Cycling the streets of your neighborhood can be a great way to feel more connected to your community. Just ask lifelong cycling enthusiast and Wheat Ridge city council member, Jenny Snell. As the owner of a self-described “embarrassing” number of bikes (six, if you’re curious) and the sole-proprietor of the Wheelie Bean, a bicycle coffee cart, she’s well-versed in the joys of riding in the city.
“I frequently just take my single speed out and bum around and it feels like I’m just riding around my neighborhood as a kid,” Snell said. “That’s super important to me to keep that spirit within myself.”
And whether it’s bumming around the neighborhood, running errands, or pedaling coffee, there are several designated routes aimed at helping cyclists get from point A to point B.
In fact, in Jefferson County there are 242 miles of on-street bicycle lanes in addition to paved shoulder lanes and neighborhood bikeways.
But not all of these routes feel safe to all riders. Over half of the general public is interested in cycling, but may be uncomfortable biking alongside traffic according to the Transportation Research Record. To address some of these concerns, the city of Wheat Ridge is considering several initiatives aimed at increasing the sense of safety for cyclists.
Proposed projects include:
Improving the route along W 35th Ave beginning at Sheridan — a common bicycle throughway
Repair and widening of the bike lane on W 32nd Ave between Wadsworth and Crown Hill Park
Extending the connectivity on W 32nd Ave near Youngfield St to provide connectivity and safer travel beneath I-70
Development of a multi-use path along Wadsworth from W 35th Ave to the Clear Creek Trail
Research has shown that communities that invest in enhanced bicycle infrastructure see an increase in bicycling. And, as bicycle infrastructure expands and ridership increases, bicyclist injuries and fatalities decrease.
“As with anything, there’s strength in numbers,” Snell said. “When you see more cyclists out on the road as a driver, you learn more about how to be a good steward of the road, share the road, and be safe.”
The great news is, even if you’re not ready for riding with traffic there are plenty of shared-use trails offering miles and miles of low-stress riding away from cars.
A favorite amongst locals is the Clear Creek Trail. This paved, regional trail connects Denver to Golden. Four parks: Prospect, Anderson, Johnson, and Creekside all provide direct access to the trail.
“I really enjoy riding up to the Otis Street Trailhead and down the Clear Creek Trail to New Image Brewing,” Snell said. “That’s a really nice ride because it’s very low stress. You get to the brewery and you have some beer and pizza — what’s better than that?”
