Cycling on sidewalks is permitted in my hometown unless prohibited by signage. There are designated bike routes around the city which I use 6-7 months of the year. However, during the winter when street plowing occurs, those same routes are covered in snow and can become hazardous during freeze/thaw cycles. Deep ruts in the road caused by passing traffic make it extremely difficult to navigate even with my studded tires. I cautiously hop onto and ride the sidewalks in these situations when I know it’s generally the safer choice. For me, getting to the multi-use trails in the winter involves a combined strategy of road/sidewalk usage when leaving the house but fortunately it’s not that far of a distance.