By Carol Cole-Frowe
Yellow "Share the Road" signs to urge motorists and bicyclists to coexist peacefully and safely will be popping up around town as the city's Bicycle Advisory Committee works to make roads safer for both.
Norman city councilmembers heard Tuesday about progress by the committee to revise the city's bicycle routes to reflect new construction and changes in roads and move Norman closer to being a bicycle-friendly city.
The committee was revived by council in March 2007 to encourage and support bicycling, based on the recommendation of an ad hoc bicycle committee reviewing the 1996 Norman Bicycle Plan.
It is proposing changes to support the bicycle plan, not to replace it.
"We are trying to create the safest routes at the lowest costs to taxpayers," said Dr. Kyran Mish, chair of the bicycle committee. "It's good for cyclists. It's good for drivers, too."
Several route changes are being recommended and the updated bicycle routes will be forwarded to Halff and Associates, the firm working on the Greenbelt Master Plan that's being developed in conjunction with the city's Stormwater Master Plan.
It also will go to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to be considered as the design is developed for the Interstate 35 corridor widening project. Included in the project will be the ability to cross I-35 at Main Street and Tecumseh Road.
Map changes for safety and logical connections will include the future SH 9 route, east Norman destinations like Lake Thunderbird and Little Axe and the I-35 bridge improvements.
Mish said as new construction occurs, the city can find ways to piggyback bicycle routes onto it. He said federal highway projects require the consideration of bicycles.
"The simplest ... time to put bicycle routes in is during construction," he said.
The committee will work on updating bicycle law information and educating cyclists about their responsibility to obey traffic laws.
"Bicycles have all the legal rights of vehicles," Mish said.
He said it's important to improve bicycle access to the Lake Thunderbird State Park, which is Oklahoma's busiest state park and a popular place to ride mountain bikes.
"But you have to drive your car out to ride your mountain bike," Mish said.
He said he was encouraged that the Norman city councilmembers had a different reaction to the committee's suggestions than previous councils he's worked with in California.
"This is the first city council I've worked with that insists on putting in more (rather than fewer) bicycle routes," Mish said.
Norman's bicycle committee worked with the University of Oklahoma to develop its own bicycle advisory committee, which is working on creating bicycle routes throughout the campus area. There are between 2,000 and 4,000 bicycles on campus at any time, he said.
"I have very, very high hopes for this project," Mish said. "I'm very pleased with how the university is working with the City."
The City has received preliminary word that it will receive about a $300,000 grant in the Safe Routes to School federal program that will help with sidewalks, signalized road crossings, traffic calming, ramps and other items in the Longfellow Middle School/Jefferson Elementary area.
They also are looking at developing a bicycle parking ordinance that would require new businesses to install parking for bicycles as well as other vehicles.
Mish said encouraging bicycling would save on road construction costs, wear and tear and help traffic congestion.
"It roads were made wider for bicycles, it would save money in the long run," he said.
A Web site for the group is under construction at www.bikenorman.org.
Carol Cole-Frowe 366-3538 ccole@normantranscript.com
