Author: pacman

Every now and again we experience chance encounters with other micro-mobility users. Active transportation offers these chance opportunities to interact with the environment, to make discoveries, and even make new friends.

Heather Pitts was one such encounter on an warm late winter day. Heather, who prefers to get around on a skateboard, bicycle, or public transit greeted us with a smile, pointed out a sing-songing bird nearby, and immediately made us feel like comrades.

Heather is the Theatre Manager at the The Millibo Art Theatre and uses all forms of modalities to get around. Thanks to Heather for sharing her mobility perspectives with us, including a friendly reminder that the Mountain Metropolitan Transit Zero Fare #3 bus is a great way to get to/from Manitou and Colorado Springs!

How often to do you visit ManitouSprings and what is your preferred method of active transportation getting to/from and around Manitou?

I live in Manitou Springs. My preferred method of active transportation I like to use for getting to/from/around Manitou is my skateboard. I also use an E-Bike, I walk, and I ride the bus (#3).

What infrastructure and/or esthetic improvement would have the most positive impact on your active transportation experiences in Manitou?

Manitou has a wonderful trail for skateboarding and bike riding, the Creek Walk Trail which connects to the Midland Trail.

The most positive impact however, would be the fact that the city is making the #3 metro bus free. The city’s recent improvement of the sidewalk leading into downtown Ave was a welcomed one (Phase 4 Creek Walk Trail). Before, the sidewalk was extremely uneven, making it quite a dangerous ride. With the recent sidewalk expansion, my ride into downtown Manitou has increased exponentially in terms of use and safety.

What advice would you give someone who would like to give active transportation a try?

That it connects you to the community; it expands your community.

When you ride the bus, you have the opportunity to grow your neighborhood. Learn about other people. Saving money alone is wonderful (especially when the #3 is free), but having a sense of community is rewarding. It benefits your mental health and awareness of what is going on in town and who the people are in it.

What do you think would increase more walking, rolling, and public transit use in Manitou?

The 3 being free is going to increase pedestrian access.

However, if you want to see a bigger increase, then promoting a “CarFreeDay” would probably help. More access to rentable e-bikes and e-scooters (there are no rentable scooters in Manitou). And perhaps rewarding those that take the bus.

This may sound juvenile, but back in elementary school, when students would do well in homework, assignments, or the like, they were often rewarded with a coupon for free French fries/ice cream at McDonalds.

I am certain that there are local businesses (like ice cream shops, food stores, pubs) that would offer free coupons to reward those who ride the bus in, or e-biked in, or walked. With local businesses offering a reward, it would bring in more business, and encourage others to participate in walking, rolling, or using public transport.

What other form(s) of transportation do you use and what has that experience been like? Besides my skateboard, walking, and the bus, I use my car. However, my experience with car transportation is growing more and more negatively as the years go by.

Often, people get road rage; many are so angry behind the wheel, that NEVER happens on my board or walking (occasionally there is someone mad on the bus, but they keep it to themselves). Also, gas for the car is expensive, the chance of me getting into an accident goes up when behind the wheel. The experience of personally driving a vehicle (for me) is not the best one.

Finally, is there anything else we should know about you that would encourage more people to use micro-mobility to get around?

I think encouraging those at a younger age is the best way to get more people to use micromobility. If someone has never taken the bus or any other kind of public transport, by the time they make it to adulthood, it becomes a bit daunting (because it’s new and new is sometimes scary).

If elementary school-aged kids are taught about the bus system, e-bikes, and scooters, and are not only encouraged to use it, but SHOWN how to use it, they would want to use it more (because when you’re young , it’s a lot of fun!) public transportation is not taught in schools…maybe it should be.

Greetings! This month, we’d like to introduce you to Jared Thompson who is the #artist behind Manitou Creative, loves to #run, and #walks as #transportation. You may find his pop-up art tent and display at the corner of Navajo and Manitou Ave in the heart of DT #manitousprings on select weekends through the busier and warmer months. Stop by and say hi sometime! Read entire story on FB PaCMan: Ped and Cycle, Manitou Springs.

How long have you been living in Manitou Springs and why did you choose to live here?

I have lived in Manitou Springs for 11 years. Our family chose to live here because of the small community, the easy access to hiking trails and nature, and living in the mountains.

What are the pros/cons of walking to work and to get around in Manitou?

We walk a lot as a family to do things in Manitou Springs, I think it is wonderful how most things to do and places to go in Manitou are an easy walk from our house. It’s been an amazing experience walking our son Asher to and from school every day, it’s a healthy routine that gives us some special time together. I think the biggest con about walking in Manitou is the presence of ice or gravel on the ground depending on the time of year. We have taken a few falls in the last 11 years walking around the steep streets of Manitou. Another con is people do not do a very good job of trimming their bushes and trees and many sidewalks are not passable due to branches sticking right out into the sidewalk (I’ve noticed this all over town). We find ourselves walking in the street quite a bit around town because of this.

If you walk as transportation, run, or use public transit in Manitou, please tell us how it has changed your life?

I started running about 8 years ago and it has changed my life and my health. I was 40 pounds heavier about 9 years ago. Being out on the trails hiking and running became a routine part of my life shortly after moving here (which I had never really done before) and has grown into a healthy regular part of my life. My family uses the MMT #3 bus at times to visit downtown Colorado Springs and OCC. It has been great to use the bus and not worry about driving and parking. It is a blessing that Manitou–as a small town–has a bus that goes right into downtown Colorado Springs.

What infrastructure and/or esthetic improvement would have the most positive impact on your cycling/walking/rolling/transit experiences in Manitou?

Along Manitou Ave there is no bike lane. The section between Memorial Park and the Chamber of Commerce was just repaved and for whatever reason they decided to keep those curb islands along the sidewalk that force cyclists out into the lane of traffic (unless you just decide to ride on the sidewalk). When the repaving project started I was sure they would get rid of those curb islands and create a bike lane there, but that is not the case. I don’t understand the reason for those things. 

What advice would you give someone who would like to give active transportation in Manitou a try?

I always advise people to try the #3 bus and I certainly advise anyone to spend time on our trails and explore the great outdoors right here in town, we have so many great trails: Intemann trail, Barr Trail, Williams Canyon, Ute Pass, Rattlesnake Gulch, and more. 

What do you think would increase more bicycling/walking/rolling/public transit use in Manitou?

I think improvement over time to sidewalks and creating sidewalks where they don’t exist now would be great.