Have you tried the bike lanes running down 12th Street along the Colorado Mesa University campus? These lanes create a unique path for cyclists, while leaving the sidewalks free for pedestrians. Would you use your bike more for around-town transportation if Grand Junction incorporated more lanes such as this?

The bike lanes are very reminiscent of the sidewalk systems common throughout Germany. In many German cities, Munich for example, you'll find two sidewalks: one for pedestrians, and one for cyclists. Pedestrians have to pay close attention to which sidewalk they find themselves on. In the event a pedestrian encroaches on the bike lane, cyclists can get downright hostile.

In the case of 12th Street along the CMU campus, you have the two lanes of automobile traffic, the two lanes of bicycle traffic, and a sidewalk. All modes of transportation have their own lanes, creating an even flow of traffic.

In my case, while I enjoy cycling, I rarely use my bike as a means of transportation through town. I don't like riding along main corridors. In the event I do ride through town, my course usually involves side streets. This adds a tremendous distance to my course, and as a result, makes cycling somewhat impractical for the ride to and from work (if you want to call what I do work.)

If more Grand Junction streets featured paths like these, would it motivate you to ride your bicycle more? Would you be willing to walk to work or to run errands if you had the sidewalks to yourself rather than sharing with bikes? As a motorist, would you prefer not to have to share the road with cyclists?

More From Mix 104.3