Aurora celebrates Bike to Work Day with new bridge on High Line Canal

The Denver metro area is celebrating Bike to Work Day on Wednesday. It's a day dedicated to encouraging people to leave their cars at home and take a bike to work to help improve the region's air quality.

One of the ways the City of Aurora is looking to make that easier is by opening a brand-new bridge spanning two miles along the High Line Canal between Colfax Avenue and north of I-70.

This includes a continuous eight-foot-wide concrete trail and two pedestrian bridges. One is over the canal just south of Smith Road. It also has an upgraded railroad crossing to promote pedestrian and cyclist safety.

"Bike to work day is one day we celebrate the ability for people to commute to work and we encourage people to do that," said Brian Green, Deputy Director of Parks, Open Space and Natural Resource Operations for the City of Aurora. "And this provides that link between some of the business centers on both sides of I-70, as well as the residential neighborhoods throughout the two communities."

Many cyclists on Bike to Work Day are concerned about the rise in bike thefts. The Denver Police Department teamed up with a group called 589 Garage as a solution. You can register in person at the Denver Zoo, the REI Building at 1416 Platte Street, the Cherry Creek Trail at South University Boulevard and Cherry Creek North, E. 29th Avenue Town Center at 29th Avenue and North Roslyn Street, and Skyline Park at 16th Street and Arapahoe.

The Pedestrian Bridge ribbon-cutting ceremonial walk was set for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.