As towns across northwest Indiana continue building a regional system of bike trails, connecting paths so bicyclists can ride from Chicago to Lowell, Crown Point right now finds itself a key cog in establishing that network.
The city is the central point connecting to the Pennsy Greenway, Erie Lackawanna, Veterans Memorial and Winfield corridor trails, Mitch Barloga, transportation planning manager for the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, said. One of the focuses at NIRPC is to create a non-motorized super highway throughout the region that allows residents to not only enjoy the recreational aspect of the trails, but use those trails and designated roadways to bike to work, shopping and elsewhere.
“What they are trying to accomplish is an important component of the whole regional puzzle,” Barloga said.
Crown Point residents got their first look at what the future may hold for a more bike friendly city. The master plan proposal was unveiled for public comment last Thursday.
New bike roads, shared roads, dedicated lanes, intersection improvements and connection to the growing network of bike trails winding through Northwest Indiana are all part of the proposal recently unveiled for public comment. Comments from the public session will be taken into account as developers create a final plan for the city to review.
“We’d like to have it in play by spring,” Mayor David Uran said.
The Redevelopment Commission funded work by Butler, Fairman and Seufert to develop the city’s bicycle trail master plan at a cost not to exceed $55,000, Uran said.
Crown Point has been a leader in developing trails for cyclists and pedestrians. Barloga cited the recently completed Summit Street Erie Lackawanna trail head and the planned 93rd Avenue trail head as examples.
“An important part of doing that is getting communities to make connections within their own road networks to get to these destinations,” Barloga said.
This year all 17 miles of the Erie Lackawanna Trail were completed. Barloga said the last few connections in the Pennsy Trail that links Indiana and Illinois and runs through Munster and Schererville to Crown Point will also be complete.
Meanwhile, Barloga lauded efforts by Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas and Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr., who like Uran have worked to enhance their city’s bike trails. Both Valparaiso and Michigan City have a ped and pedal master plan. Gary has used its Greenway Plan as its resource to cultivate trails. To the south, Lowell has recently approved a ped and pedal plan.
“They are very interested in connecting to a regional network. It’s very crucial Crown Point help this by promoting connections between their towns,” Barloga said.
The Crown Point plan identifies where it makes sense to build trails to connect to the larger regional network. It also calls out roadways where dedicated bike lanes may be created and less busy roads where chevrons could be added to the pavement to show that bikes are encouraged to share the lane with vehicles.
In the first years, the draft plan calls for identifying the preferred safe routes and putting up signs, educating the public about the routes, ensuring bicycle parking and creating maps for the public. Mid-term priorities in three to five years include adding bike lanes to 113th Avenue and Summit Street, as well as U.S. 231/Joliet Street.
Ultimately the plan calls for channelizing Main Street from Summit to Clark streets and improving roads to include dedicated bike lanes. Roads under consideration for improvement in the long term are: Main Street from 93rd Avenue to Summit Street, Cedar Lake Road from Chase Street to 129th Court, Marshall Street form Burrell Avenue to Windham Drive, Indiana Avenue from U.S. 231 to Burrell Road and 129th Avenue from Indiana Avenue to Delaware Street and from Interstate 65 to Iowa Street.