Southern Utah Bicycle Alliance News – Road Respect Comes to Ivins

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By Thomas Dansie

Mayor Hart leading the Ivins community bike ride. Photo: Kai Reed
Mayor Hart leading the Ivins community bike ride. Photo: Kai Reed

With the assistance of the Southern Utah Bicycle Alliance (SUBA) and under the leadership and vision of Mayor Chris Hart, the City of Ivins is taking proactive steps to becoming a more bicycle-friendly community.

The City was recently recognized as a “Road Respect” community, joining St. George and Springdale as the third Road Respect designated community in Washington County. SUBA Board Member John Reed has been instrumental in this effort. In becoming a Road Respect community, Ivins has taken steps to encourage more bicycling in the community and identified ways to make bicycling more safe. New ‘Share the Road’ signage has recently been installed and the city is beginning work on a comprehensive bicycle plan.

As part of the effort to make Ivins a more bikeable community and in conjunction with the Road Respect designation, the City and SUBA sponsored a number of Road Respect events in May. On May 21 the City organized a community forum centered on bicycling and active transportation. At the forum, Mayor Hart and representatives from law enforcement, the health department, and SUBA led a community discussion on bicycling and how to make bicycling better in Ivins. Mayor Hart shared his vision for taking advantage of the health and community building benefits of increased cycling in the city.

The following day, May 22, SUBA sponsored a Road Respect Rally and Ride at the Ivins Town Park. Nearly 100 community members and Road Respect riders road the Veyo Loop. Families and kids enjoyed a bike festival and bike rodeo where 98 new helmets were given away and kids were taught how to ride safely on the roads. At the conclusion of the event Mayor Hart led a community bike ride on Ivins’ bicycle friendly streets.

SUBA Board Member Kai Reed organized the Road Respect Rally and Ride. She said one of the reasons she wanted to organize the event was to help build the community through physical activity. According to Reed, “Community physical activity has long had the ability to bring a community together—from barn dances to barn raising. That has been lost in our modern society. Most physical activity is individual or via competitive sports. Cycling is something that the whole community can do as one.”

 

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1 COMMENT

  1. Going east on Snow Canyon parkway and to turn left at the top of hill to head north up 18 one must cross traffic. There is a sign with a left arrow saying “vevo loop”. There needs to a sign added saying “caution bicycles” or something. That intersection is not bike friendly and needs to be improved. Thank you

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