IDOT State Bike Plan - Input Needed

The Illinois Department of Transportation has begun its statewide bike plan focusing on improving two areas:

• Prioritizing which of IDOT's upcoming road projects most need bikeways - and what type?
• Prioritizing trail/bikeway projects potentially using Transportation Enhancements grants.

Specific criteria for prioritization and bikeway type selection will be applied to a large state database of existing bikeways, bike plans, destinations, and census data. The second round of public involvement meetings will take place in early May. Afternoon meetings on May 3 (Springfield), May 5 (Rend Lake), and May 11 (Sugar Grove) will include discussions on the criteria that have previously been identified as important elements of a bicycle facility. This set of meetings will be held to further refine these criteria. More information and meeting details are available at www.dot.state.il.us/bikemap/bikehome.htm or from Mr. Craig Chambers, Wight & Company, 630-969-7000, cchambers@wightco.com.

We want to help gather bicyclist input for the plan. You may fill out and mail in IDOT's public comment form. Or, you may send us your comments here and we'll send them to IDOT.

Note that IDOT is not looking for input on specific projects. Instead, consider what factors (destinations, connectivity...) should be used in prioritization and what types of bikeways (on-road bike lanes, sidepath/parallel trails, paved shoulders...) are appropriate when.