Members of Keep Vincennes Rolling wants to hear from community leaders on where they want to see bike lanes added throughout Knox County.
Amber Gerkin, the president of the group of local bicycle enthusiasts, said they are planning an invitation-only meeting scheduled for Friday at Good Samaritan Hospital
They've invited about 50 local movers and shakers to the meeting.
“We want to garner some controlled input from some community leaders on where they want to see bike lanes,” Gerkin said. “We need some honest feedback because we don't want to throw our effort into creating routes that the community won't support.”
Gerkin said the organization, now about three years old, has raised enough money through fundraisers and private donations to hire an engineering firm that will look at Knox County and offer suggestions on where bike lanes can be successfully and safely added. She said Keep Vincennes Rolling has a couple of proposed plans to add bicycle lanes not just throughout Vincennes but Knox County as well.
But those plans, she said, need the support of the county's most influential people if they are to be successful.
“We don't want to spend money on engineers to look at a route that the community doesn't want,” she said. “So we're anxious to share our plans and see what people think.”
Gerkin said Keep Vincennes Rolling members have focused on inviting a “diverse group of people" that includes elected officials as well as economic development professionals and tourism experts. They have also invited community leaders from Bicknell as well.
Gerkin said this first meeting will focus mainly on the organization's proposed route through Vincennes, and if all goes well, a second meeting will be held later on to discuss the county route.
The focus, she said, is to connect all of the county's points of interest.
“We want to provide people easier access to the parks, kids easier access to Rainbow Beach and Gregg Park,” she said. “We want to tie in the softball fields, Kimmell Park, Vincennes University, Grouseland and State Historic Sites.
“We want it to provide that easier access not only to people who live here, but we also want it to be a draw for tourism. If we can, our long-term goal, would be to see bike lanes throughout town. That way, people can come here, rent a bike, get a map and take a tour. And hopefully along the way they will find a nice little shop or restaurant and spend their tourism dollars right here in Knox County.”
Gerkin said the engineers report will look not only at how best to connect the city's points of interest but also overcoming safety issues like the Wabash River levee or highly congested areas.
Once it's done, she said a completed report will make Keep Vincennes Rolling more eligible for grant money to help build the routes.
“There are millions of dollars out there set aside specifically for bike lanes and trails,” she said. “But until we have a plan and that engineer's report, we will be looked over for grant money.
“We need to prove we're serious and know what we're doing. Then hopefully they'll be more likely but there is millions of dollars in grant money specifically for bike lanes and trails, but until we have a plan and an engineer's report, we will be looked over for that grant money. We need to prove we're serious and know what we are doing and they will be more likely to give us those larger dollar amounts.”