ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, January 24, 1997 TAG: 9701240086
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAN CASEY
A handful of local bicycling activists and government officials want to know what you think about a bikeway plan for the Roanoke Valley.
Nearly a year in development, the Roanoke Valley Area Bikeway Plan has charted potential cycling and pedestrian routes for Roanoke, Roanoke County, Vinton, Salem and Botetourt County - miles and miles of potential greenways, paved and unpaved bicycle trails, and other hiker and biker facilities that could encourage cycling and walking as forms of transportation.
The Bicycle Advisory Committee developed the plan in conjunction with the Fifth Planning District Commission. The committee intends to take the plan to the five jurisdictions for approval.
Before that happens, the committee is seeking comment from the public. The draft plan will be unveiled Monday at the Roanoke County Public Library headquarters at 3131 Electric Road. The meeting will run from 4:30 to 7p.m.
The plan consists of a map of potential cycling routes crisscrossing the Roanoke Valley, and four chief recommendations to the governments of the five jurisdictions:
* That a "bicycle element" be incorporated into all transportation and land-use facilities.
* That the five jurisdictions include bicycle parking facilities in public places such as municipal buildings and at "park and ride" commuter lots; and that zoning ordinances require developers of office, retail and housing developments to include bicycle parking facilities.
* That local jurisdictions agree on a standard for designing bicycle facilities and bicycle signs.
* That future roadway improvements accommodate bicycle and pedestrian modes of transportation.
For more information, contact Arnold Oliver at the Fifth Planning District Commission at 343-4417.
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