Although never seriously injured, Bill Gerblick has been hit seven times while riding his bike. Three of those times were in Littleton and two were on Mineral Avenue. Gerblick hopes the new proposed bike lanes for Mineral Avenue will make pedaling safer for him and other cyclists.

Although presently there are bike lanes on some of Littleton’s streets, this will be the first on a major arterial highway. The project will add a bike lane on both directions of Mineral Avenue between Broadway and Santa Fe Drive. Proponents are hoping the project can be extended from Dry Creek Road to South Platte Canyon Road.

Councilmember Debbie Brinkman consulted with Bicycle Colorado, an organization dedicated to improving bicycling in the state, on the project.

“They felt it was an absolutely perfect place to put a lane,” she said. “From the beginning, it was a no-brainer for me. I’m thrilled we are moving forward with this.”

Brinkman said new lanes will help drivers and cyclists know how to share the road. Bikes are allowed on sidewalks in the city, but Brinkman said it can be dangerous for pedestrians, families or dog-walkers to share the sidewalk with commuters on bikes.

Littleton Mayor Doug Clark agreed. He added that causal bikers can still use the sidewalk along Mineral Avenue.

“I see this as a step in the right direction,” Clark said.

Littleton Public Services Director Charlie Blosten said his department will begin the road striping and installing signs this spring or summer. Although Mineral Avenue is wide enough to accommodate cyclists, Blosten said the new lanes might take some getting used to for drivers.

“It’s going to be a little confusing at first,” Blosten said. “There’s going to be lines on the street that didn’t appear in the past so people will look at them a little strange. I’m hopeful that cyclists will use this new lane to draw attention to it.”

According to a memo from the senior engineer on the project, Craig Faessler, the minimum width for a lane to accommodate both cars and bikes is 14 feet. The curb lane of Mineral Avenue is 22 feet wide, more than wide enough for a designated bike lane.

Gerblick has been commuting to work by bike for 25 years. He rides his three-wheeled recumbent bike along Mineral Avenue to his job at the Waterton Canyon facility 12 miles away.

“I just purely enjoy it,” Gerblick said. “I get to work very refreshed and ready to go. It’s better than sitting in a car.”

Gerblick says he sees other cyclists regularly on Mineral Avenue and that he is not the only commuter to use that route. He said the new bike lanes will raise awareness of cyclists and help make it safer for them.

“It just reinforces that bikes are part of the transportation equation right now,” he said. “That’s all I want.”