On the GO

News, updates and tips for promoting Boulder’s transportation options.

Posts tagged bicycles

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League of American Bicyclists visit Boulder, Colorado The Pursuit of Diamond Status: Boulder and Davis Say “I Do” Earlier this month League President, Andy Clark, and I traveled to Boulder, Colo., and Davis, Calif. — but I was transported back to my college years in Germany. Bicycling along the network of paths and bike lanes in these two Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Communities, I was able to comfortably ride for miles and miles without the need to bike on a high-speed road to meet up with city staff at the town hall, grab some food with local bike advocates at a downtown restaurant or attend an evening function at a museum. In Davis, I got nearly run over by a large group of junior high school students on bikes, trying to pedal to class in time. In Boulder, we witnessed a frolicking group of young men riding around town in the evening with a boom box on the rack and lights in their wheels. These two Platinum BFCs really seem to have it all — the infrastructure, the bike culture and a compact and mixed land use that allow destinations to be quickly reached by bike. Can it get any better than this? Well, though a good number of people bike in Davis and Boulder, more than half of the residents in cities like Copenhagen in Denmark or Utrecht in the Netherlands have adopted the bicycle as their main form of transportation. To challenge our own top cycling cities to move beyond Platinum and compete with world-class cycling cities, the League developed a new Diamond-designation. Andy and I traveled to Boulder and Davis to kick off their Diamond challenge. (Next month, we’ll pedal that challenge in the third Platinum city: Portland, Ore. Boulder received us with overcast skies but heart-felt enthusiasm. We checked out two bright red B-cycle bikes for the duration of our stay and got quite a few miles out of them. We met with local government officials and staff, community and advocacy representatives and were treated to a three-hour tour of the city. The Diamond challenge will require the local government and the community to work together to address any remaining obstacles to cycling to encourage an additional 5 percent of commuters to bike to work or school — for Diamond designation, a 15 percent bicycle mode share among the minimum requirements. Go Boulder Manager Kathleen Bracke is confident the city is ready to step up: “The City of Boulder/GO Boulder is excited to continue our partnership with the League and the Boulder community to advance bicycling as a way of life and look forward to working together to achieve the new Diamond level Bike Friendly Community designation.” Mayor Matt Appelbaum agreed: “Recognition by the League energizes us to aim even higher. Boulder is looking forward to celebrating as the first Diamond-level Bicycle Friendly community in the future.” One of the highlights of our visit in Boulder was a tour of the newly constructed 42-acre Valmont Bike Park, which is a one-of-a-kind natural-surface facility that allows residents and visitors of all ages and abilities to practice their mountain biking, BMX and cyclocross-skills. Our B-cycle bikes were unfortunately not made for this type of facility (though some have tried!), otherwise I would have taken a spin on the inviting singletrack course. Davis greeted us with a bike light in our hotel room from Davis Bicycles! and two shiny, black city-owned bicycles. Since I arrived a day early, I got the chance to witness the installation of a new bike corral downtown, which featured a prominently displayed QR code that, when scanned with a smart phone app, takes you to the city’s bicycle website. During our stay we got to meet with Mayor Joe Krovoza, council member Brett Lee and city staff. We also caught up with local bicycle advocates, and representatives from the business community, the University of California at Davis and the Capital Corridor Joint Powers Authority. And got a great tour of the city’s bike infrastructure from Davis Bicycles! members and active transportation coordinator David Kemp. Fortunately our rather packed schedule allowed us to stop by a city council meeting to present the City of Davis with a Silver Bicycle Friendly Business award on our way from the Bicycle Advisory Commission meeting to the holiday festivities of the Davis Bike Club. But hands down the highlight of our visit in Davis was to see the Active 4 Me program in action at a local elementary school that tracks children that walk or bike to school through bar code technology. The system also automatically informs parents that their child has arrived safely at school, addressing a real or perceived parental safety concern. “The League’s trip to Davis truly complemented a new renaissance of pro-bicycle energy in Davis,” Kemp said. “After meeting with our elected officials, the business community, city staff, UC Davis, and bicycle advocacy groups, Andy and Nicole provided our community the positive charge and constructive feedback we needed to advance our city to the next level: Diamond! Pair this with the new, Beyond Platinum – Bicycle Action Plan and we’ll strategically propel our community, over the next five years, to work together to make Davis a world-class Bicycle Friendly Community.” The next step for Boulder and Davis toward Diamond status will be a public survey to allow the community to chime in on the comfort and convenience of the bicycle network, perceived safety and other issues that influence people’s daily transportation and recreation choices. “Given the City of Boulder’s ethic of ‘continuous improvement,’ we appreciate the League’s challenge for communities like Boulder to reach beyond Platinum Level to the new Diamond designation,” said Director of Public Works for Transportation Tracy Winfree. “Diamonds aren’t a girl’s best friend; Diamond Designation is.” Click here to learn more about the Beyond Platinum program.

League of American Bicyclists visit Boulder, Colorado

The Pursuit of Diamond Status: Boulder and Davis Say “I Do”

Earlier this month League President, Andy Clark, and I traveled to Boulder, Colo., and Davis, Calif. — but I was transported back to my college years in Germany.

Bicycling along the network of paths and bike lanes in these two Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Communities, I was able to comfortably ride for miles and miles without the need to bike on a high-speed road to meet up with city staff at the town hall, grab some food with local bike advocates at a downtown restaurant or attend an evening function at a museum.

In Davis, I got nearly run over by a large group of junior high school students on bikes, trying to pedal to class in time. In Boulder, we witnessed a frolicking group of young men riding around town in the evening with a boom box on the rack and lights in their wheels. These two Platinum BFCs really seem to have it all — the infrastructure, the bike culture and a compact and mixed land use that allow destinations to be quickly reached by bike.

Can it get any better than this? Well, though a good number of people bike in Davis and Boulder, more than half of the residents in cities like Copenhagen in Denmark or Utrecht in the Netherlands have adopted the bicycle as their main form of transportation. To challenge our own top cycling cities to move beyond Platinum and compete with world-class cycling cities, the League developed a new Diamond-designation. Andy and I traveled to Boulder and Davis to kick off their Diamond challenge. (Next month, we’ll pedal that challenge in the third Platinum city: Portland, Ore.

Boulder received us with overcast skies but heart-felt enthusiasm. We checked out two bright red B-cycle bikes for the duration of our stay and got quite a few miles out of them. We met with local government officials and staff, community and advocacy representatives and were treated to a three-hour tour of the city. The Diamond challenge will require the local government and the community to work together to address any remaining obstacles to cycling to encourage an additional 5 percent of commuters to bike to work or school — for Diamond designation, a 15 percent bicycle mode share among the minimum requirements.

Go Boulder Manager Kathleen Bracke is confident the city is ready to step up: “The City of Boulder/GO Boulder is excited to continue our partnership with the League and the Boulder community to advance bicycling as a way of life and look forward to working together to achieve the new Diamond level Bike Friendly Community designation.”

Mayor Matt Appelbaum agreed: “Recognition by the League energizes us to aim even higher. Boulder is looking forward to celebrating as the first Diamond-level Bicycle Friendly community in the future.”

One of the highlights of our visit in Boulder was a tour of the newly constructed 42-acre Valmont Bike Park, which is a one-of-a-kind natural-surface facility that allows residents and visitors of all ages and abilities to practice their mountain biking, BMX and cyclocross-skills. Our B-cycle bikes were unfortunately not made for this type of facility (though some have tried!), otherwise I would have taken a spin on the inviting singletrack course.

Davis greeted us with a bike light in our hotel room from Davis Bicycles! and two shiny, black city-owned bicycles. Since I arrived a day early, I got the chance to witness the installation of a new bike corral downtown, which featured a prominently displayed QR code that, when scanned with a smart phone app, takes you to the city’s bicycle website. During our stay we got to meet with Mayor Joe Krovoza, council member Brett Lee and city staff. We also caught up with local bicycle advocates, and representatives from the business community, the University of California at Davis and the Capital Corridor Joint Powers Authority. And got a great tour of the city’s bike infrastructure from Davis Bicycles! members and active transportation coordinator David Kemp.

Fortunately our rather packed schedule allowed us to stop by a city council meeting to present the City of Davis with a Silver Bicycle Friendly Business award on our way from the Bicycle Advisory Commission meeting to the holiday festivities of the Davis Bike Club. But hands down the highlight of our visit in Davis was to see the Active 4 Me program in action at a local elementary school that tracks children that walk or bike to school through bar code technology. The system also automatically informs parents that their child has arrived safely at school, addressing a real or perceived parental safety concern.

“The League’s trip to Davis truly complemented a new renaissance of pro-bicycle energy in Davis,” Kemp said. “After meeting with our elected officials, the business community, city staff, UC Davis, and bicycle advocacy groups, Andy and Nicole provided our community the positive charge and constructive feedback we needed to advance our city to the next level: Diamond! Pair this with the new, Beyond Platinum – Bicycle Action Plan and we’ll strategically propel our community, over the next five years, to work together to make Davis a world-class Bicycle Friendly Community.”

The next step for Boulder and Davis toward Diamond status will be a public survey to allow the community to chime in on the comfort and convenience of the bicycle network, perceived safety and other issues that influence people’s daily transportation and recreation choices.

“Given the City of Boulder’s ethic of ‘continuous improvement,’ we appreciate the League’s challenge for communities like Boulder to reach beyond Platinum Level to the new Diamond designation,” said Director of Public Works for Transportation Tracy Winfree. “Diamonds aren’t a girl’s best friend; Diamond Designation is.”

Click here to learn more about the Beyond Platinum program.

Filed under bike bikes bicycling bicycles bicyclists bicycle friendly communities boulder colorado davis league of american bicyclists bike league blog diamond platinum community b-cycle valmont bike park go boulder on the go getting around portland

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City to host Platinum Bicycle Friendly Community award ceremony Boulder celebrates current rank; strives to become the nation’s first Diamond-level BFC With hundreds of miles of bike lanes and a bike-commute rate more than 20 times the national average, Boulder once again achieved Platinum Bicycle Friendly status from the League of American Bicyclists earlier this year. The city was one of only three to earn this honor nationwide. Now Boulder is aiming even higher, meeting with league staff to potentially become the very first Diamond-level Bicycle Friendly Community and the nation’s top cycling city.  The public is invited to attend a community cycling celebration and award ceremony in honor of Boulder’s recent renewal as a Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) on Thursday, Dec. 6, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The celebration will be held at West Flanders Brewing Company at 1125 Pearl St. League of American Bicyclists President, Andy Clark and League Bicycle Friendly Community Specialist, Nicole Wynands, will present Boulder’s award to city representative and local cycling partners. Appetizers and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided, along with a no-host bar. Please RSVP by Monday, Dec. 3. At 10 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 7, city and league representatives (along with local non-profit Community Cycles) will lead a bike tour of Boulder’s bicycling system.  The public is encouraged to join; the ride will depart from the Municipal Building Sister City Plaza (east side of Municipal Building, 1777 Canyon Blvd). Email Marni Ratzel with questions and to RSVP. During their visit, league representatives will unveil the new ‘Diamond’ BFC challenge.  Working with city staff and the local cycling community, Clarke and Wynands will audit the current bicycling network, plans, and bike-friendly policies and programs to identify what measurements and goals would need to be set over the next five years to move the city toward Diamond status.   For the first decade, the BFC program ranked communities at the Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum levels. But cities like Boulder have made such tremendous progress that the league has raised the bar. Only three cities are currently working toward this new Diamond status, including Boulder. “The fact that Boulder could be the first Diamond-level Bicycle Friendly Community is an incredible testament to the city’s commitment to bicycling and its unique leadership for the rest of the country,” said League President Andy Clarke. “We are excited and honored to be working with Boulder to take the Bicycle Friendly Community program to new heights!”  Securing a Diamond designation will involve an individualized challenge tailored to each community. The league will conduct a detailed audit for each city and work with community leaders to create clear five, 10, and 15-year goals for important factors like bicycle mode share, land use, crashes, network connectivity and bike culture.  Learn more about the Beyond Platinum program at www.bikeleague.org/bfa and about bicycling in Boulder at www.goboulder.net. 

City to host Platinum Bicycle Friendly Community award ceremony 
Boulder celebrates current rank; strives to become the nation’s first Diamond-level BFC

With hundreds of miles of bike lanes and a bike-commute rate more than 20 times the national average, Boulder once again achieved Platinum Bicycle Friendly status from the League of American Bicyclists earlier this year. The city was one of only three to earn this honor nationwide. Now Boulder is aiming even higher, meeting with league staff to potentially become the very first Diamond-level Bicycle Friendly Community and the nation’s top cycling city. 

The public is invited to attend a community cycling celebration and award ceremony in honor of Boulder’s recent renewal as a Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) on Thursday, Dec. 6, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The celebration will be held at West Flanders Brewing Company at 1125 Pearl St.

League of American Bicyclists President, Andy Clark and League Bicycle Friendly Community Specialist, Nicole Wynands, will present Boulder’s award to city representative and local cycling partners. Appetizers and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided, along with a no-host bar. Please RSVP by Monday, Dec. 3.

At 10 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 7, city and league representatives (along with local non-profit Community Cycles) will lead a bike tour of Boulder’s bicycling system.  The public is encouraged to join; the ride will depart from the Municipal Building Sister City Plaza (east side of Municipal Building, 1777 Canyon Blvd). Email Marni Ratzel with questions and to RSVP.

During their visit, league representatives will unveil the new ‘Diamond’ BFC challenge.  Working with city staff and the local cycling community, Clarke and Wynands will audit the current bicycling network, plans, and bike-friendly policies and programs to identify what measurements and goals would need to be set over the next five years to move the city toward Diamond status.  

For the first decade, the BFC program ranked communities at the Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum levels. But cities like Boulder have made such tremendous progress that the league has raised the bar. Only three cities are currently working toward this new Diamond status, including Boulder.

“The fact that Boulder could be the first Diamond-level Bicycle Friendly Community is an incredible testament to the city’s commitment to bicycling and its unique leadership for the rest of the country,” said League President Andy Clarke. “We are excited and honored to be working with Boulder to take the Bicycle Friendly Community program to new heights!” 

Securing a Diamond designation will involve an individualized challenge tailored to each community. The league will conduct a detailed audit for each city and work with community leaders to create clear five, 10, and 15-year goals for important factors like bicycle mode share, land use, crashes, network connectivity and bike culture. 

Learn more about the Beyond Platinum program at www.bikeleague.org/bfa and about bicycling in Boulder at www.goboulder.net. 

Filed under go boulder on the go boulder colorado bicycle friendly communities league of american bicyclists platinum diamond bike lanes bikes bike to work Bike to Work Day cyclists awards community ceremont celebration cities cycling bicycles bicyclists bicycling biking leaders

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Help us improve downtown bike parking to better serve your needs! Take the Boulder Transit Center Bike Parking Survey by Friday, Dec. 7, for a chance to win a bike pump! http://svy.mk/TspTWk Do you currently (or want to) park your bike at the Boulder Transit Center at 14th & Walnut streets?  The City of Boulder, Boulder County and Regional Transit District (RTD) are working to improve the downtown Boulder Transit Center area.  The project goals include improving the transit riding experience, bicycle access and parking.  The Bike Parking Survey only takes a few minutes to complete and your input will help improve bike parking and the overall downtown transit rider experience.   Take the survey online at http://svy.mk/TspTWk.     Complete the survey on or before Dec. 7 to enter for a chance to win one of 10 Topeak mini morph frame bike pumps.   The project team is considering a design that would provide a secure mass bike parking solution: an enclosed bike storage cage that would protect bikes from theft and weather. This bike parking area would be fenced-in and equipped with a keycard pass only available to members.  Within the shared bicycle parking storage area, patrons would be able to individually lock their bicycles to racks. This proposed design would remove some of the individual lockers for the construction of the cage. It would provide a greater number of patrons with access to secured and covered long-term bicycle parking. Bike parking racks and lockers will still be available outside of the bike cage, as well. 

Help us improve downtown bike parking to better serve your needs! Take the Boulder Transit Center Bike Parking Survey by Friday, Dec. 7, for a chance to win a bike pump! http://svy.mk/TspTWk

Do you currently (or want to) park your bike at the Boulder Transit Center at 14th & Walnut streets?  The City of Boulder, Boulder County and Regional Transit District (RTD) are working to improve the downtown Boulder Transit Center area.  The project goals include improving the transit riding experience, bicycle access and parking.  The Bike Parking Survey only takes a few minutes to complete and your input will help improve bike parking and the overall downtown transit rider experience.  

Take the survey online at http://svy.mk/TspTWk.    

Complete the survey on or before Dec. 7 to enter for a chance to win one of 10 Topeak mini morph frame bike pumps.  

The project team is considering a design that would provide a secure mass bike parking solution: an enclosed bike storage cage that would protect bikes from theft and weather. This bike parking area would be fenced-in and equipped with a keycard pass only available to members.  Within the shared bicycle parking storage area, patrons would be able to individually lock their bicycles to racks. This proposed design would remove some of the individual lockers for the construction of the cage. It would provide a greater number of patrons with access to secured and covered long-term bicycle parking. Bike parking racks and lockers will still be available outside of the bike cage, as well. 

Filed under boulder downtown rtd transit center transit mass transit bus busing buses bus rides public transportation public space racks lockers bicycles bike bikes bike parking parking design planning survey topeak security storage bike pumps online survey regional transportation district boulder county city of boulder

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Save the Date! Looking Back  ~  Looking Ahead You are cordially invited to the: 2012 Annual GO Boulder Appreciation LuncheonThursday, Dec. 6, from 11:30 a.m.to 1 p.m.Charlotte Houston RoomBoulder County Clerk and Recorders Office1750 33rd St. - Boulder, CO Special guest:Andy Clark from the League of American Bicyclists. Official update on US 36 construction and project status, including incentive programs for commuters. Lunch will be provided.  Join us in sharing the many accomplishments of 2012 and opportunities for 2013. Door Prizes ~  Networking ~  Community Take the JUMP or HOP or B-cycle! Please RSVP to orleansel@bouldercolorado.gov.

Save the Date!

Looking Back  ~  Looking Ahead

You are cordially invited to the:

2012 Annual GO Boulder Appreciation Luncheon
Thursday, Dec. 6, from 11:30 a.m.to 1 p.m.
Charlotte Houston Room
Boulder County Clerk and Recorders Office
1750 33rd St. - Boulder, CO

  • Special guest:Andy Clark from the League of American Bicyclists.
  • Official update on US 36 construction and project status, including incentive programs for commuters.
  • Lunch will be provided. 

Join us in sharing the many accomplishments of 2012 and opportunities for 2013.

Door Prizes ~  Networking ~  Community

Take the JUMP or HOP or B-cycle!

Please RSVP to orleansel@bouldercolorado.gov.

Filed under on the go go boulder getting around league of american bicyclists bicycles bicyclists bicycling accomplishments community' us 36 u.s. 36 commuting commuters boulder boulder county invitation invite transportation options transportation

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Two New Boulder B-cycle Stations!  Your bike-sharing system continues to grow with two new B-stations that will open in early November: Broadway & Iris and 33rd & Fisher (next to the Boulder County Clerk and Recorder’s Office).   The new stations are supported by Boulder County for their employees and visitors and bring the total station count to 21. Boulder B-cycle launched in May 2011 with twelve B-stations.  “We are very excited and proud to be opening new B-stations at two of our busiest public service locations,” Boulder County Commissioner Will Toor said. “Thousands of residents and county employees travel to these locations every week, and thanks to an excellent partnership with Boulder B-cycle, we are able to provide a fun, healthy and efficient way to get there.”  The County Commissioners will host ribbon-cutting ceremonies at each of the locations and the public is invited: • Broadway & Iris Avenue: Thursday November 8th at 1:30 p.m.   • 33rd Street & Fisher Drive: Thursday, November 15th at 1:30 p.m. 

Two New Boulder B-cycle Stations! 

Your bike-sharing system continues to grow with two new B-stations that will open in early November: Broadway & Iris and 33rd & Fisher (next to the Boulder County Clerk and Recorder’s Office).  

The new stations are supported by Boulder County for their employees and visitors and bring the total station count to 21. Boulder B-cycle launched in May 2011 with twelve B-stations. 

“We are very excited and proud to be opening new B-stations at two of our busiest public service locations,” Boulder County Commissioner Will Toor said. “Thousands of residents and county employees travel to these locations every week, and thanks to an excellent partnership with Boulder B-cycle, we are able to provide a fun, healthy and efficient way to get there.” 

The County Commissioners will host ribbon-cutting ceremonies at each of the locations and the public is invited:

• Broadway & Iris Avenue: Thursday November 8th at 1:30 p.m.  

• 33rd Street & Fisher Drive: Thursday, November 15th at 1:30 p.m. 

Filed under boulder colorado bike share bike bikes bicycle bicycles bicycling bicyclists bicycle friendly communities cyclists cycling rent Bike Sharing broadway stations travel transportation travel options transportation options

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Police to increase crosswalk enforcement for September Crosswalk Safety Weeks

Starting on Sept. 17, 2012 and continuing through the end of the month, officers from the Boulder Police Department will increase safety enforcement at city crosswalks as part of “September Crosswalk Safety Weeks.” At its Sept. 18 meeting, City Council will be designating Sept. 17 – 28 as September Crosswalk Safety Weeks as part of the ongoing “Heads Up: Mind the Crosswalk” public education campaign. Police at the University of Colorado will also be stepping up enforcement on and around the campus. 

Earlier this year, several new ordinances went into effect. The three ordinances in the Boulder Revised Code are: 

• ”Stop at crosswalk required” [7-4-77] stipulates that when one vehicle stops to yield for a person in a crosswalk, another vehicle going the same direction in an adjacent lane cannot overtake and pass that vehicle.

• ”8 mph speed limit for bicycles in a crosswalk” [7-5-5] establishes a speed limit of 8 mph for bicyclists during the immediate approach, entry and traversal of any crosswalk that spans a roadway.

• ”Pedestrian obedience to traffic signal required” [7-5-15(f)] targets the use of flashing crosswalks (those with flashing yellow crosswalk signs) by requiring a person crossing to enter the crosswalk with the warning device activated.

Boulder police, along with officers from the University of Colorado Police Department, will focus their safety efforts on high-incident crosswalks, many of which are on or near the university campus.  

Police will also be keeping an eye on school zones. At the same time, the Boulder Valley School District is educating students about crosswalk safety with activities such as assemblies, art projects and events planned during the designated Crosswalk Safety Weeks.

Fines for breaking these ordinances range from $50 to $125. Drivers may also receive points against their license. 

For more information, visit www.bouldertransportation.net.

Filed under boulder police safety enforcement city crosswalks september University of Colorado schools public safety vehicles bicycles bikes biking speeds speed limit tickiets citations walking pedestrians school zones fines laws rules transportation transportation options colorado

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The University of Colorado at Boulder Bike Station

The CU bike station offers numerous ways to help keep campus cyclists in the saddle and enjoying CU and Boulder’s great bicycling environment.

Located just east of the University Memorial Center at the Fine Arts Lawn, the bike station has numerous services, including:

  • bicycle registration;
  • cruiser bicycle rentals (“Buff Bikes”);
  • transit schedules and maps; 
  • bicycle maintenance assistance; and
  • bicycle and pedestrian path maps and information.

Filed under bicycles bike station biking boulder buffs colorado University of Colorado campus cruiser cu cyclists maps paths schedules umc students college university rent rental

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We’re thrilled to announce three new links in the B-cycle system: North Boulder Recreation Center Broadway & University Broadway & Euclid (@ the UMC) Our station at North Boulder Recreation Center, generously sponsored by the Boulder Parks & Recreation Department, opens on Thursday, Aug. 9. This station makes it easy to ride to recreation instead of drive! 

We’re thrilled to announce three new links in the B-cycle system:

  • North Boulder Recreation Center
  • Broadway & University
  • Broadway & Euclid (@ the UMC)

Our station at North Boulder Recreation Center, generously sponsored by the Boulder Parks & Recreation Department, opens on Thursday, Aug. 9. This station makes it easy to ride to recreation instead of drive! 

(Source: boulder.bcycle.com)

Filed under b-cycle bike share rec center parks and recreation parks & rec links connections broadway boulder colorado umc university of colorado bike ride cycling cyclists bicycles bikes red rent