Very encouraging plans are in the works for Lawrence concerning bike paths and bike lanes in new developments and on existing roads.
That could change under an updated city-county bicycle plan to be considered tonight by the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission. It contains dozens of proposals to build new bike lanes and paths throughout the city, increasing bicycling's prominence as an alternative form of transportation.
"We're trying to come up with a system that's comprehensive and has connectivity and that's reasonable," said Bill Ahrens, the city's transportation planner. "That hasn't happened before."
The plan includes proposed construction of a recreational bike path near 31st Street between Kasold Drive and Noria Road at a cost of nearly $1.5 million. Less pricey projects include construction of a $791,000 bike lane on East 19th Street between Haskell and Franklin roads, and building a bike lane on West 15th Street and Bob Billings Parkway between Engel Road and Wakarusa Drive at a cost of $708,000.
Three dozen projects are on the list of proposed bicycle paths and lanes, but that doesn't mean they will get built. The list functions as a sort of wish list.
