This coming Wednesday, June 28, is Bike to Work Day, with morning gatherings at the Durango Coffee Company in the 700 block of Main Avenue and in front of Mercy Medical Center in Three Springs. Roll up a pant leg and have a cup of coffee with fellow riders.
That is not all that is bike-related, not at all. Today is the first day of Clean Commute Week. At the farmers market, riders can pick up their “passport” for the week’s events and receive a free micro tune-up.
A few events stand out. Monday at 4:30 p.m. at Buckley Park begins the second annual Paul Wilbert Memorial Passeggiata. Wilbert, who enjoyed his bicycle in imaginative, non-competitive ways, initiated a casual ride down Main Avenue, filled with plenty of conversation, which ended with a gelato. This “stroll” in the same style is in his memory.
On Tuesday, a Pedal vs. Metal Challenge begins at the Transit Center at noon. Errand locations will be distributed to those on motorcycles, bikes, boards, on foot and in cars, and completion times will be recorded. We suggest betting on the non-fossil-fuel conveyances.
Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Ska Brewing is the “Love Your Commute” social time, with awards at 6 p.m. The passport that you picked up at the farmers market plays a role in determining the winners and raffle recipients. Also to be announced is Durango’s Commuter of the Year.
All week, businesses will be competing for “clean commute” recognition, and the trolley and transit buses will be free.
Details about all these activities and more are at getarounddurango.com.
The week’s activities reflect Durango’s leadership in multi-model transportation design and participation. The city’s 2012 multi-modal plan was a solid beginning, and it was updated with significant citizen participation in 2016. City Council approved the plan in March. As examples, in the coming months, look for a more bike-friendly College Avenue between Second and Eighth avenues, and from College Drive south to the light at Santa Rita Drive.
In a year or two, Roosa Avenue will receive sidewalks, first from the 9th Street bridge north to El Paso Street on both sides of the street, then south to U.S. Highway 160 on Roosa’s west side.
And, there will be signage and physical improvements at numerous other locations in Durango, as listed in the extensive 2016 plan.
Life along this narrow Animas River Valley is increasingly requiring a shift away from the automobile, that 4,000-pound vehicle which mostly requires fossil fuels and a lot of operating room and often carries only a 140- or 175-pound driver.
If you require the assistance of a motor, perhaps an e-bike will suffice for some trips.
Participate in Clean Commute Week in one way or another. The imaginative organizers and sponsors have made sure it will be a lot of fun.
And, it is the future.
