Tag Archives: bicycle

Bike Commuting: The Basics

Blue-Bike

[Watch our bike commuting feature on KUTV 2News This Morning!]

Commuting by two wheels can transform the dullest part of your day (your commute) into the best part of your day (your “me” time).

The SLCgreen crew loves their bikes, so we, with the help of the Bicycle Transit Center and BikeSLC.com, put together some tips to get you rolling.

Safety First. Make sure your bike is road-worthy! We recommend that you:

  1. Take your bike it into the shop for a quick tune up. 
  2. Make sure you have the proper bike lights and reflectors.
  3. Find the right helmet with a proper fit.
  4. Pull out your brightest yellow shirt or vest for enhanced visibility.
  5. Read up on the rules of the road at BikeSLC.com.

Gear Up! There are a few things that will make your commute run smoothly:

  1. Secure a bike rack and panniers on your bike.
  2. Pack a repair a kit with the basics. You can buy one or assemble it yourself.
  3. Consider fenders, which will protect you from tire splatter on a drizzly day.
  4. Lock it up! U-locks are more secure than cable locks. Get the scoop from BIkeSLC.com.
  5. License your bike with the city. This simple step can help you recover your bike in the event of theft, and it is required by law.

What to wear. In addition to your bright shirt or vest, a few things to consider:

  • Mellow Commute: You may be able to wear your work clothes.
  • Not-So-Mellow Commute: Pack your work clothes in your panniers. We recommend rolling your clothes to prevent creasing.

Plan your attack. Choose the right route for your commute. Check out the BikeSLC Map or try the bike feature on Google Maps.

More Resources

BTC

Be a Bicycle Ambassador

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Exciting news from Salt Lake County! Earlier this week, they introduced the first county-wide Bicycle Ambassador program in the United States.

Salt Lake County’s Bicycle Ambassadors will provide bicycle outreach and education to all 17 cities and unincorporated areas throughout Salt Lake County.

SLCo Bicycle Ambassadors are a group of outgoing and informed bicycle commuters in Salt Lake County. They travel by bicycle, promote bicycle use, serve as positive examples of responsible bicycling and serve as community resources for bicycle commuting support and guidance.

Become an Ambassador

Salt Lake County residents of all ages are encouraged to apply to become Bicycle Ambassadors. A successful candidate will be passionate about bicycles and knowledgeable of bicycle commuting in Salt Lake County.

More Information

Get more information on their website, and don’t forget to “like” them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter!

Media Coverage

Fox 13

The Salt Lake Tribune

Deseret News

The Code Revision Project

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Several years ago, Salt Lake City embarked on a ground-breaking initiative to incorporate sustainability provisions into zoning and subdivision ordinances. The project set out to revise and expand upon existing ordinances that were out of date and/or put up barriers to sustainable city practices.

The topic areas considered include:

  • Transit-Oriented and Mixed Use Development (Ordinance adopted)
  • Urban Agriculture (Ordinances adopted)
  • Renewable Energy (Ordinances adopted)
  • Accessory Dwelling Units (Ordinance adopted)
  • Street, Pedestrian and Bicycle Connectivity
  • Water Efficient Landscape
  • Tree Protection
  • Recycling and Waste Reduction
  • Transportation Demand Management
  • Outdoor Lighting

Several ordinances have already been adopted by the Salt Lake City Council, with a the rest making progress along the approval process. Get a complete update on the project on the SLCGreen website. 

Questions? Let us know!

2013: The Year of the Bike

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Salt Lake City has declared 2013 the “Year of the Bike” to recognize and promote the many bicycle events, programs, and infrastructure projects happening in the Salt Lake region in the coming year.

We caught up with Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, Salt Lake City Councilman Stan Penfold, UTA General Manager Mike Allegra, UDOT Deputy Director Carlos Braceras and several other community leaders at the Year of the Bike kick-off event to hear about what’s in store.

YearOfTheBike_web

At the event, UTA shared two exciting announcements – buses will now have bike racks that accept three bikes at a time (expanded from two) and bike hooks will be added to TRAX trains across the valley!

So what else is on the schedule?

More information is available at BikeSLC.com.

Think spring!