Greetings from PaC-MAN! To PaC-MAN is to Pedestrian and Cycle Manitou. Perhaps no one in our community does just that – walking and taking transit that is – more than Craig Burbank. We interviewed Craig during the pandemic back in 2020 about his ultra-walking exploits and thought a check-in was long overdue. We caught up with him recently at the MAC community space for a chat. Have an active transportation story to share with the community? Please reach out to @pacmanitou to direct message us.
How long have you been living in Manitou Springs and why did you choose to live here?
I moved to Manitou in March 2017 after retiring from Walmart where I used to work and live in the Woodland Park area. Since I am an ultra-endurance athlete, I love the close proximity to trails, mountain hikes, and access to transit and other shuttle services such as Rocky Mountain Ride, which is a great way to get back to Manitou after hiking Pikes Peak.
It’s worth noting that I’ve been living car-free now for over 31 years after giving up my car back in August 1993. I also credit my good health to an active lifestyle and am fortunate to have the time to spend time in our great outdoors and fresh Colorado air. Interestingly enough, in Sept 2024, AAA posted that the average cost of new car ownership costs someone in the U.S. $12,297 annually. I largely credit my good health and youthful appearance in my early seventies to an active lifestyle.
What are the pros/cons of walking and taking the bus in Manitou?
Time management is required and some planning as well. I often grocery shop about 4-5 times a week, which also accounts for a portion of my training. Most of my errands are for groceries where I prefer to walk to places approximately 8 miles away such as Costco and Trader Joe’s where I can find good deals. I use a mid-sized backpack to make these journeys and find that carrying an extra small tote bag also helps to pack most groceries home. I also use Mountain Metro Transit (MMT) routes #3 and #19 mostly for the return trip.
Planning also includes figuring out if a monthly bus pass vs. a punch card, where you still need transfer slips, is more feasible. For me, a monthly bus pass saves me money and time since I skip the need for transfer slips which takes time when onboarding.
Another part of the planning process is figuring out which bus route(s) to use. I suggest looking up the MMT system map which shows you which routes overlap.
It would be nice to have signalized pedestrian crossings where the timing prioritized pedestrians. Many times, I must wait for one or even two light cycles before I can cross at an intersection. This is largely the case when walking/training in Colorado Springs where the poor timing at signalized intersections add time to my training efforts. I now mainly focus training expeditions in Woodland Park where there are fewer signalized crossings and good shuttle service such as the Rambling Express where I can catch a ride home if the weather goes south.
I’ve been living car-free now for over 31 years. – Craig Burbank
The pros include getting some training time in while walking errands, which keeps me fit. I’ve also been lucky to see many moonlit hikes, sunrises, mountain lions and other otherwise stealthy wildlife sightings during my excursions on foot.
What infrastructure and/or esthetic improvement would have the most positive impact on your walking and transit experiences in Manitou?
Having benches at bus stops is nice, but having weather-protected bus shelters would be a huge improvement. Most bus headways are not brief, so having a proper shelter to protect people from the elements would be great. Many times, bus users are elderly and have physical challenges and are waiting in hot or inclement weather including wind chill. This is a hardship, and proper shelters would help to keep people comfortable while waiting for the bus.
Making signalized pedestrian crossings that activate sooner at intersections would help elevate the experience outside of cars. Woodland Park has good, signalized pedestrian crossing timing when you push the button.
Bus Rapid Transit service would also be nice for the more heavily used routes.
What advice would you give someone who would like to give active transportation in Manitou a try but does not have much time?
Half of the challenge is figuring out the bus system and which buses to take. Go online for the most current system map.
What do you think would increase more active transportation use in Manitou?
Offering hard copy master bus system maps might help to promote more transit use since it can be intimidating to figure out the bus system.
What other form(s) of transportation do you use and what has that experience been like?
I also carpool with a friend or neighbor from time to time when it’s convenient. Getting a lift when it’s raining hard, or when the wind gusts are strong, makes the journey more pleasant – and a bonus is having the opportunity to visit with friends.
