CYCLING TO WORK

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With 300 days of sunshine in Colorado every year, many commuters cycle, walk, e-bike or scooter to get to work to enjoy the benefits of exercise and an emissions-free commute.

Denver: Since 2013, the share of employees choosing to ride their bikes to work has doubled in the Denver Metro area and 9% of downtown Denver commuters biked to work in 2019. The city continues to make investments that support multiple modes of transportation in and around downtown. In 2019, Denver began a rapid expansion of its bike network that will add 125 miles of new bicycle infrastructure to downtown and nearby neighborhoods to make it safer and more convenient to get around by bike.

Boulder: Boulder has been called the best cycling city in the U.S. The area offers 300 miles of bikeway, including 96 miles of bike lanes, 84 miles of multi-use paths, and 50 miles of designated bike routes. After a snow fall, the city often clears bike paths before they clear roads. Boulder’s B-cycle bike sharing program offers 47 stations and 300 bikes and it’s a popular way to connect to transit stops throughout the city.

Fort Collins: With relatively flat terrain, 280+ miles of wide bike lanes, and 30+ miles of multi-use trails, bicycling is a fun, healthy, and environmentally-friendly way to commute in Fort Collins. Along with Boulder, the City of Fort Collins is recognized as one of only five Platinum-certified “Bike Friendly Communities” in the country and its Bicycle Friendly Business Development Program offers cycling workshops and other resources to city businesses.

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People who bike to work report greater feelings of freedom, relaxation, and excitement than car commuters.

Best Practices: Cycling

  • Encourage cycling by offering a secure place to park and lock bikes.

  • Provide onsite showers to allow employees to freshen up after arriving at work.

  • Offer a shared fleet of bikes or e-bikes (electric-assist) for employees who take transit or carpool to the office and need to get around locally during the day.

  • Help subsidize the cost of micromobility services such as shared bikes for the “first mile / last mile” of a commute. Many cities, including Denver, Boulder and Colorado Springs, have added bike lanes in the last few years to keep up with demand for cycling and micromobility options.

  • Bike to Work Day (the 4th Wednesday in June in Colorado) is promoted by hundreds of Colorado businesses. It’s a great way to encourage employees to try bike commuting for the first time.

  • On the Front Range, Way to Go helps businesses explore pedestrian and cycling friendly practices and provides resources such as bike maps and route planning.

COLORADO'S Champions of Change

 
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DaVita, with headquarters near Union Station in downtown Denver, employs many enthusiastic cyclists. To support them, the company offers showers, lockers, a large bike storage room and an onsite bike fix-it station with supplies. DaVita also offers discounted bike tune-ups onsite on a quarterly basis. DaVita celebrates Bike to Work Day annually with publicity, prizes and recognition.

 
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The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Colorado, headquartered in Boulder, encourages green commuting and provides support to its employee cyclists. TNC has showers for those who walk or cycle to work and offers safe and secure bike storage. A casual dress code makes biking or walking to work easier. The organization also provides communal bikes and helmets to borrow. This option is valued by employees who take transit to the office but need to get around Boulder during the day for meetings or errands.

Resources