by Osman Parvez
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With hundreds of miles of bike lanes, convenient buses, and upcoming infrastructure improvements it’s pretty obvious that Boulder is serious about alternate and mass transportation. Each Spring some commuters are recognized for their dedication to finding, using and promoting Boulder’s transportation options. Here are the hardiest of the local road warriors…
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GO Boulder announces 2007 Commuter of the Year award winners

The 2007 Commuters of the Year winners are:

All Around Commuters:
Arthur Sharp sold his car over a year ago and now commutes on bike, foot and bus in addition to running a window washing business from his bicycle. In 1980, he invested his savings of $360 in a new bicycle that he still has.

Amy Gahran is self-employed and works from her home in a Boulder neighborhood that offers the RTD Neighborhood Eco Pass to its residents. Grahan is well-acquainted with Boulder’s bicycle, pedestrian and transit networks, and split her 2,700 miles of travel in 2006 between 400 biking, 300 walking, 1600 transit and 400 miles by car. Working at home enables her to reduce the number of miles she travels each year

Bicycling Commuters:
Ben Boyer, a Boulder High School biology teacher and a parent, bikes from Niwot year-round. During the fall and spring he hooks a tag-along bike and drops his five-year-old daughter off at school. Other times, they enjoy riding the BOLT. Boyer donates his parking spot to students who match each day of parking with commuting using alternative modes of transportation. Last year, Boyer commuted 3,325 miles by bike, many of them with his daughter.

Transit/Bicycling Commuter:
Michael Burn is a sales representative for a Boulder company that employs a group of people who are passionate about reducing their carbon imprint on the environment. Burn, inspired by his coworkers, combined his commitment to the environment and triathlon training into his daily bike and bus commute. He rides his bike to a Denver bus stop, takes the bus with his bike to the Table Mesa park-n-Ride, then rides the rest of the way to east Boulder. As a salesman, he uses his bike when he has local appointments.

Walking Commuters:
Molly and Gary Vair are a retired couple who started walking 10 years ago. They regularly walk five miles to and from the University of Colorado where they audit classes. When they are not walking to their destination, they take the bus, but usually only if the weather is bad, or to get to Denver and the airport.

Walk and Bike Week will be held June 24-30 this year and is presented by GO Boulder/city of Boulder. It was first celebrated in 1977; the event has grown and encourages thousands of commuters to explore their travel options. For maps, information or to register for Walk and Bike Week, visit www.goboulder.net or www.drcog.org.

Walk and Bike Week is part of Colorado Bike Month

June 2007 Colorado Bike Month
June 24-30 Walk and Bike Week
June 27 Bike to Work Day

Image: Richard Masoner/Marni Ratzel

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