Schaumburg's family bike ride this Sunday

For more than 20 years, Schaumburg residents have taken one day a year to tour their community by bicycle, led by their bicycle-enthusiast mayor, Al Larson. The Fahrrad Tour von Schaumburg is back this Sunday, May 17, starting at noon from Blackwell Elementary School, 345 N. Walnut Lane. The ride ends an hour later at the municipal complex, where a free outdoor barbecue with live music await. Bus transportation for riders and their bikes will take bikers back to Blackwell School. (847) 490-7020.

We asked Gwen Strombeck, the Schaumburg Park District's special events supervisor, for the lowdown.

Q. What's a "Fahrrad" tour?

A. The word Fahrrad hearkens back to Schaumburg's German roots. The literal translation of Fahrrad Tour von Schaumburg is Bicycle Tour of Schaumburg, so, really it's a unique way to acknowledge Schaumburg's early settlers, their heritage and Schaumburg's nationally recognized bicycle program.

Q. What is the coolest thing you see/do along the route?

A. The children tell me that the coolest thing is that they get cross the street even though the cars have a green light! So they literally get to stop traffic which is really cool!

Q. Is the route safe for kids?

A. This tour is definitely safe for children to ride - we have police guide the tour and also the Schaumburg Bicycle Club has volunteered to help patrol during the tour to keep all participants together. When crossing the street, the Schaumburg police stop traffic until all participants have crossed safely.

Q. What do you really want people to take away from this?

A. This is family event, so mostly we want people to come out and have a great time. Also this is an opportunity for Schaumburg residents to learn the bicycle routes that are designated around town. Schaumburg has always placed an emphasis on bicycling as a viable alternative means of alternative travel, so we're taking people on a tour of the community showing them the real mix of bike travel facilities existing in Schaumburg that can offer recreational and feasible alternative travel routes.

Q. How many miles of bike routes are there in Schaumburg?

A. Schaumburg has 87 miles of bike routes in a mix of facilities that is approximately 50 percent off-street bike paths and 50 percent on-street bike lanes, or shared bike facilities such as a sidewalk. The shared facilities account for the smallest amount of the network totaling about 2 percent of the total network. All paths/routes are marked for the public and are in accordance with the American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials recommendations.

Q. Are Schaumburg routes connected to other towns or the forest preserve, etc.?

A. Connecting with our neighbors has taken a leading role in Schaumburg's Bicycle Program. Virtually all of the large-scale bicycle paths/routes that were planned as part of Schaumburg's Bike Plan have been developed, so the emphasis has now shifted to connections with neighbors and throughout the region. Connections are in place between Schaumburg and Hanover Park (at Atcher Park), Streamwood (at Odlum Park SE), and Palatine (at Harper College).

Connections with forest preserve facilities include access to Busse Woods (from Woodfield Road and East Frontage Road - I290/IL53) and also to Poplar Creek Forest Preserve (from Bode Road and Barrington Road).

Those connections take a rider in all directions from there and connect for example to the Illinois Prairie Path.

Future connections include the possibility of many points of access between Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates as Hoffman Estates continues working on a comprehensive bicycle plan. Schaumburg continues to (ask) for funds to help construct a bicycle path along Martingale Road on Schaumburg's east side that would connect with the Busse Woods bridge over I290/IL53 and with Elk Grove Village.

Other projects in or nearing construction are the Irving Park Road bike path which will provide access to Schaumburg's Metra Station and the Flyers Stadium; the Wright Boulevard Bike Path which will connect Salem Drive to the north with the Irving Park Road Bike Path when completed; the North Plum Grove Road Bike Path that will connect areas north of Algonquin Road near Motorola into Rolling Meadows and Palatine; Hoffman Estates' Higgins Road Bike Path which will connect with existing facilities in Schaumburg; and another connection through Atcher Park in Schaumburg with Hanover Park's new bike path that will be constructed along the natural gas pipeline and connect provide access out to Barrington Road.