CALGARY—If hills weren’t an issue, would more Calgarians bike to work?

Ahead of Friday’s Bike to Work Day, that’s a thought one city councillor is floating to see if Calgarians have an appetite to give cyclists a lift up hills on the city’s LRT system.

Councillor Gian-Carlo Carra said for years he and his staff have been entertaining a vision to bring new “free-fare” zones to the city’s existing Red and Blue LRT lines and the future planned Green Line in spots where a difficult hill may discourage cyclists from commuting.

In an interview, he told StarMetro this idea included hills like those between Sunnyside and the Jubilee Auditorium at SAIT and ACAD, Sunalta and Shaganappi, or the hill starting at the Calgary Zoo and ending at Franklin Station.

“One of the things that makes Calgary a tough bike commute for people who are coming from a little bit farther out is that ride home up the escarpment,” said Carra. “Which can be a back-breaker at the end of a long day.”

Some cities already recognize getting up hills can make cyclists tired.

In Trondheim, Norway, there’s a “bicycle lift” known as a Trampe. It’s the first, and only, device of its kind in the world and was built in 1993. The device is a track in the ground with a footplate that helps push cyclists up a 130-metre stretch on a 20 per cent grade hill.

But, of course, Carra said his idea could be made completely null with the advent of the electric-assist bike.

“Maybe that solves it,” said Carra.

Kimberley Nelson, a local bike advocate and avid cyclist, said she took transit a couple times this winter to avoid a nasty icy hill on her way home.

“It’s just an easy way to extend the availability of biking, the same thing that an e-bike does, as well,” she said. “The few times I did it (rode the train) this winter, I was loathed to pay $3.30 for two stops.”

Despite being annoyed at the price, Nelson admitted the short transit ride to warm up and avoid a potentially dangerous hill was worth it.

Councillor Shane Keating said the free-fare zones would limit transit’s revenue. He said opening up the transportation system here and there would be confusing and overwhelming.

“There are many ideas that we should be using to promote healthy alternatives to mobility like cycling, this is definitely not one of them,” he said. “I’m leaving it at that.”

For the city’s cycling community, there’s a more pressing issue: allowing two wheels on CTrains during rush hour. Bike Calgary president Agustin Louro said it’s an issue that needs to be sorted out first.

“If you’re trying to commute home or commute to work going up the hill and you’re coinciding with rush hour, then you’re not going to be allowed to take your bike anyway,” Louro said. “We were hoping with the four-car trains something would come of it and we’ve been told something may be in the works.”

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Sherri Zickefoose, a spokeswoman for Calgary Transit, said bikes aren’t allowed on the CTrain during rush hour, with the exception of folded bikes in bags.

Even with the four-car trains running, she said adding bikes to the rush-hour CTrain commute could have an “adverse effect” on scheduling because loading bikes holds up service.

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