From the pages of Peak Region Cyclist

By Allen Beauchamp
Colorado Springs Cycling Club and Common Ground Cycling

As we roll into 2011, things are looking good for cyclists in our region and state. While there are challenges ahead for sure, I wanted to make you aware of a recent event that took place in Denver on February 7th and 8th, the Colorado Bicycle Summit organized by our state wide bicycle advocacy group, Bicycle Colorado.
Bicycle Colorado brought together advocates, industry leaders, policy makers, business owners and others that are interested in seeing better bicycling in Colorado. The event sold out and it was an energetic  group of like-minded individuals that converged on the state Capitol for the first ever Summit.
It was fantastic that we had representation from 33 of the 35 Colorado state Senate districts and many of those who attended met with our elected representatives on the second day, providing no doubt that bicycling is an important recreational, transportation and economic factor for our state and that the cycling community is strong, engaged and willing to come to the table.
Two bills were being focused on that impact cyclists across the state, pertaining to access issues as they apply to both road and off-road use. The first was Senate Bill 36, the Mountain Bike Safety Act and the second was House Bill 1092, the Open Roads Act.
The Mountain Bike Safety Act sponsored by Senator Brophy had been defeated by a close vote before the Summit but Senator Brophy spoke very positively that the bill would be reintroduced and that it is vitally important for mountain bikers across the state to let their representatives know that is time we had a policy in place that allowed for the same protections the ski industry enjoys and it will have a very positive impact on mountain biking in Colorado.
The Open Roads Act is in response to the city of Blackhawk’s ban on cycling in their town which made international news in 2010. Representative Kerr authored the HB 1092 which ensures bicycle access to public roads throughout the state. This bill is currently awaiting its vote and needs the support of cyclists across the state, it’s our time to send a very strong signal to municipalities across Colorado that cycling is a viable form of transportation whether it be for recreational or practical purposes.
I encourage you to visit Bicycle Colorado’s web site at www.bicyclecolo.org where you can find in depth details of both bills and action items on how you can become involved in promoting a better bicycle environment for cyclists in our state.

Editor's note: Since the printing of this article in Peak Region Cyclist magazine, Beauchamp and cycling advocate Al Brody attended the League of American Bicyclists National Bike Summit Washington, D.C. We look forward to reading his report.