By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Nine years ago, Bowling Green bicyclists drew a map of streets they would like to see modified to better accommodate their form of travel. This week, the list of streets was shrunk down to a more manageable number and will be sent to the city for action.
After the original bike path map was drawn in 2007, any efforts to modify the roadways appeared to stall out. Signs were posted, asking motorists to share the road, but as many bicyclists will attest, drivers often interpret those signs to mean bicyclists must make way for motor vehicles.
Many of the “share the road” and “bike route” signs in the city are posted on streets with berms not wide enough for a bike tire.
For nine years, the map came up occasionally, but the expense or inconveniences seemed to prevent modifications for bicyclists.
Then along came the Complete Streets effort, which seemed to breathe new life into efforts to make Bowling Green streets accommodating to more than just motor vehicles.
Grandiose plans were envisioned, with many streets identified as possible “bike routes” around the city.
Bowling Green Bicycle Safety Commission chairman Steve Langendorfer suggested those ideas be narrowed down to a realistic proposal Tuesday evening. The group took the 15 streets in the original plan drawn in 2007, and picked the best streets for the city to focus on making bike-friendly.
The six streets selected are: Conneaut, Pearl, Clough, Court, Fairview and Maple.
“That only took five years,” bike commission member Eileen Baker said sarcastically.
Those streets help bicyclists reach some of the main destination points in the city, including the community center, the middle school and high school, City Park, the Slippery Elm Trail, BGSU, Crim School and Carter Park.
Bowling Green City Council member Sandy Rowland asked the commission to send the list of streets to the city engineer first, so it can be determined if it’s possible to modify the selected streets. Council will then review the bike commission’s request.
Some of the easiest ways to create room for bikes on city streets include:
– Removing on-street parking.
– Changing streets to one-way.
– Painting sharrows on the pavement.
“Those three items are fairly simple to get things going,” without requiring major expense or space, said commission member Kristin Otley.
However, each option comes with downsides. While one-way streets would be very effective in creating space for bikes, motorists would likely voice strong opposition.
Removing street parking would create hardships in some of the older residential neighborhoods, where some homes don’t have driveways.
“It’s not as easy as one might think,” Rowland said.
Otley mentioned that at least some of the streets selected by the bike commission are slated for repaving in the near future, so now is a good time to get the request in front of city council. Those streets on the repaving list include Conneaut, Court and Fairview.
Members of the bicycle commission expressed hopes that the city may start moving on the Complete Streets effort.
“I just don’t want to keep beating a dead horse,” Baker said. “This plan has been sitting since 2007.”
Bike commission members and citizens will have a chance to speak about Complete Streets and efforts to make the city more bike-friendly during a hearing in front of city council on Sept. 6 at 6 p.m.
