Greetings from Pedestrian and Cycle Manitou (PaCMan)! This month, we’d like to introduce you to Manitou Springs resident Karyna Aguirre. Karyna and her family use active transportation daily to walk to/from school and to complete errands in town. Speaking of walking to school, PaCMan supports safe routes to school and activities that encourage more families to try walking/rolling as transportation. This includes national walk/roll/bike to school events each spring and fall. These types of experiences also encourage year-round bike and walking buses for kids which is a growing movement across the world. A bike/walk bus involves a leader, i.e. the bike/walk “driver,” following a planned route with other participants joining along the route. The group continues together to its destination. Bike and walking buses are a type of shared transportation that not only makes the school run more sustainably but also helps to decrease vehicular emissions and traffic congestion, and creates a community of young riders. Evan Johnson at Manitou Middle School thinks more students will walk and bike to school when they know more about the benefits. “Exercise releases endorphins that make you feel good and releases chemicals in the brain that make focusing and learning easier. Walking or biking with one or two friends is a great way to start and end your school day. Once you get into this routine and notice how good you feel, you’ll find yourself choosing active transportation more often.” If you are interested in starting a biking or walking bus in Manitou, please email pacmanitou@yahoo.com.
How long have you been living in Manitou Springs and why did you choose to live here?
My family and I have been living in Manitou Springs since 2015. I like this small town for its location and walkability to many amenities such as the library, school, a post office, parks, trails, public transit, etc.
What are the pros/cons of walking to school and around Manitou?
Pros: Not only me and my family can enjoy the beauty of nature surrounding us, but we also get our daily amount of fresh air, vitamin D (sunlight) and exercise by walking to/from school every day. In addition, with the proximity of things I can complete most errands without having a car.
Cons: Sometimes there is no choice but to walk on a road. That puts us–pedestrians, at a high risk of being hit by a motorist.
What infrastructure and/or esthetic improvement would have the most positive impact on your walking to school and rolling experiences in Manitou?
Having more raised sidewalks and bike lanes would make me feel much safer while walking with my children to/from school.
What advice would you give someone who would like to give active transportation in Manitou a try?
Think of how much good we can do to our health and the environment by prioritizing walking and/or biking over driving. Just give it a try!
What do you think would increase more walking, rolling, and public transit use in Manitou?
I think creating safer routes for walking and biking in Manitou Springs would make a difference.
What other form(s) of transportation do you use and what has that experience been like? Please tell us about your e-Bike experiences and if you were able to apply for and utilize an e-Bike voucher to make the purchase?
Growing up in Eastern Europe public transportation was a part of my daily life. Sometimes when I feel nostalgic for it, I use a bus. I think it’s great. Also, because of many steep hills, I had not been too keen on bicycling in Manitou Springs. Receiving a Colorado State e-Bike voucher made it possible for me to have more enjoyable rides. Plus, I can pull one of my children in a trailer behind me with ease.