The way I understand it, sometime back in the latter half of the 20th Century a guy had the idea that making cycling easier and safer on Silver Avenue was a far saner idea than trying to ride Central Avenue. I don’t know if that guy wants public credit, but he’s an old-time blogger not named Scot. You probably know him.

And one thing, slowly, led to another, and in 2007 then City Councilor Michael Cadigan (yeah, we’re talking way back when) sponsored a resolution for study, design and creating a “bike boulevard” on “Silver Avenue from San Mateo Boulevard west to 14th Street.” From the mind of that old-time blogger and that resolution sprang:

• Designation in 2009 of Silver from just about San Mateo west to just about I-25 as a bike boulevard;
•  Years and years of complaints that this stretch of Silver was a bike boulevard in name, a few stencils and 18 mph speed limit signs only;
• A 2016 study commissioned by then City Councilor Rey Garduño on how to turn Silver into a bona fide bike boulevard.
• A ton of public meetings, plan revisions, more public meetings, night-time inspection rides by certain “bicycle committee” members, and a rather bitchy post by your humble blogger at his previous place o’ bloggin’ eventually led (not including the bitchy post) to:

Yeah, that’s how the little stretch on Carlisle as Silver jigs and jags around a church. Pretty, isn’t it?

And today is the day we’ll officially celebrate that prettiness and other features of Silver Bike Boulevard 2.0 with a 5:30 p.m. “ribbon cutting” at Michael Thomas Coffee at Silver and Bryn Mawr. While ribbon cutting ceremonies have all the hallmarks of trite, overly cute and anti-climatic, this one really does mean something, something new, important and the climax of all the history, teeth gnashing and bitchiness bulleted above.

It’s kind of a big deal. Thanks to everyone who has made today’s event so, including, but certainly not limited to, Councilor Pat Davis, who championed Councilor Garduño’s work over today’s finish line.

I hope to see you there this late afternoon. It looks like even the wind and weather will be cooperating. I don’t know if this ribbon cutting will include use of the Andre the Giant scissors, or if VIPs will be using such overly large implements to chomp down on a real ribbon. I kinda prefer all the cyclists just ring their bells, instead, as we merrily ride up and down the safer and saner street.

We’ll figure out something.

And apropos of seemingly nothing, I’ve had this Daniel Johnston tune stuck in my head ever since I first heard of this ribbon cutting ceremony. The song has nothing to do with bikes, bike boulevards or bitchiness, but, for some, perhaps personally incisive psychological, reason seems to capture emotions and sentiments of such a ceremony and such a new stretch of road.

Yeah, Better Burque is using Daniel Johnston to explain deep feelings about public policy. Oh well, at least the title fits, well almost. It’s not like I’m crazy or anything.

See you this afternoon…