Elgin OKs popular bike lane plan

If a journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step, then Elgin leaders have two so far toward implementing a citywide bicycle plan.

City council members Wednesday night OK'd a $1.76 million project on Wing Park Boulevard that includes a 10-foot-wide bike lane. Officials also voted to establish 4-foot-wide, striped bike lanes on Walnut Avenue from State Street to South Street as part of a resurfacing project.

"Providing the community with safe, reliable bicycle transportation is a goal," said David Lawry, the city's general services manager.

The council this spring adopted a citywide bike master plan. It did not contain funding, but it will provide a blueprint for connecting neighborhoods with paths or designated lanes.

Residents of the South West Area Neighborhood Association, or SWAN, favored eliminating parking on Walnut's south side to make room for the bike lanes.

"We appreciate the ongoing efforts that are being made to increase bike paths along with providing alternative means of transportation and recreation," said Charlene Sligting, SWAN president.

In a city survey, homeowners along Wing Park also heavily supported their path plan, although it was packaged with landscaped medians for the street.

"It was well over 70 percent," Lawry said of the support from Wing Park. "It was a large majority."

Council member Mike Powers noted he's received plenty of compliments from residents since the city beefed up its street repaving program after the rough winter.

"It was exactly the right thing to do at the right time," he said. "It's pleasant to drive these roads again."