By Marcus Kaller — Spring is back, and with it time to get back on the bike for many cyclists locally. It is also time to really think about getting more involved to improving our community by implementing active transportation plans and bike infrastructure. Our recent meeting provided some opportunities.
Last month, Phil Sarnoff from Bike Utah unveiled a new online survey for bicyclists who live in the state of Utah. The survey, called “Utah State of Bicycling Survey,” is an invitation to share opinions from cyclists in identifying barriers in riding bikes and what improvements could be made. This survey covers commuting, road biking, and mountain biking. This information will be very useful in developing strategies for active transportation plans in cities, rural areas, and trails. You can participate by going to www.bikeutah.org.
Heidi Goedhart, active transportation manager for UDOT, introduced a new program at the meeting as well. Move Utah is a new program to “help communities identify the benefits of active transportation,” guide them to developing active transportation plans, and “plan for and/or join events and community outreach opportunities,” among other goals. And among the initiatives include, emphasizing integrated transportation planning, identifying benefits of health and activity, and improving quality of life for communities. This program will also focus on pedestrians and cyclist safety too. This program can be a great resource for helping communities create active transportation plans. For more information, visit www.moveut.org.
If you are interested in becoming involved in improving the quality of life in your community, you are encouraged to attend the SLCBAC meetings. They held every second Wednesday of every month, in Room N2-800, at the Salt Lake County Government Center (2001 South State Street). We also encourage you to join the committee. We seek new members who live in the south and west communities of Salt Lake County who enjoy cycling and want to make a difference. For more information, visit www.slco.org/bicycle.
Until next time, safe riding and enjoy!
