clarence Eckerson Jr from Street Films to come out and document our wonderful bike system.

http://communitycycles.org/media/24-2008-media/139-december-5-2008-boulder-goes-bike-platinum.html

And take note that even though we've achieved the platinum level we know we still have a long way to go.

In solidarity

--
Rich Points
Community Cycles Director
http://CommunityCycles.org
Rich@CommunityCycles.org
720-565-6019
Donate your old car to Community Cycles

_______________________________________________
Thethinktank mailing list
Thethinktank@bikecollectives.org
To unsubscribe, send a blank email to TheThinkTank-leave@bikecollectives.org
To manage your subscription, plase visit:
http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org



--
David Kuch
Shop Production Manager
Community Cycling Center

Office
3934 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Suite 202
Portland, OR 97212
Office: 503 288-8864
Fax: 503 288-1812

Bike Shop
1700 NE Alberta St.
Portland, OR 97211
Hours: 10 AM-6PM Tues through Sat
Shop: 503 287-8786

www.CommunityCyclingCenter.org

The bicycle is a tool for empowerment and a vehicle for social change

_______________________________________________
Thethinktank mailing list
Thethinktank@bikecollectives.org
To unsubscribe, send a blank email to TheThinkTank-leave@bikecollectives.org
To manage your subscription, plase visit:
http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org