Experimental share the road arrows or "sharrows" on Laurel in 2006 were replaced with simple share the road signs.

As a result of its community “listening sessions” in April and May, the Co-op submitted the following recommendations to the Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) at the May 2010 meeting. We are happy to report that the BAC adopted the recommendations in their entirety and submitted them to City Council!

The Bike Co-op held its final listening session Wednesday, May 5th. This meeting served to summarize citizens’ comments made during eight previous sessions held throughout the City and to prioritize action items for referral to City Planners, Transportation Planners and citizen’s boards and commissions.

There was unanimous consent to offer the following recommendation:

“The community should take steps to improve bicycle safety and efficiency through a comprehensive bicycle safety education program and through enhanced engineering efforts. The education should target motorists, cyclist, K-12 children, and CSU students while the engineering enhancements should include:

The creation of bicycle boulevards ( like Vine, Swallow, Stover, Canyon, Stuart, etc.) for efficient long distance movement of bikes between and among “activity centers,” across town and between existing corridors, including the Mason Trail, the Powerline Trail, the Poudre Trail and the Spring Creek Trail;

Installation of additional signal actuation devices at stop lights, including the use of default modes to facilitate bicycle travel;

The use of sharrows (shared lane arrows) and improved “Share the Road” signs that include the secondary sign “Bikes use full lane.”

The group reviewed the list of 120 items from the previous meetings and prioritized seventeen items (in random order):

More grade separated crossings at intersections and along major trails;
“Share-the-Road” signs should include “Bikes Use Full Lane” secondary sign;
Increase bike/ped accessibility on and across College in “mid-town;”
Add/improve bicycle lanes along North Shields, North College, Gregory, Lemay and others;
Decrease speed limits near campus to 25 mph;
Add “scramble intersections” (also called diagonal crossings and nicknamed the “Barnes Dance”) for Henry Barnes, an innovative traffic engineer at College and Mountain, Laurel and College, and Shields and Elizabeth for bikes and pedestrians;
Add lighting on trails for safety (including use of motion detectors with lights);
Make broader use of sharrows now that they are approved by the MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Traffic Code Devices);
Utilize more PR campaigns such as the “Coexist” campaign;
Target scofflaw cyclists for education;
Improve east-west access to, from and between the Mason and Powerline trails;
Enforce laws consistently;
Create more bicycle boulevards;
Improve signal actuation for bicycles or have signals default to green for cyclists;
Educate motorists about the rights of cyclists and the benefits of bicycling;
Educate K-12 children on bicycle safety;
Educate CSU students on bicycle safety;”

The Co-op is this year’s local Urban Assault beneficiary. That means that in return for us providing some volunteers, Urban assault gives us a bit of a kickback. Nice huh?

So, if you want to have a memorable weekend _and_ support the Co-op, get yourself signed up. Registration is open until July 17th, and there is no day of race registration.

If you can’t ride, come out and have a beer, and watch the rest of us make fools of ourselves. Beer proceeds are going to the Co-op, so bring your friends, and get them to buy you a round or two…..you know, for charity. Race starts at 9:00am and the suds start at 11:00, make sure you come thirsty.

Urban Assault – Fort Collins

Help Keep Colorado Roads Open for Bicycles!

Black Hawk’s Board of Aldermen has made it clear they don’t want bicyclists or bicycle events in town. The Board approved an ordinance banning bicycle riding on almost every street in Black Hawk. This includes the only paved street (Gregory Street-formerly State Highway 279) connecting the Peak to Peak Highway with the Central City Parkway.

Black Hawk police are now issuing a ticket to anyone “caught riding” through town.

Bicycle Colorado formally asked Black Hawk City Council to lift the ban during the June 9th City Council Meeting.  Council made it clear that they had no intention of changing their ordinance. Now we need the help of the Colorado bicycling community to get their attention.

Bicycle Colorado doesn’t think this is right or legal. We are working diligently on the legal side but here is how you can help today:

1. Rally to End Bike Bans on June 29th

Join other Colorado cyclists on the west steps of the State Capitol on Tuesday, June 29 for a rally to keep roads open for bicycling!  Be there from 5:30 – 6:00 p.m. and arrive early to help make signs.

Adventure Cycling has updated their route alert for riders using their Great Parks Route. The Black Hawk Bike Ban severs the route and the nearest detour is over Berthoud Pass.

2. Email or Call the Black Hawk City Council
CityClerk@CityofBlackHawk.org Council phone: 303-582-2212

To: Mayor David D. Spellman and Aldermen Linda Armbright, Paul G. Bennett, Diane Cales, Kathleen Doles, Tom Kerr, Greg Moates

Please restore bicycle access to Gregory Street and all Black Hawk streets. Your ban is closing a major cross-state route to bicyclists preventing residents and tourists from biking.

3. Donate to the legal efforts
We are in the midst of a legal and legislative campaign to overturn this ban and prevent it from spreading to other cities in Colorado. Your donation is the only way we can afford to do this.

Please join our campaign or make an extra financial gift today!

4. Spread the Word
Get the latest news by subscribing to our eNews and fan our Facebook page.

See a map of banned streets by clicking on “Press Releases” on Black Hawk’s website.

Image Credit: Bicycle Colorado

Did you know you can match your personality to the perfect machine for you?

Lazy, Traditional, Hybrid, and Folding.

With Bike Week kicking off across the UK this weekend (and Fort Collins’ own Bike To Work Day just seven days away), here’s a quick guide to matching your social stereotype with the right bike.

Read the full post HERE!

For the second year the Fort Collins Bike Co-op is looking for volunteers to work on the Fort Collins Urban Assault Ride! The event takes place on Sunday, July 18.

Here’s your chance to get a ring-side seat at a wacky event, log some volunteer hours and help the Bike Co-op at the same time. The Co-op will get a substantial cash donation for providing the volunteers. All volunteers will receive a t-shirt, food, drinks and beer (21 and older).

If you are interested, willing and able to commit to work this event, please register on line at www.urbanassaultride.com/ftcollins/volunteer/npo.  When filling out the online form please be sure to put Fort Collins Bike Co-op in the “Non-profit Name” field so we get credit for your participation.

This vintage soft t-shirt is available in royal blue and kelly green in both men’s and women’s fits, and has a sweet bike illustration on front. The shirts will also be available for sale at The Wright Life.

If you’re diggin’ the Akinz style, you should know that ordering $50 worth of gear will earn you a FREE Bike To Work Day shirt! And, if you order online between now and 6/23, you’ll have the option to select “deliver by bike” as your shipping option!

*Note: Bike delivery area is limited between Vine and Harmony, and Taft Hill and Timberline. See below for clarification.

FORT COLLINS, CO – The Fort Collins Bike Co-op, a 501c3 organization, in conjunction with REI, is hosting a Bike Week Bike Drive in Fort Collins, CO. The event will accept donated bikes of any kind to benefit kids in need, the Earn–a-Bike program and Ghana Bikes. There is a specific need for youth bikes.

The main event will take place on Saturday, June 19th from 10-2pm at REI, 4025 S. College Ave. For every bike donated on the 19th during the above times, REI will give donators a free coupon to REI! REI will also be hosting a “Get Your Bike Ready to Ride” workshop on the same day and times. They’ll answer all your bike commute questions, help you plan your best route for Bike to Work Day (June 23rd), and show you how to dress for your ride and still look good when you get there. Free bike maps, water bottles, and other cycling prizes will be given. While they are happy to make basic adjustments and give advice as part of their free basic check-up, they will refer you to their expert bike shop for full tune-ups and major work.

Can’t make it on the 19th? Donated bikes will be accepted all week long during Bike Week at REI and the Bike Co-op, during their respective business hours. However coupons will only be given for donated bikes on the 19th. The Fort Collins Bike Co-op is located at 331 N. College Ave. REI is located at 4025 S College Ave. Any donated bikes or bike parts that cannot be used will be recycled if possible.
For more information, please visit http://www.rei.com/stores/49 or http://fcbikecoop.org/

via www.ebaumsworld.com

The Bike Co-op held its final listening session on Wednesday, May 5th.  This meeting served to summarize citizens’ comments made during eight previous sessions held throughout the City and to prioritize action items for referral to City Planners, Transportation Planners and citizen’s boards and commissions.

There was unanimous consent to offer the following recommendation:

“The community should take steps to improve bicycle safety and efficiency through a comprehensive bicycle safety education program and through enhanced engineering efforts.  The education should target motorists, cyclist, K-12 children, and CSU students while the engineering enhancements should include:

1. The creation of bicycle boulevards ( like Vine, Swallow, Stover, Canyon, Stuart, etc.) for efficient long distance movement of bikes between and among “activity centers,” across town and between existing corridors, including the Mason Trail, the Powerline Trail, the Poudre Trail and the Spring Creek Trail;

2. Installation of  additional signal actuation devices at stop lights, including the use of default modes to facilitate bicycle travel;

3.  The use of sharrows (shared lane arrows) and improved “Share the Road” signs that include the secondary sign “Bikes use full lane.”

Although the group reviewed approx. 120 recommendations gathered from the Listening Sessions, 17 additional items emerged as priorities for the City, including:

• More grade separated crossings at intersections and along major trails;
• Increase bike/ped accessibility on and across College in “mid-town”
• Add/improve bicycle lanes along North Shields, North College, Gregory, Lemay and others
• Decrease speed limits near campus to 25 mph
• Add “scramble intersections” (also called diagonal crossings and nicknamed the “Barnes Dance”) for Henry Barnes, an innovative traffic engineer at College and Mountain, Laurel and College, and Shields and Elizabeth for bikes and pedestrians
• Add lighting on trails for safety (including use of motion detectors with lights)
• Utilize more PR campaigns such as the “Coexist” campaign
• Target scofflaw cyclists for education
• Improve east-west access to, from and between the Mason and Powerline trails
• Consistent law enforcement
• Create more bicycle boulevards

While many of these ideas are familiar and easy to imagine, a few suggestions will likely raise eyebrows as they are quite innovative.

The idea of  “scramble” crossings, for example will “require some thought,” said Rick Price, Chairman of the BAC and a proponent of such crossings.  “Scramble” crossings are also known as diagonal crossings.  They require all motor vehicle traffic to stop while pedestrians and cyclists may cross anywhere in the four-way intersection.  “Just stand and watch the bicycles and pedestrians negotiating for crossing space at Laurel or Elizabeth some day,” said Price, “and you’ll see how useful diagonal crossings might be there.”

Citizens wishing to comment on the above or those who wish to express further concerns should send them via e-mail to the Bicycle Advisory Committee:  Click For Email

Did you know that the Colorado State Police have a hotline for bicyclists to report aggressive driving if they see a motorist putting a bicyclist at risk?

The phone number is Star CSP (*277) when dialed from a mobile phone. Thanks to a State Patrol partnership with mobile phone companies calls to this hotline are free.

This is not like a normal phone number; you do not need to dial an area code. Simply press the * key (usually the lowest left key on a phone pad) and then 277. This number only works on mobile phones. If you are calling from a non-mobile phone dial 303-239-4501 or any State Patrol Communication Center.

When dialing Star CSP bicyclists should be prepared to communicate:

• Vehicle license plate number – this is mandatory
• Location and direction of travel
• Vehicle and driver description, if possible
• The aggressive driving behavior being demonstrated

The license plate number is the key. This allows the State Patrol to identify the vehicle owner’s name, driving record, and address. Without the license plate number, identifying the vehicle is impossible.

According to the State Patrol website, the information is entered into an aggressive driver database and police will send a warning letter after receiving three complaints. If the State Patrol receives additional complaints they send a trooper to make personal contact with the registered owner of the vehicle to take appropriate enforcement action.

Image Credit: Flickr Creative Commons