THE INDEPENDENT

The Latest

City Celebrates Bike Commuting

City Celebrates Bike Commuting

Story by Ryan Simonovich Photos by Isaac Furtney

Author: Bodine, James/Wednesday, March 1, 2017/Categories: Home

Rate this article:
No rating

A Winter Bike To Work Day event was held from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. last Friday at 1027 Main Ave. The event was held by the city of Durango to recognize, encourage and promote bicycle commuters in the winter.

 

There was food and drink provided by local businesses and free bicycle tune-ups provided by San Juan Cycles, Amber Blake, director of transportation and sustainability for the city of Durango, said.  

 

“It keeps people excited about riding their bikes during a cold and potentially slushy time of year,” she said in an email.

 

Temperatures were below freezing Friday, but that did not deter Durango’s bike commuters.

 

Jordan Townsend and Erika Jeffs commute by bike because it allows them to own just one car and drive less often, they both said.

 

To deal to winter time weather, Jeffs wears heated gloves and flannel lined pants, she said.

 

Rick Doornbos rides his mountain bike to work, often through Horse Gulch when the weather permits, he said.

 

He rides to work because it means he can clear his head and ride his bike more, he said.

 

Lesley Forrest, an event attendee, regularly commutes five miles because she likes to be outside and see nature, she said.

 

This year was the fifth annual running of the Winter Bike To Work event, Blake said.

 

The event was a success, with about 150 people stopping by on their way to work, she said in an email.

 

To encourage sustainable transportation, the city held a Business Commuter Challenge Feb.20-24. Employees from Durango businesses could commute sustainably, and the business with the highest participation rate wins, she said.

 

Ten local businesses participated in this year’s event, she said in an email. The winner this year was Russell Planning and Engineering with a 90% participation rate, she said.

 

Commuting sustainably means biking, walking, riding the bus or carpooling, Blake said.

 

The city also runs the Way To Go! Club, which is a year round program, she said. The Way To Go! Club runs like an airline miles program, where participants can gain points by logging their sustainable commute miles and win prizes, she said.

 

“This also helps the community because we can track greenhouse gas emission savings,” Blake said.  

 

The club currently has 828 active members 90,489 sustainable trips since January 2016 and have saved 541.64 tons of CO2 emissions, she said in an email.

 

The city is putting money into sustainable transportation thanks to the Multi-Modal Plan which was adopted in 2009, she said. Since then $5 million has been put into multi-modal transportation projects, she said.

 

In the summer, the city works with local businesses to sponsor bicycle parking, she said. A parking space is blocked off and used as a bike parking space for up to 20 bikes, she said.

 

The vision is to have a seventh grade aged kid be able to safely get around Durango by themselves, she said.

 
Print

Number of views (2338)/Comments (0)

Please login or register to post comments.

All News

Navajo Nation Seeks Compensation From EPA: Diné Walkers Open Dialogue

Story by Jamie Draper, Graphic by Julia Volzke, Photo by Brent Balone

The effects of the Gold King Mine spill have stretched downstream to the San Juan River, which flows through the Navajo Nation reservation in New Mexico.

 

The effects of the Gold King Mine spill have stretched downstream to the San Juan River, which flows through the Navajo Nation reservation in New Mexico.   Initial Response:   The farm board in Shiprock, New Mexico, voted whether to close the headgates to the system of irrigation canals that supply water to that region, Brandon Francis, employee of the New Mexico State...

Carson Brings RENT to Life at the DAC: A Night of Broadway on 2nd Ave

Story by Jamie Draper, Graphic by Julia Volzke, Photography by Brent Belone

This coming weekend marks the last performances of the Durango Arts Center’s ongoing production, “Rent.” The musical was first performed on Broadway in New York, NY, in the spring of 1996, and the show remains significant this fall on Durango’s 2nd Avenue.

This coming weekend marks the last performances of the Durango Arts Center’s ongoing production, “Rent.” The musical was first performed on Broadway in New York, NY, in the spring of 1996, and the show remains significant this fall on Durango’s 2nd Avenue.   Even though the issue of AIDS in the United States is less prevalent today, discussion around the...

Polarizing the Polls

Story by Keenan Malone, Archer Gordon and Lauren Hammond, Graphic by Julia Volzke

Since the late 1970s, the United States government and its politics have become increasingly polarized. There is an extreme, visible version today in the current presidential primaries.

Since the late 1970s, the United States government and its politics have become increasingly polarized. There is an extreme, visible version today in the current presidential primaries.   Michael DIchio, assistant professor of political science at Fort Lewis College, said political polarization is, more the norm than the exception when it comes to U.S. politics. The U.S. political...

Ska Leads Heavy Metal Extra Pale Ale - EPA

Story by Keenan Malone, Photography by Nate Obici

Ska Brewing was in the beginning stages of their most recent batch of charity driven beer, the Heavy Metal Extra Pale Ale, on August 6. The beer was inspired by the Gold King Mine spill which occurred a day prior to the formation of the idea.

Ska Brewing was in the beginning stages of their most recent batch of charity driven beer, the Heavy Metal Extra Pale Ale, on August 6. The beer was inspired by the Gold King Mine spill which occurred a day prior to the formation of the idea.   The Spill   The spill resulted in 3 million gallons of wastewater being released accidentally from the abandoned Gold King Mine...

Board of Trustees Renews Thomas' Contract

Story by Alison Uralli and Jarred Green

Dene Thomas, president of Fort Lewis College, has been reviewed by faculty and students to help the board of trustees decide whether or not to renew the contract for another three years.

Dene Thomas, president of Fort Lewis College, has been reviewed by faculty and students to help the board of trustees decide whether or not to renew the contract for another three years.   The board of trustees performs what is called a 360 survey of Dene Thomas, Dugald Owen, president of the faculty senate, said. This is a review of Thomas' performance over the last three...

First8485868789919293Last