Bike to Work (and everywhere!) Week

Since the Bureau of Reclamation closed the Folsom Dam Road, there’s been lots of complaining about the decision and about the resulting worsening of traffic in Folsom. There’s also been lots of talk about funding for a new $60-$80 M bridge to help alleviate traffic, sometime in the next five years. While the complaining is certainly justified (even if the closure may have been as well), and a new bridge is certainly a key part of a long-term solution, it is unlikely to have much impact on traffic in the near future. So what’s a concerned Folsom resident to do? What if we could reduce traffic congestion by 5% or 10% or even 20%, all without spending any money on new roads? Would you be interested? Well, this week you are strongly encouraged to pull your dusty old bicycle (and we know you all have one!) down from the garage rafters and start making that happen. Yes, you can be part of the solution, instead of part of the problem. So go ahead, give the cleanest, cheapest, most energy efficient, healthiest and most enjoyable form of transportation a try this week. Check out some of Folsom’s great new bike trails (soon to be the best system of trails in the region). Zip past all the stopped traffic on the Lake Natoma Crossing during the afternoon stop and go hour. Enjoy the sounds of the thousands of birds along the Humbug-Willow Creek Trail, as you ride to your job on Park Shore in the morning. Watch the Sac State Crew row in the morning mist on Lake Natoma while you leisurely pedal to your job at the Lake Forest Technical Center. Sound like a pipe dream? Not to the small contingent in town who have discovered the joy of leaving their cars at home. Can’t happen out here in suburbia? Seven years ago, less than 1% of the 100 people who worked in my office (me) commuted by bike. Now we are just under 10% who commute by bike at least one day per week (several do 3 to 5 days). This week we will have between 20 and 25 % of our employees biking at least once, and expect to pick up at least one regular commuter from the group as we have in past years. Forty years ago, Davis had about as great a percentage of bike commuters as Folsom. Now they have 25%! Sacramento has nearly 5%. So does Portland. With it’s good jobs-housing balance, and all-year riding weather, Folsom has great untapped potential for bicycle commuting. So, why is that potential untapped? Lots of reasons. Lots of excuses too! I’ve heard them all, so pass them on and I’ll show you why most of them are just that, excuses. That said, I will grant that there are a significant percentage of people out there for whom bike commuting is not practical. However, that leaves a lot of others for whom it is. So give it a try this week. It could change your life. And if you don’t, well at least be aware that there will be many more bicyclists on the road this week (mostly Thursday and Friday).