MANSFIELD, Ohio–Richland Moves!continued discussions Tuesday evening about the proposed Mansfield bike loop that is in the works and the necessary signage needed to make it a reality. The plans had recently undergone some minor revisions.
The revisions included easier access points and safer alternate roads. The group’s members believe that the route is now complete and are ready to be presented to city council.
“We are through stage one,” said Matthew Stanfield, a local architect and member of Richland Moves! “Now we need to get municipal support for it and see how we are actually going to implement the signage.”
How these maps and signs would be made was the next order of discussion. It’s hoped that the bike route will have posted signs indicating the loop, informative maps placed throughout, wayfinding signs pointing out landmarks, and maybe even “share the road” signs.
Representatives from Pioneer Career & Technologies Center were there to discuss ways in which they could collaborate and help design the maps and signs for the loop. They have the software to design and potentially create them. Once they have concept maps and signs in hand, the obstacles then become gaining approval from city council and then seeking funding for production and implementation. Presenting the conceptual signs along with the route map would demonstrate that Richland Moves! has thoroughly thought through the users’ interests and safety precautions necessary for the loop.
Thinking ahead, Nelson Shogren, Chairman of Richland Moves!, doesn’t want to stop with just one loop.
“Our intention is to start with this 5.7 mile loop and hopefully grow that by five miles each succeeding year,” he said. Additional loops would provide more access to more places. Shogren concluded, “We need to work very aggressively with city council to develop this, grow it, expand to other neighborhoods, other schools, other communities. It’s a huge area to cover but with a lot of help, I think we can get it done.”
Bicycle racks were also a hot topic in the meeting. Members discussed the need to create a conceptual bike rack in order to present this idea to city council. Designs were brainstormed and members discussed regulations and standards for implementing the racks. The Pioneer staff wants to collaborate and get their students involved in this project as well. The main issue is figuring out exactly how many racks would be needed and of course, the cost of production. For design and placement they are looking for input from local businesses.
“Ideally we want to have them in locations where multiple businesses can make use of them,” said Anne Massie, a local entrepreneur and Richland Moves! member.
They believe the bike racks would serve not only as useful security features for bikers, but also as unique landmark features for local businesses.
Richland Moves! plans to hold a meeting to offer these ideas and present these concepts to city council as soon as some of these kinks are worked out.
Events to look out for in the near future
Richland Moves! next public meeting will be held May 5 at 6 p.m. at the Mansfield Richland County Public Library.
Richland Public Health has an “Active Design Workshop” April 16 that will “focus on designs of streets, roadways, park spaces, buildings, and ways to design those spaces to increase physical activity for people,” said Karyl Price of Richland Public Health. The Center for Active Design from New York City is partnering with this workshop. Anyone is welcomed to participate and encouraged to provide feedback; there is no cost to attend.
Richland Public Health also has their “Bike To Work Week” coming up from May 11 to the 15. More information about these events can be found on their website at www.richlandhealth.org
