The Iceman Cometh, by way of the nationally-known mountain bike race held in northern Michigan last weekend, but that doesn't mean city bike commuters need to leave their wheels in the garage this winter. New this year, getDowntown, Ann Arbor's green commuting advocacy organization, has launched its
Conquer the Cold program as a resource for winter commuting by alternative means.
"We're asking people to try extending their commute and seeing that it's really not so bad and you can get some exercise, you can have some fun, and you don't have to deal with potentially having to warm up your car and dealing with paying for parking and all those sorts of things," says Nancy Shore, director of getDowntown.
According to a survey of bike commuters during 2010's Commuter Challenge, an annual program for downtown employees to log alternative transportation commutes during the month of May, Shore says 21% continue riding to work over the winter. That's not an insignificant amount, but there is room for growth.
There is no similar drop-off in bus usage over the cold months, Shore says. January and February logged 50,000 and 52,000 rides, respectively, using the go!Pass, a bus pass program for downtown workers. "Last year we didn't see [any decline], and that was a cold and snowy winter," she adds.
Conquer the Cold is sponsoring a winter commuting essay contest, with a $500 grand prize shopping spree to outdoor retailer Moosejaw. Essays are due by November 12. And Common Cycle is holding free winter bike commuting and maintenance workshops at 301 E. Liberty Street in downtown Ann Arbor from 5:30 to 6:30 today and from 12 to 1 p.m. on November 10. Winter commuters will also be blogging on the getDowntown website, and guides are available at downtown coffee shops, the library, and online.
Source: Nancy Shore, director of getDowntown
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar
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