City Holds Bike, Pedestrian Master Plan Community Open House
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
Warsaw and Winona Lake are working on a bicycle and pedestrian system that aims to increase activity and safety in the communities.
Residents had the opportunity Thursday night to attend a bicycle and pedestrian system open house. The open house was held at Center Lake Pavilion and attended by approximately 50 people.
Results from the open house will serve as a guide for city staff and consultants in the development of the final recommendations.
The community met with Warsaw staff and consultants from RW Armstrong, Indianapolis, to provide input on the bicycle and pedestrian plan for the city.
The vision statement for the plan is that the Warsaw and Winona Lake bicycle and pedestrian system will be a comprehensive and visible transportation system network that is an asset to the community.
The system, inclusive to users of all ages and abilities, will promote safety, health, education and recreation.
Warsaw received a $50,000 grant from the Indiana Department of Health in February to complete the plan.
RW Armstrong is the consultant for the project and began work on the master plan in May.
The plan is expected to be completed in November, according to Jonathan Mooney, RW Armstrong urban design manager.
The company also has completed bike-pedestrian master plans in Indianapolis and Goshen.
Mooney said the company is performing an existing conditions analysis of Warsaw and Winona Lake looking.
The company is looking at roadways, existing bike and pedestrian trails and will make recommendations of where bike and pedestrian routes can be implemented.
“The idea is to develop a series of bike and pedestrian trails and get people to where they want to go,” Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer said.
Thallemer said the Smith Street and Winona Avenue bike lanes that have been created are a great example of bike paths that were developed.
“We found out the areas were wide enough to accommodate bikes and cars and we are trying to identify other pathways for bikes and pedestrians,” Thallemer said.
Warsaw City Council will need to approve the master plan and adopt it into its comprehensive plan.
Bicycle enthusiasts who attended Thursday’s open house had the opportunity to participate in an aerial floor map exercise.
An aerial map of Warsaw and Winona Lake was placed on the floor with different colored blocks that represented destinations where people live, work, shop and want to bicycle to.
RW Armstrong will take the information and apply it to the master plan.
The attendees also had the opportunity to write a message on a chalkboard on their feelings of bicycling.
Their photo was taken with the message that RW Armstrong will use to implement ideas into the master plan.
A station also was set up for attendees to rate how comfortable they are with bicycle lanes, markings and signage.
A community meeting will be Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. at Winona Lake Senior Center where a presentation of preliminary recommendations of the master plan will be presented.
