In 2015, Utah ranked 5th in the nation for bike-friendly living. For those of us who ride on the regular, it’s a bittersweet acknowledgment. We’ve seen vast improvements in infrastructure and access over the past decade, and are self-admittedly COLLECTIVE suckers for any and all opportunities to get outside and use our own locomotion. But, every time we read about another cyclist getting nailed by a car, look out at our shitty air, or see proposed cuts to alternative transportation measures in the news, we get a bit frustrated. Maybe feel a little powerless. Fortunately, the folks at Bike Utah keep up the good fight for safe streets 24/7 on our behalf.
According to The League of American Bicyclists (who’ve been in the business of cycling safety and education since the precariously wicked high-wheeler days of the 1880s), Utah’s biking and walking paths have grown substantially in the past decade, but there’s still a long way to go. The League credits the active advocacy of Bike Utah for improving safety and protecting biker access on our salty city’s streets and extensive mountain trails, so whether your tires are narrow or knobby, we all owe some seriously-enthusiastic kudos to Bike Utah for advocating to keep us safe out there on the streets.
On March 14th, the group is continuing the rally for a bike-friendly Utah by bringing together cyclists of all stripes (plus reps from Utah's bicycle industry, community planners, tourism experts, and government officials) for the 9th Annual Bike Summit. According to Summit organizers, “Regardless of your interest in bicycling--transportation, recreation, road, mountain, commuter--the Utah Bike Summit is for you, and all are encouraged to attend.” This year's roster is impressive, to say the least: the keynote speaker is tactical urbanism expert (author’s note: coolest job title, ever) Mike Lydon, and there are sessions addressing public health, bike safety, industry trends, crowd-sourcing for political advocacy, rural trail development, networking out the wazoo, and a whole lot more. All told, it'll be a beautiful day in Ogden, lunch included, at a venue just a skip from the Frontrunner station (so no need to drive!). Wins all around, people. We'll see you there.
Register for the event and learn more about Bike Utah’s programs and resources here.
