With miles of dedicated bicycle paths, many are discovering the joys of two-wheeled transportation.

As gas prices have surged dramatically, much emphasis has been on the fact that vacationers are cutting long road trips from their plans. However, many people are finding that cutting the short trips can save much more over the long run.

Santa Clarita has been somewhat forward thinking when it comes to public mobility. For years they have been building bicycle paths, lanes and trails to offer an alternative for those who want to travel around town under their own power.

Today, over 30 miles of trails and bicycle paths weave throughout our town, many out of sight of the congested roadways.

For example, a resident could ride their bicycle from Decoro and McBean (near Valencia High) all the way to NewhallPark (near Hart High) without leaving a dedicated bike lane or path. Proposed future paths include one that would link Central Park to Canyon Country by way of a quick jaunt over the hill.

[view:node_ad=5]And, it wasn’t long ago that I snapped pictures of our Mayor Bob Kellar taking off on his bike with a group of people at the trailhead on Camp Plenty Rd. and Soledad. They were headed to Bridgeport Park for a pre-Amgen Tour of California event, and I drove my car from the trailhead to the park to cover the story. This was on a Saturday morning, in light traffic, and 64-year old-Mayor Kellar still managed to make it to the park a mere 10 minutes behind me.

The benefits of riding a bicycle around town are starting to add up;

• It requires no gas money.

• The weather in Santa Clarita is generally conducive to year-round bike commuting.

• With so many dedicated bike paths, riders often avoid most traffic lights, making the overall commute time comparable to that of a vehicle.

• With more lanes and paths planned for the future, it may be only a matter of time before these traffic-light-free bike paths act like major highways connecting all corners of Santa Clarita. 

• Biking kills two birds with one stone; the time spent riding doubles as your daily exercise time.

The bicycle craze may be leading Santa Clarita in a positive direction. Like many Southern California communities, Santa Clarita was built outwards, not upwards. It’s not uncommon for motorists to drive 8-10 miles through the city to grab lunch, or to do some shopping.

When looking at alternatives to driving, mass transit is appealing and certainly a fine choice, but most of us were raised with a “go where we want, when we want” mentality.

In that case, bicycles provide both a freedom and convenience that may prove to be Santa Clarita’s best bet against the pain at the pump.  I mean after all, you do realize how ridiculous it is for us to be jumping for joy now that gas has gone DOWN to $4.00 a gallon right?

To see all of the current and proposed bike paths in Santa Clarita, click here!