As Winnipeggers, we like to think that we are completely dependent on our cars to get around. Sure, we'll occasionally take the bus (if the car is in the shop) or a cab (if we've had one too many Fort Garry Darks), but using any other transportation, especially in the downtown area, is a ludicrous thought. Heck, not driving from your office on Portage to a lunch rendezvous on Ellice is preposterous. Or is it?

There are an increasing number of urban dwellers and downtown office workers who are choosing an alternate transportation module - the bicycle. Not only healthier for you (you can't drink a double-double while cycling), bikes are also easier on the wallet, saving you money on gas and parking.

There's one problem that cyclists face, however, when they try to navigate the downtown streets. While designated bike paths exist in suburbia, they are harder to find in Winnipeg's business centre, wherea concrete jungle - chock full of screeching tires and honking horns - can be downright scary on a two-wheeler.

A new group of concerned citizens is trying to change all that. Bike to the Future (BTTF), as noted on their website (www.biketothefuture.org), is "a voluntary, inclusive group of concerned cyclists working to make cycling in Winnipeg a safe, enjoyable, accessible and convenient transportation choice year-round."

In describing the current situation for downtown cyclists, there are two main areas of focus, says BTTF co-chair Kevin Miller. First are the paths that run along riverbanks and streets like Assiniboine Avenue. Here, Miller sees that improvements can be made by making the smaller paths more connected to one another, giving cyclists a more linear route.

Second are inner streets like Kennedy, which can be problematic, as space to build a bikepath is at an undeniable premium, when you consider just how busy the streets and sidewalks already are with cares, buses, cabs, pedestrian and the inevitable daycare group.

But Miller and BTTF see a solution to the downtown biking dilemma: wider curb lanes and bike-specific lanes downtown.

These changes aren't really a stretch, says Miller, who points to cities like Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver as examples of how proper planning can accommodate bike-only and bike-safe areas, even in high-traffic areas.

In campaigning for its cause, Bike to the Future has used the two-pronged method of approaching both the municipal and provincial governments to discuss changes to downtown roads. While the reaction to a survey given to all four provincial political parties did not meet expectations (the grades for each party can be seen on BTTF's website), the response from City Hall, says Miller, has been positive.

"The City of Winnipeg has been exceptional to work with, both at the political level and at the administrative level," Miller reports. "Our city committee has been very pleased with the number of meetings and other representation we've had with the City. Their attitude has been excellent and a lot of what they're doing is working. We can see that we're making great progress at the civic level."

It is quite possible, thanks to the efforts of active groups like BTTF, that Winnipeg's downtown will soon be a friendlier terrain for cyclists. The only question is, will our car culture adapt?