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Break for Cycling on Bike to Work Week

Posted on: Monday, 20 June 2005, 09:00 CDT

This is Bike to Work Week, when you're urged to trade in four tires for two. If you've ever thought about pedaling for your commute, sponsors of Bike to Work are offering inducements to make it more attractive.

The focus is on Wednesday, which the Denver Regional Council of Governments promotes as Bike to Work Day. Numerous sponsors such as Noodles & Co., Wild Oats markets and Panera Bread, along with cities and other businesses, are offering breakfast stops throughout metro Denver.

The Regional Transportation District is taking part for the entire week by hosting free and supervised bike valet parking on the plaza at Market Street Station on the 16th Street Mall.

From 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., your bike will be securely kept under a tent on the plaza. During last year's event, about 500 cyclists used the service.

On Wednesday, a random drawing will be held. The grand prize is a $1,000 gift certificate from Dick's Sporting Goods for the purchase of a bicycle and bicycling gear. A hundred other people who register for the drawing will win gift certificates from other sponsors.

To register for prizes, visit www.drcog.org and click on the 2005 Bike to Work Day banner.

Commuter challenges have been organized among some employers, and prizes will be given to oldest and youngest participants, along with a prize for the longest bike commute.

RTD also has taken the occasion to become more bike-friendly. While all of its buses, except the mall shuttles, haul bikes, cyclists have been allowed to bring their bikes onto light-rail trains only outside of rush hours, because of space.

Now, the transit agency welcomes bikes on light-rail vehicles even during rush hour.

Beware, it's not as simple as just pedaling to a rail station and boarding. If you want to carry your bike onto an RTD train, the agency requires you to get a free permit that you must carry with you when you board.

The reason for the permit is to make sure people who bring their bikes are familiar with the rules. If you apply online at www.RTD- denver.com (check under the bike-n- Ride or light rail links for information), you can print out a temporary permit simply by reading the rules and then answering five interactive questions designed to make sure you know them.

Here they are in a nutshell:

* You may carry a bike onto a train from the front or rear doors - except you can't use the front door of the lead car. That's to make sure you don't block the operator's door to the train cab.

* You cannot carry a bike onto a train from the two middle doors of a car. That's because RTD wants cyclists to stand at the front or rear ends of each car - again, except next to the driver's cab in the lead car.

* Allow others to board first. Then enter the car and stand at the front - except for the lead car - or rear wall while holding onto your bike.

* There is a limit of two bikes at each place where you're allowed to stand. So on a two-car train, six cyclists can ride at once - two at the rear of the lead car and two each at the front and rear of the back car.

RTD also supplies bike racks and lockers at most park-n-ride lots and light-rail stations. At last count, there were 550 lockers. Most are available for leasing by regular users, but 120 are first come, first served. To use one, you must buy a special padlock from RTD for $20.

No surprise: About 20 percent of all the lockers are in the Boulder area.

Street sweepings: The Colorado Department of Transportation will use its network of electronic signs along metro highways to warn you of upcoming ozone pollution alerts.

High levels of ozone generally form during hot weather, when ultraviolet rays from sunshine react with nitrogen oxides and volatile organic hydrocarbons. It's the stuff that comes from diesel emissions, gasoline fumes at filling stations and small engines such as your lawn mower.

During evening rush hours the day before a predicted high ozone day, CDOT's highway signs will flash the message "Ozone Alert Tomorrow" along with a varying suggestion such as "Please Carpool,""Please Refuel in Evening" or "Please Use Public Transit."

The last one caught my eye. CDOT chief Tom Norton is a highway guy who opposed last fall's vote on RTD's FasTracks program for expanded rail transit. I imagined him doing a double take when he read his department's news release. Tom Norton saying, "Please use public transit" is sorta like Col. Sanders saying, "Beef, it's what's for dinner."

Bumper sticker: I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

Source: Rocky Mountain News

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