Summer is here. And while that can mean a lot of things, one thing that certainly means for Iowans is cycling. Aren’t we lucky to live in a place that has fully embraced the sport of cycling – both for recreation and fun, but also fitness?

The prevalence of trails, and bike-friendly streets make cycling easier and more accessible here in central Iowa than many other communities in America.

We’ve often used this forum to share cycling safety tips – especially at the beginning of summer. This year, that seems even more timely. The popularity of cycling continues to increase. Especially as a way to save money on gas, or to go green. And that means an increase in bikes on our trails and roads.

his summer, though, some of our trails are undergoing needed maintenance and construction. This could force more cyclists than normal onto our roads. And that means, when we’re driving our cars around the area, we must remain even more vigilant. It means looking both ways at intersections and making sure to look for both cars and bikes. It means being aware of places where trails intersect with streets so we can be on the lookout for cyclists entering the roadway or crosswalk.