05-11-2007 Luecke announces first 11.4 miles of bicycle lanes

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OF SOUTH PE 4 CF. fe iHtl� il- Office of the Mayor NEWS RELEASE May 11, 2007 7:30 a.m. Luecke announces first 11.4 miles of bicycle lanes Contact: Mikki Dobski, Director of Communications&Special Projects, 235-5855 or 876-1564 Bicyclists soon can ride from the University of Notre Dame's doorstep to the St. Joseph County 4-H Fairgrounds, from IUSB to the Farmer's Market, or from Belleville Park to the Pulaski Park neighborhood—all on new painted lanes or signed routes for bicycles. Mayor Stephen J. Luecke announced today(Friday, May 11, 2007)that the city has identified 11.4 miles of lanes that will be painted with lanes or designated with "Share the Road" signs in the first year of a five-year, 50-mile implementation plan. When complete, this system of lanes and routes will create an interconnected transportation network with the Riverwalk and other bike lanes throughout the region. Joined by bicycle commuters and bike-lane advocates on the eve of Bike to Work Week, the mayor made the announcement today at Indiana University South Bend, where the first new lanes are being painted along Mishawaka Avenue. The Mishawaka Avenue route, in particular, will tie together IUSB and John Adams High School with the Mishawaka Avenue business district; the Farmer's Market and access to the Riverwalk along Northside Boulevard; Potawatomi Zoo and Park, the conservatory and greenhouses. "South Bend residents identified the need for alternate transportation like bicycle lanes as the No. 2 priority of the entire City Plan process. With gas prices exceeding $3 per gallon and our nation struggling with the high costs of health care and unhealthy lifestyles, there's not a better way for the city to address so many significant issues so economically," Luecke said. `Bicycling to work or school, to the market or the park, enhances our quality of life. These lanes and routes will help contribute to a renaissance of South Bend's community life." A citywide system of bicycle lanes represents a key priority identified in City Plan, South Bend's comprehensive plan for 2025. Luecke issued a directive in his 2007 State of the City address to create a 50-mile network over the next five years, implementing at least 10 miles each year. This -more-