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11 Issue 1 |
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Homewood blazes trails with bike plan Indiana's first bike map unveiled Planning for bike good news for everyone |
Chicago full steam ahead with bicycling plans Indiana — Crossroads of the Nation; the Hoosier State — is heading full steam ahead (on two wheels) with the recently completed Northwest Indiana bike map and the Crown Point bike plan.The Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) unveiled the state’s first comprehensive bike map, which reaches as far west as Halsted Street in Chicago and covers LaPorte, Porter and Lake counties in Indiana. The map features miles of both on-street routes and off-street trails — many that are the result of rails-to-trails conversions. Recreational cyclists can also take advantage of the loop route network that guides them through scenic Indiana. The map features safety information as well as resources for riding and advocacy groups active in the Northwest Indiana area. “This map will be a valuable resource for people who want to use their bicycle more,” said Nick Jackson, deputy director of the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation. NIRPC hired the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation to develop the map, a process that included gathering input from cyclists and bike clubs and also analyzing traffic volume. Talk about perfect timing… The City of Crown Point, Ind., approved a bike plan last month. The plan identifies a proposed on-street bicycle network and also defines a 10-year program to improve other elements of a bicycling community. With its near-term goals (1-3 years) of a signed bicycle network, improved intersections, a Crown Point bike map, and bike parking, this plan will make bicycling easier and an integral part of the community. Other goals the plan identifies include bike lanes on Joliet Road, and long-term streets reconstruction. The plan will increase the community’s access to the regional trail network and encourage residents to bicycle for transportation, recreation and good health.
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