A bike route map seems like one of those simple yet useful ideas:
So, about a year ago, members at Champaign County Bikes started talking about designing a different kind of map – one that would show the best routes for those on two wheels, said Rick Langlois, board chairman of CCB.
They talked, and for about six months they tested routes, working with the League of Illinois Bicyclists.
On Saturday morning, the map will be unveiled at Market at the Square at Lincoln Square Village, with a 10 a.m. presentation from several people involved. The event won't be hard to find – the neon yellow Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District "Share the Road" bus will be right behind it.
The map depicts ideal routes for the everyday cyclist, and is color-coded by comfort level. It's also designed to fit into a cyclist's pocket or pouch – but unfolds larger – and is free for anyone who wants one, though Champaign County Bikes welcomes donations, Langlois said.
Discuss.
I look forward to getting one.
It will be interesting to see how the map shows crossing I-57 at Bradley, Kirby and Windsor. Hopefully they will not recommend using any of these crossings on a bike or even on foot.
It just a pain in the butt to cross those bridges LV there isn't anything that can be changed unless the bridges are rebuilt.
Actually there is at least one solution, less expensive than a rebuild at least for the Kirby Ave crossing. The ParkDistrict is at the SE corner of the crossing already with a park. The passage under I-57 for drainage could be improved to allow foot & cycle traffic to cross under the interstate. I am told the LF Golf Course has used the drainage passage by their clubhouse for years to connect the front and back nine of their course. Any way for this to work a ROW would have to be obtained on the SW side of I-57 and permission of the Drainage District but this would be a lot easier and far less espensive than rebuilding the entire overpass.
On the other two crossing, one suggestion, leave the bridges alone, provide a ped/cycle bridge leveraging Federal Highway dollars if possible and let the various 'small minded' governmental agencies who claim control of the road to their own 'turf' wars.
LV- A tunnel under I-57 would need to be done right and maintained constantly. I am not saying that it is a bad idea, but for an example of a Park District tunnel under an interstate please visit the NE corner of Kaufman Lake. That is probably one of the scarier places in town and most folks who use the bike path to get from Bradley Ave to Springfield Ave bypass it completely and go over the railroad tracks at the NW corner. This tunnel is dark, confined, and full of sediment and other stuff best not thought about.
I have been to both the Kaufman Lake tunnel and the LFCC tunnel. There are very few similarities cheesy poofs. You need to check out the LFCC tunnel and see what LV is proposing.
Is that an invitation to play a round, because I must warn you, I have been known to shank the occasional drive.
Based on the lessons learned from the successes of the bike sharing plan in Paris, whatever is done within C-U and county about biking, bike paths, etc. will not have connectivity because all of these plans are nothing being done as part of a comprehensive transportation plan. The folks in Paris contend that their program is successful is because this program is considered as part of the Paris transportation plan. (This is Paris, France, not Paris, IL) I recently noted that bike lanes have been painted on 4th street. My question is at what time and date is the first bicyclist going to be catapulted into the air as a driver exists the car on the street side.
Pattsi Petrie
Sorry cheesy poofs, I only see LFCC during the Twin Cities open which is coming up. I also face the same problem with my drives as someone may have seen on I-57 in years past.
Hello. The new bike lanes on are First St. and if you have not ued them you may want to reserve trashing them. They work very well and they provide some very good connectivity between campus and downtown Champaign. The system will not be completed overnight, but to expect that is ridiculous. How about we applaud the effort and keep working to improve the community for cycling instead of criticizing even when we do not have our facts straight?
Paris, France has a successful pathway system for bicycles?
Sounds like a road trip might be in order for the city council!
To get bike traffic west of I-57 without tunnels or overpasses, why not extend the current O'Malley's Alley bike path that dead ends at Duncan and Springfield? If a lease/purchase arrangement could be made for the overgrown, unused rail bed that is south of the current railroad tracks, you could extend the path west and go under I-57 next to Rt. 10 and continue to Staley Road.
"...why not extend the current O'Malley's Alley bike path." Because the City and the CU MTD have yet to annex the property which could extend this path so I remains off limits.
"How about we applaud the effort and keep working to improve the community for cycling instead of criticizing even when we do not have our facts straight?"
How about a listing of which facts are wrong. Yes, there are some comments due to the incompleteness of the bike paths, lack of any planning of crossing the interstates, etc. Less sensitive people would take these criticisms laid out here are a sign of interest and constructive suggestions. Speaking of which why isn't the cities who are sponsoring the map or the planning people putting it up on their respective websites? The CU MTD should be doing the same. Maybe you Anonymous posters can get these questions to Woggon, Langlois or Lewis and they could post some answers.
"Because the City and the CU MTD have yet to annex the property which could extend this path so I remains off limits." So who owns this property? The railroad? Has anyone asked the property owner to donate/annex/sell this portion for use as a safe biking/walk path to connect Champaign on both sides of the interstate? If you donate the land it appears you get naming rights to the path!
I picked up my map today. It looks great and I am amazed at how many Bike Routes there are though all three cities. Thanks
The City indeed has a Bike Master Plan which is titled, "Bicycle Vision" located in the Champaign Moving Forward, Transportation Master Plan. Here is a link to it: www.ci.champaign.il.us/business/page.php. Hope that this will provide information to those of you wondering. As one poster commented, our system won't be completed overnight, but we are trying to move forward. As we found out with the First Street bike lane, there are many issues to consider and I appreciate hearing from the public. The staff works hard to resolve issues when they are brought forward. Safe biking!
Thanks, Karen! Bicycle advocates, including Charlie Smyth, Brandon Bowersox, and Carrie Melin, were at Farmer's Market Saturday handing out maps.