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Making a Difference … (Almost) Instantly!

By Aaron Skabelund, Bike Committee Chair

One of the primary pleasures of being involved with the Provo Bicycle Committee is helping to make Provo more bicycle friendly. Rarely is there instant gratification. But sometimes changes can be made quickly. At our monthly meeting on June 5, Doug Robins, the Director of Parks, briefed the nearly 15 folks in attendance about a variety of projects, including the bike skills park. As we discussed how to remedy the bumps in the asphalt along the Provo River Trail, the issue of the blind underpasses was raised and committee member Spencer Hawkes suggested that Parks consider installing mirrors.

About a week later, I received a call from Mike Hoffman of Parks asking for my input about precisely where and how to install the mirrors. Apparently Doug ordered the mirrors right then and there during the meeting. And just three weeks after the meeting, I received another call from Mike indicating that the mirrors had been installed at the State Street, Columbia Lane, 820 North, and Geneva Road underpasses. Now that’s quick and definitely gratifying.

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So here’s a shout out to the Parks Division for their support of bicycling in this instance and in many others. And a shout out to Spencer, who left Provo with his wife Sam for Boston this summer, for his many years of making a difference with the Committee as well as the Provo Bicycle Collective. We will miss you, Spencer and Sam, and (though this sounds a bit too grand) we will carry on your legacy here in Provo working to make a difference for bicycles, slowly but surely and sometimes (almost) instantly.

What little things have you done to make a difference for bicycling in Provo? We’d love to have you share your stories (even the little things) on the Provo Bicycle Committee Facebook group.

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3 comments

  1. The mirrors are very nice – I can see if someone is about to enter the underpass as I am about to exit. Good job Parks!

    What would it take to widen the underpasses? Specifically, the State street and University Parkway underpasses – they are the longest and narrowest. I’m always afraid I’m going to meet someone halfway through, and if I do I generally have to stop and let them squeeze by.

  2. Phillip, sorry for taking so long to respond. I should have responded when I first saw this months ago. hopefully you will see this. I agree with your proposal. Widening the underpasses is in the Provo Bicycle Master Plan though it is in one of the later stages. As you can imagine, it will very expensive to do. Too bad they were not done right when they were first built.

    1. Thanks for the reply! No worries about the delay – I subscribed to the comments for this post so I would see any response.

      I’m glad to hear that widening the underpasses is in the Master Plan. It makes sense that redoing them would be a big project and a low priority.

      This reminds me that I need to read through the Master Plan and see what else I may have missed.

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