Following two years of work, Colorado Springs City Council just approved a new bicycle master plan for the city. It is the first update to this type of plan since 1996.
Studies show there are the cyclists willing to take on almost any road. Then there is another group with a polar opposite attitude about getting around by bike. "A chunk of people that are just not interested in riding bikes–not for them– and that’s fine," said Colorado Springs Senior Bike Planner, Kate Brady. There is a third larger group. A group on a continuum of comfort level riding a bike. "There’s another substantial portion of our population that would be very interested in riding bikes if they felt safer doing so."
The new bike master plan is part a larger vision for the future of maintaining and improving the vitality of the city. "Especially our younger generations, really want to have this kind of connected bike infrastructure," said Colorado Springs City Councilwoman, Jill Gaebler. Whether bikes or mass transit, multi-modal transportation is typically on checklists of things that entice people to make personal and financial investments in a city. "That’s something that companies and increasingly individuals expect," said Brady
The updated master plan looks at better connecting current trails and routes to neighborhoods and areas of commerce. It also includes an education process to show how bikes and vehicles can get around without clashing.
