Bike The West Corridor

09/27/2015

Great news! The City of Lakewood has installed four new sets of bicycle, “share the road” sharrows along the West Corridor Bike path. They include three of them placed at 13th Ave and Estes Streets (8700 West), Teller and 13th Ave and Pierce St and 13th Ave. See photos.
To all my bicycle oriented friends. I need to apologize for the lack of entries over the past 18 months. I have been working on a long-term project involving finishing the book I started 10 years ago focused on Charles Darwin’s mate selection by the Victorian male.
The first book is finished and at the editors, after which we will seek out publishers and tempted them with the teaser that this is only one of a two book set.
So, I really don’t know how long this process with take, but I have promised myself and others that I will not divide my attention between posting on Facebook and writing. However, you will find me out on the West Corridor bicycle path at least three times a week.

05/10/2015

Some very good news. The City of Lakewood, Colorado has formed a bicycle advisory group to inform city officials has to the best way to advance the city’s bicycle presence. Below is the next scheduled meeting’s agenda. All are welcome - see the lead, Gary Harty to sign up to join and receive email announcements.

>Wednesday night (3rd Wednesday this month only) May 20th - 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
>DAC Conference Room, 1st Floor, 470 S. Allison Pkwy, Lakewood Cultural Center
>Remember to access through Lakewood Commons on East Side - avoid the limited access because of construction

6:30 - introductions
6:35 - Danny Katz - COPIRG - powerpoint on transportation trends. Hear about the latest accessibility tools that are making or will make car ownership optional on the front range.
7:10 - Sub-committee reports
Infrastructure - Ted & Michael
Out reach - community rides
earth day recap - Michael & Gary
Morse Park update - Gary
Sustainable Neighborhoods Community Ride - Doug & Gary
networking
Bike Jeffco - Jessica
DrCOG - Open Street Mapping - Jessica & Ken Boden
SRTS -
Green Mountain - Gary & Laurie
Ride to School Day recap - Gary
7:45 (?) Open Air - any topic for general discussion
8:00 pm Adjournment

Thanks,
Gary Harty

05/09/2015

One of the most important elements of the West Corridor is that it links us to Golden, Lakewood, and Denver which will also connect us with Denver International Airport in 2016. Bike the West Corridor will help to contribute to the overall message that we are part of exciting part of this urban transit link and with the addition of the Streetsblog Denver, it will add to the exposure. Welcome aboard!

The Streetsblog network is a national source for news and information relating to sustainable transportation, with certain cities (e.g. New York, DC, San Francisco) having their own dedicated Streetsblog site and reporters. Fortunately, Denver has just joined the ranks of those select cities!

02/01/2015

A new piece of artwork has appeared along the West Corridor and that is this large puzzle sculpture that I call “Piccadilly Circus Puzzle” as it appears on Lakewood’s only round-a-bout on 14th Avenue just north of the Lamar Street light rail station on the West Corridor (6400 West 13th Ave. On your bicycle, board any West Rail line heading for Lamar Street Station, disembark and go north just 300 feet. If you look closely you can see the security gates closing in preparation for a light rail to approach or leave Lamar Street Station as one looks south. You those of you unfamiliar on how to ride through a round-a-bout on your bicycle, please go to the following link:
http://www.capitalcoexist.org/2011/04/how-to-bike-through-a-roundabout/

12/20/2014

Fantastic News! The West Corridor has a new destination downtown! The City and County of Denver with other civic leaders including Bike Denver, Union Station and a partnership of East West Partners and Coninuum Partner have announced the approval for the construction of a bicycle facility located at 16th and Wettawa Streets. The structure will be a 2,800 sq. ft with 160 secure enclosed bike parking spaces, two men’s and women’s with changing room facilities, outdoor bike parking and rentals, secure building with key card access and will have a small retail facility for merchandise sales. For more info, please go to the following links:
http://unionstationdenver.com/transportation/ #/fastracks (See the far-right column)

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CEEQFjAG&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.denverchamber.org%2FExternal%2FWCPages%2FWCWebContent%2FWebContentPage.aspx%3FContentID%3D2179&ei=7cqVVLHfKcWayATT7YK4Bw&usg=AFQjCNGYVuwGB65ihncMUfH5hbDANjsQGA&sig2=GrglE9eo0H5bnjBuyG2KVA

http://denverurbanism.com/2014/12/the-bike-hub-at-denver-union-station-coming-fall-2015.html

12/13/2014

There is a new art mural along the West Corridor just west of the Cotton Wood Office Building at 8725 West 14th Ave. If you take the light rail to the Wadsworth-Lakewood station, go north ½ block north, then head west on 14th Avenue. Total distance is 1.4 miles. Enjoy.

11/01/2014

Do you know how to ride your bicycle through a Roundabout? Photo taken November 1st, 2014 of the 95% completed roundabout at Lamar St. and 14th Ave. The light rail station at Lamar Street is located one block south. 2nd Photo is of the Lamar Street Apartments located just north of the roundabout. I have included a URL link address with illustrations for cyclists and pedestrians. Good luck out there and always watch approaching cars on the left. http://www.capitalcoexist.org/2011/04/how-to-bike-through-a-roundabout/

10/26/2014

Cirque de Soleil has been in town for about three weeks, but this is the first Sunday that I have had time to cycle to the site and take a photograph. It is fairly easy to take the West Corridor Bicycle path to the Circus. (This one has about 30 horses in the act). From points west, such as Golden and Lakewood, take the path to Bronco Stadium (oh, excuse me – the Sports Authority Field at Mile High) go east over the bridge, quick left then first right, go left under the I-25 and Colfax underpasses and head to 5th Street then left. The Auraria Campus should be on your right and the light rail station on your left. You can’t miss the three large tents and is located on the very western edge of the Pepsi Center Parking Lot. I did not have enough time to explore around the area to see if there were bicycle racks, but I am assuming that there were, but just in case, perhaps you should call 1-866-999-8111. Photo taken Oct 26, 2014

10/11/2014

Photo taken Oct 12, 2014. Bicycle themed relay boxes in the NW section of Garrison Street (9400 West) and 13th Ave. 2nd photo was lifted from the City of Lakewood’s Friday Report, Oct 11, 2014: Photo shows workers painting in a bike lane with green paint somewhere along Garrison Street. The street is a major North-South cycling commuter lane in Lakewood. It shows progress that the city is making towards understanding that cycling is more than just recreation.

10/05/2014

Beautiful weather today for a bicycle ride, Sunday, October 5, 2014. 1st photo is a hand held depiction of a new mural being done by the artist, Bobby Magee Lopez -- NW of the Lamar Street Station. 2nd photo is the actual work being done to install the work. Another great reason to Bike The West Corridor. For those of you interested in more of Mr Lopez’s work, I have included the address to his website http://www.bobbymageelopez.com/

09/28/2014

Picture taken Sunday, September 28, 2014 looking south atop the Lakewood-Wadsworth West Rail Line station platform at the new bike path on the far left. Well, it’s actually a “multi-modal conveyance” for pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchairs, etc –but I’m going to continually call it a bike path. Second photo is looking north along Wadsworth Blvd. toward the light rail station. The next step is to complete the western side as you can see construction equipment in place. This construction goes from 10th Avenue to Colfax Avenue north, just past the light rail station at 1350 Wadsworth. When the project is completed, this should flow down into the Lakewood Commons, but that has to wait until the destruction and rebuilding of the 6th Avenue Interchange at Wadsworth. Don’t hold your breath.

09/28/2014

Sad news folks. I reported on Sept 7th, that that the Belmar Shuttle from the Wadsworth Station on the West Rail Line would be a great way to combine cycling with shopping. The sad news is that the shuttle will be discontinued on September 30th.