Cyclists call for more lanes on Aurora roads

Like most suburban commuters, Melissa Stoneking uses area roads to get from her Aurora home to her job in Naperville at DeVry University.

But unlike most suburban commuters, she frequently pedals her way to work.

"I commute to work two or three times a week on my bike and it's just really hard to ride," the 29-year-old Stoneking said. "I really know there's a need for bike lanes in Aurora."

Stoneking is organizing a group of 25 to 30 bicyclists to ride about 15 miles on Aurora streets this afternoon as part of a Critical Mass Bike Ride.

The group will gather at West Aurora High School at 2 p.m. and ride on Galena, Fifth, New York and Liberty streets as well as Eola Road and McCoy Drive. Of those pathways, only Eola Road has a defined bike lane, Stoneking said.

"We tried to pick a bike-friendly route, but the whole point of this is that there aren't a lot of bike-friendly roads," Stoneking said.

Aurora approved a bike and pedestrian plan in July 2009, Development Director Bill Wiet said.

"It's meant to provide routes that can actually be used on a daily basis for commuters," he said.

The city also worked with the Kane County Forest Preserve District and the Fox Valley Park District to complete the Fox River Trail south of downtown, which Wiet said bicyclists can use to access the Aurora Transportation Center. Aurora's website includes links to bike maps as well, but Wiet said more work must be done to designate space for bicyclists on roads.

"While we have identified safe routes, have they actually been striped citywide? The answer is no. Or the answer is not yet," Wiet said. "Now we need to further implement the plan."

Stoneking said she expects the group of bikers to surprise drivers.

"I'm ready for people to look at us negatively," Stoneking said. "We can't go as fast as cars ... and people won't know what to expect."

Building public awareness and getting enough participants are always challenges for Critical Mass Bike Rides, organized by grass-roots groups internationally to create bicycle awareness, said Steven Lane, webmaster for Critical Mass Chicago.

"If you get 12 people you can certainly hold a lane, but you need enough mass," Lane said. "With small rides, everyone rides single file which isn't going to have the same impact that critical mass seeks to achieve."

With 25 to 30 riders expected, Stoneking said the group will occupy a lane of traffic and ride safely, following all traffic laws. But she did not notify Aurora police or city officials about the ride.

"I don't feel like I need to let police know," Stoneking said. "It's not a protest."

Aurora police said Saturday they were aware of the ride and planned to monitor traffic along the route, but they do not plan to add any extra patrols.