Ready To Roll
Posted: February 27, 2013
By PRESTON KNIGHT
HARRISONBURG — The training wheels are almost off for a broad bicycle-and-pedestrian plan in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.The Rockingham County Board of Supervisors will vote tonight to commit almost $17,000 to an ongoing effort to craft such a map.Last month, the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Metropolitan Planning Organization and planners at the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission in Staunton announced a partnership on a new comprehensive bike-and-pedestrian plan. At a cost of about $75,000, the study uses mostly federal funds and will broaden Harrisonburg’s existing plan to include Bridgewater, Dayton and Mount Crawford.The Board of Supervisors’ vote scheduled for tonight would expand the plan to include the rest of the county. The cost to the county would be about $19,000, but the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition has pledged $2,000 if supervisors approve the request.
“It just shows the interest [in the community],” said Rhonda Cooper, a county planner.
The meeting is at 6 p.m. at the Rockingham County Administration Center, 20 E. Gay St., Harrisonburg.
Six Head To D.C.
The county’s commitment to a plan would signal a major step forward for the local cycling community, said Kyle Lawrence, the coalition’s president.
He says the area is at the “tipping point” of developing a comprehensive plan, adding that James Madison University has issued a request for proposals from firms interested in creating a master map for its campus.
“It’s really important we don’t have facilities end at the city line,” Lawrence said.
Cooper and Lawrence are two of six area bicycle enthusiasts who will attend the National Bike Summit in Washington, D.C., next week. More than 800 people are expected at the March 4-6 event, which is themed “Bicycling Means Business.”
It will emphasize how bicycling can create jobs and stimulate economies.
“The really neat part about the summit is that you get to see all of the success stories from all throughout the country,” Lawrence said.
Also attending locally are Thanh Dang, a Harrisonburg planner; Suzi Carter, representing the city’s proposed Northend Greenway trail; and Rich Harris and Mike Dalmolin, representatives from JMU.
The bicycle coalition has contributed $1,165 to sponsor the attendance of Dang, Cooper, Lawrence and Carter.
Lawrence said this is the largest group from the area to attend the annual event, plus the first time city and county staff will have a presence.
“It’s a pretty big step to get county staff,” he said.
Contact Preston Knight at 574-6272 or
Posted at: at http://www.dnronline.com/article/ready_to_rollfeb27
