Bike to Work Day: Commute City Boasts Roomy Bike Lanes, Scenic Rides

Although Rohnert Park was designed as a commuter town — built to absorb car culture and ease automobile commuting from the suburbs to more urbanized areas — the city in 2008 blueprinted a plan to connect neighborhoods, parks and schools with bicycle lanes and provide an alternative to driving.

The Bicycle Master Plan calls for maintained “automobile circulation,” and at the same time, sets forth guidelines to implement safer bike lanes with a more connectivity, encourages more walkable streets and carves out a plan to build more pedestrian-oriented, mixed use development.

Have you ever biked in Rohnert Park? It’s fun! While there is a ton of traffic, the bike lanes for the most part are wide and well marked. There are some problems in getting under and over Highway 101, and biking on East Cotati it can be a bit scary because the lanes break in some spots, but for the most part — it’s great. It’s flat, the lanes curve and wind around the city and biking on the creek trails offers a respite from the hustle and bustle.

This Thursday is Bike to Work Day in Sonoma County, and Rohnert Park will feature two “energizer stations” complete with enthusiastic volunteers, a complimentary 2011 Bike to Work Day canvas tote bag, snacks and water. I really enjoy leaving a little early to check out how many people are biking.

The two stations here are on East Cotati Avenue, adjacent to and on Commerce Boulevard just south of Rohnert Park Expressway. View the entire map of the county energizer stations here.

Recently I caught up with Gary Helfrich, a former transportation planner for the Sonoma County Planning Department who was recently appointed to executive director of the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition, and he said Rohnert Park might have the best bike lanes in the county. 

“Rohnert Park often gets a bad rap, but I think the bike lanes are better than they are in most every other city in the county, with the exception of maybe Sonoma,” Helfrich said. “Rohnert Park’s bike plan is great because what they’re doing is recognizing where the gaps are and connecting them.”

Helfrich said the biggest challenge here is crossing the freeway.

“It can get really scary at times,” he said.

I personally bike over the freeway to get to Target or grab some dinner at Season’s often, and though it’s a small grade, it’s doable. Wear a helmet, turn on your lights at night and be aware of your surroundings and you should be fine. And for the pedestrians’ sake, do not ride on the sidewalks — there is a bike lane that goes over. Going under the freeway, on the other hand, over by , can be way more challenging.

According to Sandra Lupien, the development and outreach director for the coalition, about 100 people were counted during last year’s Bike to Work day at the “energizer stations.” However, she said, that number is nowhere near reflective of how many people bike for transportation here.

“In Rohnert Park, we saw a decrease in the number of riders counted at energizer stations, but I’m willing to guess that’s because folks chose to stop at one of the Santa Rosa stops at the end of their commutes,” Lupien said in an email.

“Overall, we’ve seen increased participation in Bike to Work Day countywide, with the biggest bump in 2008, when gas prices were high, like they are again now,” she added. “We expect to see more people this year, based [skyrocketing] gas prices.”

As for me, I’ll be on my bike for sure this week. If you see me on my mint green bike wearing my white helmet, say hello!