RTD bus service changes are now in effect. Check the new schedules before riding the bus - http://t.co/TvhQiPjlvW

Help Ease Traffic Along US 36

In efforts to reduce the amount of Solo Driving during the peak of US 36 reconstruction, 36 Commuting Solutions will be offering incentives to promote the use of public transit along the US 36 corridor.

Some incentives include:

•   A Free RTD 10-ride Ticket Book, valued at $45
•   Telework training sessions, starting Feb. 20 at the First Bank Center 
•   $2,500 available for establishing new telework programs 

Give your new commute option a try!

For more information on the subsidies and incentives available, visit 36commutingsolutions.org/commuting-us-36/incentives/, email  info@36commutingsolutions.org, or call 303-604-4383.

For those who want to learn to ride safely and comfortably, check out the Community Cycles Winter Riding Workshop on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013 from 9 to 11 a.m. To register and for more information, visit www.communitycycles.org.

Check out additional winter cycling tips from Bicycle Colorado. 

Winter Cycling Workshop
Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013
9 to 11 a.m.
2805 Wilderness Pl., Suite 1000
Boulder, CO 80301

• Cost: $10
• Cost for members: $5
• Work-trade available: No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Reserve a spot at the Winter Cycling workshop.

Winter poses special challenges to the utilitarian cyclist. If you ride purely for fun and fitness, you may tend not to ride when it’s dark, cold and snowy. If your bike is your primary transportation, you don’t necessarily have this option. After all, you’ll still need groceries in February! But don’t worry, 80 percent of cyclists in Copenhagen, Denmark keep on biking all winter long, and you can too, with a little bit of extra knowledge and experience.

There are three main differences between fair weather and winter cycling: darkness, the cold, and snow and ice on the roads. In this workshop, we’ll cover what it takes to ride safely and comfortably in Boulder all winter long, from making sure you’ve got lights bright enough to see, not just be seen, to keeping your fingers, toes and nose from going numb. We’ll also talk about riding techniques to keep you upright on snowy and icy surfaces, and the additional maintenance your winter steed may require.

Winter riding may be challenging sometimes, but you’ll never have to scrape a windshield, and occasionally it’s downright magical. There’s nothing quite like riding home through a silent, snow-clad night as the flakes slowly drift by, and discovering a fox bounding along beside the trail.

This workshop will be led by Ann Haebig and Chris Ringer. For more info, check out the Winterbike Workshop Notes on the Flat Iron Bike blog.

RTD Service changes take effect on Sunday, Jan. 6

We want to remind you that this month’s RTD bus service changes take effect on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013. For details, please see the Final January 2013 Service Changes brochure at stations, on buses and trains, or online.

Winter Cycling Workshop
Saturday, Jan. 12 
9 to 11 a.m.
2805 Wilderness Pl., Suite 1000
Boulder, CO 80301

Cost: $10
Cost for members: $5
Work-trade available: No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Reserve a spot in the Winter Cycling workshop.

Winter poses special challenges to the utilitarian cyclist. If you ride purely for fun and fitness, you may tend not to ride when it’s dark, cold and snowy. If your bike is your primary transportation, you don’t necessarily have this option. After all, you’ll still need groceries in February! But don’t worry, 80 percent of cyclists in Copenhagen, Denmark keep on biking all winter long, and you can too, with a little bit of extra knowledge and experience.

There are three main differences between fair weather and winter cycling: darkness, the cold, and snow and ice on the roads. In this workshop, we’ll cover what it takes to ride safely and comfortably in Boulder all winter long, from making sure you’ve got lights bright enough to see, not just be seen, to keeping your fingers, toes and nose from going numb. We’ll also talk about riding techniques to keep you upright on snowy and icy surfaces, and the additional maintenance your winter steed may require.

Winter riding may be challenging sometimes, but you’ll never have to scrape a windshield, and occasionally it’s downright magical. There’s nothing quite like riding home through a silent, snow-clad night as the flakes slowly drift by, and discovering a fox bounding along beside the trail.

This workshop will be led by Ann Haebig and Chris Ringer. For more info, check out the Winterbike Workshop Notes on the Flat Iron Bike blog.

US 36 Express Lanes Project Update

The US 36 Express Lanes Project team continues temporary paving to get ready for moving all westbound traffic onto the temporary lanes later this year. Once traffic is moved, the team can begin work on the eastbound lanes.

This month, you will see continued bridge work along the corridor at Lowell Boulevard, Wadsworth Parkway and the US 36 bridges over East and West FlatIron Crossing. There is also a lot of activity along the sides of the highway, including drainage work, utility relocation and wall installation. For more information on the project, go to www.us36expresslanes.com

Bike Counts in Boulder
View real-time bike count data for 13th Street at Walnut Avenue in Boulder, Colorado - http://bit.ly/SnKY4a.

No Winter ‘Brake’ For Boulder B-cycle! 

Boulder B-cycle is staying open all winter - Ride On!   

Last winter, we left two stations near UCAR open to test how well the stations functioned in winter weather conditions. Our system passed the test with flying colors!

“Last winter worked really well for us having two B-stations operating for our two campus locations; our employees used the red bikes all winter long without a glitch. And now that all B-stations will be open throughout the area, we have an alternative transportation system for wherever we want to go in the City; we’re thrilled!” said UCAR’s Sustainability Outreach Coordinator, Kay Gazaway.

Thus, with a lot of encouragement from our riders, sponsors, and city and county staff, we have decided to stay open all winter. Now, you can use Boulder B-cycle for the last mile of your commute, short-trips around town, errands, and fun with Boulder visitors all year long!

Community Input Needed for US 36 First and Final Mile Study

36 Commuting Solutions is requesting employees and residents along the US 36 corridor to participate in a survey to provide input to the US 36 First and Final Mile study. The study’s purpose is to develop solutions to address the “First and Final Mile” issue, which is characterized by the lack of convenient access to/from the US 36 RTD Park-n-Rides and the surrounding destinations such as residences, employment and shopping.

To participate in the survey, please visit www.surveymonkey.com/s/JXWKLDX  

Participants will be entered to win a $25 American Express gift card. Please pass along this message to your colleagues, members and other US 36 stakeholders to ensure that we engage as many community members as possible.

To learn more about the study or to get involved, visit www.36commutingsolutions.org or email info@36commutingsolutions.

Boulder East is now Boulder Transportation Connections!

Boulder East is now offering services throughout the City of Boulder, under a new name: Boulder Transportation Connections (BTC)! Through busing, biking, carpooling and telecommuting, BTC is dedicated to helping Boulder employees and residents try alternative methods of transportation besides driving alone as a way to help reduce traffic congestion and resulting pollution. BTC works closely with GO Boulder, RTD and other local transportation organizations to provide programs to employees that reduce travel impacts.

Email Amy to sign-up for our fall survey program. This is a great FREE opportunity to find out how employees are commuting and how to encourage commuting in a variety of modes. BTC is here to help your business develop travel-wise strategies that reduce costs, improve employee moral, and create significant environmental benefits. We’ll provide you with the results for the survey and suggest programs for your employees.This is a free, grant-funded service, so sign-up now! Visit us at www.bouldertc.org for more info on BTC.

Meet GO Boulder’s New Manager - Kathleen Bracke 

Kathleen Bracke’s enthusiasm is palpable. On the job for a little more than a month, GO Boulder’s new manager is eager to provide the leadership necessary to maintain the momentum for our city’s innovative and balanced transportation programs.

“This community is phenomenal. The work that the city does to preserve Boulder’s quality of life and find ways to shift trips from single-occupancy cars is exceptional. Continuing this work and moving it forward is really important to me,” she said.

Kathleen comes to GO Boulder after working almost 18 years for the City of Fort Collins. As the manager of Fort Collins’ Transportation Planning department, she led numerous projects, including the early phases of the $87 million Mason Corridor Bus Rapid Transit project. Kathleen also managed the successful FC Bikes and Safe Routes to School programs, helped plan and develop Fort Collins’ bicycle/pedestrian Mason Trail, and implemented travel improvements to the city’s Downtown River District and North College Corridor.

First Priority: The Transportation Master Plan Update 

One of Kathleen’s first priorities will be providing the leadership for the 2012-2013 update to the Transportation Master Plan (TMP). The TMP is the city’s long-range blueprint for travel and mobility, which aims to create a complete and sustainable transportation system. The last TMP update occurred in 2008. The focus areas for the current update include transportation funding; addressing short-term transportation needs for the opening of Boulder Junction; implementing “complete streets” projects to make city roads safe and convenient for all modes of travel; and creating strategic, long-term transit plans for local and regional travel. 

“There are a lot of programs and projects going on to help GO Boulder offer the transportation choices needed to fulfill the TMP’s goal. They’re all interrelated and work together with other city sustainability initiatives to create that synergy for the community,” Kathleen said.

Connecting With Boulder Businesses

Kathleen believes that working on the TMP update will also provide her with a great opportunity to engage with local businesses.

 “My goal is to work with the business community so that it has a voice in our planning as we go forward,” she said. “I want to understand businesses’ needs and wishes for sustainable travel and how we at GO Boulder can help them achieve those goals.” 

Working Shoulder-to-Shoulder 

In addition to the TMP update, another one of Kathleen’s priorities is to contribute to a collegial atmosphere and work shoulder-to-shoulder with employees across all city departments. 

“We’ll be working very deliberately to reach out across departments such as integrating transportation with land use and climate commitments,” Kathleen said. “The city has a great team of employees with a real depth of understanding of the community and our regional partners. I think that through interdepartmental collaboration, we’re going to continue to accomplish great things for our transportation system and the Boulder community.”

Upsides to Her Fort Collins-to-Boulder Commute

Kathleen lives in Fort Collins and commutes to Boulder, which she claims has a considerable upside.

“I commute by vanpool three or more days of the week, so I understand what it’s like from a commuter perspective. I’ve gained first-hand experience that will help me create a better voice and vision for those traveling regionally,” she said.

Kathleen admits that she loves working in Boulder but misses the daily bike commute of her former job. So on days when she doesn’t commute by vanpool, Kathleen “parks and bikes.” 

“I drive to the edge of Boulder, park my car, and then ride my bike the rest of the way to work. This way I still get my bike fix,” Kathleen explained. “That’s been a really fun thing to do. It helps me get some exercise and explore the community. I get a chance to cycle around Boulder!”

Give Her a Call

Kathleen said she’s looking forward to meeting as many community members as possible and learning about their ideas. With a friendly, calming temperament, she’s very easy to approach. Contact Kathleen at 303-441-4155 or email her at BrackeK@bouldercolorado.gov.