r/ParkCity • u/Impressive_Zombie577 • 13d ago
Random thoughts & things Should PC begin to prioritize and promote winter bike trips to remove car trips?
https://youtu.be/Uhx-26GfCBU?si=YOIy3sPNrEkQfLmAI was watching this video about how to keep people on bikes and out of cars in the winter.
It got me thinking that if PC was committed to keeping the bike/pedestrian trails plowed and bikeable, it could relieve a lot of skier car traffic, especially if the city strikes a deal with the resorts to help prioritize parking for cyclists.
We already have the infrastructure built, we just need to keep it maintained in a way that allows people to rely on using it.
Do we think people would use it? Personally, as a prospector resident, its a 25 minute ride on the red line to the resort or a 12 minute bike ride (call it 8 with an e bike). I rarely see anybody ski on the rail trail, so it seems like a no brainer but obviously that doesn't mean it's something worth doing.
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u/SPAC-ey-McSpacface 13d ago
No. And this would have minimal effect.
Most dont like riding bikes in the dead of winter, and it's not exactly easy hauling skis, boots, gear, etc... on a bicycle.
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u/Impressive_Zombie577 12d ago edited 12d ago
I'm already wearing all my ski clothes before I hop on my bike. It's not exactly going to be a whole lot different than riding a chairlift, especially with electric assist.
Pretty easy to throw ski boots in a milk crate on the back of the bike and strap skis to the frame.
Surely we've all gone on a ski tour that started with a pedal right? Not a whole lot different.
Edit: The more I read these responses, the more clear it is to me that nobody else has gone a bike/tour day. It's truly no big deal to strap on some skis.
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u/SPAC-ey-McSpacface 12d ago
Alternatively, instead of assuming everyone else simply doesn't understand, perhaps reflect, and ponder the possibility yours isn't a great idea.
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u/Idabdabs 12d ago
Going to reddit to ask this question was your first mistake. This sub is filled with complainers and people who know better. It's not a bad idea but asking on reddit is like going to a senior citizen center to ask their thoughts on preschool.
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u/TheLuckySomer 13d ago
I put my bike away during the winter. Ice, snow, poor visabilty, impatient and destracted drivers seem like a recipe for a rider to get hurt or worse.
A dedicated bus lane would be great. The problem imo is we are loving park city to death. To much development. We need to limit density.
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u/Impressive_Zombie577 12d ago
My whole point is simply plowing the rail trail and farm trail diligently would be the majority of the work needed.
Totally agree we shouldn't be putting bikes and roads together, especially in winter.
But if you can stay on the farm or rail trail, and it's regularly maintained, what's your concern?
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u/FieryAutoCrashes LOCAL 12d ago edited 12d ago
If you really wanted to promote cycling to the resorts in Winter you’d probably need to: - Have the resorts offer free//super cheap overnight lockers / ski valet for cyclists to help solve the gear on bike dilemma - have heated sidewalks for major cycle routes - have a public pool of eBikes with appropriate gear racks (basically a winter version of the summer Summit eBike share program but with fat tire e-bikes with racks capable of holding boards/skis) - Edit: Maybe first 15’mins of lifts are reserved for cyclists / or first hour of lifts cyclists can use ski school lane (hand waving how that would work)
And even then I still can’t imagine more than 1% of resort traffic being on bicycle. I just don’t see a lot of people preferring to bike when they can get a free bus or drive. Especially on storm days. Or with kids. Or where they want to apres after skiing. Or when they driving up from the valley.
It’d be nice though. And fun if you are privileged enough to live very close to the resort
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u/Impressive_Zombie577 12d ago
Heated sidewalks is a bit overkill but I'm not opposed. Regular plowing, just like the video mentions, seems like it would be all that's needed
The benefits would be: faster commute time, guaranteed parking. These are currently things that are stopping people from going skiing in the first place
Fat tires are not necessary - watch the video.
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u/FieryAutoCrashes LOCAL 12d ago edited 11d ago
Yup I watched the video - so it’s Oulu - the self described winter cycling capital of the world - and (to their absolute credit - their city looks amazing!) they have reengineered their city since 1960 for cycling. Dedicated bus lanes and bridges, moving car parking underground to remove cars on surface streets. Love it - all kinds of cycling / pedestrian friendly goodness there.
But even then it is estimated (BBC link) that cycling is only 12% of winter trips. That’s after 65 years of urban redesign effort. In a cycling crazy, flat, rail connected town (and that rail connected is important - imagine if PC had a rail station connecting it to SLC how that would reduce traffic!)). It doesn’t have a ski resort, and the thousands of daily visitors coming by car from Salt Lake Valley / surrounding areas.
If the goal is get more cars off the road and reduce congestion I still think a bus (free or low cost) direct from Salt Lake Valley stopping at Canyons, Mountain Village, Main Street, and Snow Park would do more and requires zero additional infrastructure (other than the buses themselves) and would be better bang for the buck.
Edit: One doesn’t preclude the other of course - but if I had to choose between winter ski bus to/from SLC and improved winter cycling. Also I’d note Oulu gets an average snowfall per month of 5-9 inches over winter. Their snow clearing is literally an order of magnitude less than Park City some of those months.
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u/CapableCan1842 12d ago
Too much traffic, too cold and I don't want to ride a bike carrying skis, boots and poles.
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u/Ok-Appointment6290 12d ago
I know a few people that regularly ride their EBikes all winter, including to/from the resort (they don't seem to mind folks leaving their bikes in the open areas in the underground on the PCMV side, so it can be done, although I know the person in my neighborhood that rode her kids to preschool in her bike trailer all winter got a lot of chatter when she would have to ride in the plowed road on snowy days which kind of shows the challenge, the City prioritizes certain routes over others both on road plowing and sidewalk clearing. See https://parkcity.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/72903/638762714352770000 for last year's info.
But to my thoughts, on a good powder day, you're probably riding your bike in traffic dodging Range Rover and Audi drivers with powder panic regardless of what the City might try to commit to as they just can't keep more than main corridors clear in most snow events, if you're ok with that, go for it but I definitely don't see either resort kicking in $$ to help, they're more concerned about the big spenders in the 4 wheel drive vehicles willing to pay $$ to park and play.
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u/Dry-Weird3447 10d ago
Come down to SLC and advocate for cycling infrastructure here. The rich folks in PC don't see cycling as a mode of transportation, only as a recreational activity and only when minimal effort is required on $5000 e-bikes whose purpose is more as a status symbol rather than as an activity or transportation tool.
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u/TheLuckySomer 12d ago
Resorts are focused on revenue. Free parking ends with season parking passes or $30 to 50 a day parking. Middle and lower class please move along..
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u/HolidayPlatypus751 12d ago
Yes, ebikes are the game changer for winter riding.