Come Ride Bikes on Main!
Sweet Streets will lead group ride on Sept. 23 from Murray North TRAX station to Open Streets on Main in Downtown Salt Lake City.
Open Streets on Main starts Friday, Sep. 15, and Sweet Streets can’t wait to get out and explore downtown, safe from the threat of traffic violence. Our friends at the Downtown Alliance and The Blocks have cooked up weeks of fun, with mural paintings, silent discos, yoga, urban golf, buskers and more, plus extended patios and sidewalk activation from your favorite Main Street businesses, bars and restaurants.
There’s tons to do, and the removal of car traffic makes everything easier to get to, with high-frequency TRAX trains and UTA buses, more space for cycling and walking, and garage parking accessible from the crossing streets that remain open to cars.
To show just how easy it is to bike, walk or ride transit to Open Streets on Main, Sweet Streets will be leading a group bike ride from Murray to Downtown Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 23. Our board members and volunteers will meet participants at the Murray North TRAX Station at 3 p.m. and we’ll ride north as a group. We’ll take a short pit stop at South Salt Lake City Station around 3:30, and another short pit stop at 650 South Station around 4:00 p.m. From there, we’ll head into Open Streets, take a victory lap (or two … or three) around the pedestrian promenade and end our ride at Exchange Place around 5:00 p.m.
Riders are welcome to join in at any of the pit stops, or otherwise hop on along the route. And our pedestrian and transit-riding friends are invited to join us at Exchange Place, where Sweet Streets will be hanging out until 6 p.m. That same evening, the Downtown Alliance will be running a silent disco in a shipping container nearby and our friend Johnny the Bike Guy will be parked at Exchange Place with his Mobile Bike Shop. Make sure you stop by and talk to Johnny before and/or after the ride to get your gear tuned up and ready to go.
Click here for more information about the event and to RSVP for the ride on Facebook.
One more thing:
See something you want fixed in SLC? Consider applying to the city’s Capital Improvement Program! Applications are due September 30 and more info on the program can be found here. You don’t need much to submit an application—just an idea that seems like it would cost between $50,000 and $500,000, have a useful life of 5 years (no elaborate ice sculptures), and be a city-owned asset (sorry, you’ve got to fix that roof yourself).
Applications that align with city priorities (read: master plans) will be forwarded to the relevant agency, which will then work with you to prepare a more complete application for review by the CDCIP Board. This past year, successfully funded projects included improvements to three city parks, a roundabout at 500 North and 1000 West (neighborhood byway!), and ADA sidewalk improvements on 200 East (submitted by Sweet Streets Board Member Taylor Anderson)!
Not feeling up to applying but still want to have an impact? Consider joining the CDCIP Board! There are currently vacancies for Districts 3, 4 and 6 as well as one At Large position (there are potentially more vacancies - it appears as if the website hasn’t been updated recently). Find more information on the board here.
Ok, NOW one last thing:
The Sweet Streets board is looking to add new members! If you’re board-curious, let us know and we’ll have you join one of our Zoom meetings to see if it's your speed.
See you on the streets!
