Typically riding in the city in Denver is a great chance to race some cars and exchange heated words with motorists who don't know the laws. It's almost therapeutic when you get to have righteous anger, the kind where you know you are right and the world is wrong. It's almost fun. When the snow comes though, some of the fun turns more monotonous. Racing traffic becomes commuting, and the once wide streets become a fight over 3 ft of clear road.
This winter Denver is set to try to attract more cyclists to venture out. Not only will B-cycle be open year round (awesome), but Denver Public Works may try to actually clear some bike lanes. Though not without telling people to not actually bike. After the first real snowfall of the year, I have to say that their plan should be expanded.
As listed on their site, they will "attempt" to not push snow into lanes on Tejon in the NW, 17th in the East, Florida in the southwest, MLK in the east, and 16th ave in cap hill. I suppose this star pattern is efficient for commuters, but it would be nice to see actual assurances. It would also be nice to see more lanes cleared to promote biking by not forcing people to add miles to their rides.
The bike network in Denver is sparse enough as is, even given the call by tech companies for more bike infrastructure. The 15th st. bike way is a...start, but without anything but some paint, it offers no real protection from traffic. Couple this with the city only saying that it will "make every effort" to clear the lanes, and you are left with not fun racing of traffic, but being corralled into the lines of loud polluting vehicles.
It looks like Denver Public Works will have it's hands full, and commuters will be dodging ice this week.
Photo courtesy of Andy Cross from The Denver Post
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