Bicycle Plan update and maybe more.

The city is currently in the process of "updating" our Pedestrian and Bicycle Circulation Plan, which may be a good thing. At current, most of the city east of the highway is void of any safe bicycle avenue, despite numerous road improvements that provided excellent opportunities for connecting various points of the city (note the west side may be as well, but I'm not as familiar with their neighborhoods) as well as numerous calls for bicycle lanes.

I've been to numerous forums in which community members, business reps, councilors and candidates, and bicyclists have commented on the need for safe, quality, and extensive bicycle lanes in our city. The recent VISION Oshkosh survey demonstrated an overwhelming support by Oshkosh residents for the incorporation of a comprehensive bicycle system.

MainstreetOshkosh supports modernizing our city to reflect the importance of providing safe bicycle options for the health of our residents, for the financial savings that many struggling families will have from expanded alternate transportation options, for the improved health of our local environment, for the safety of our children on their way to and from school, and for the overall improved quality of life.

We have a plan but little action. Hopefully redoing and improving the plan will produce more than just an updated plan.

Below is the notice of tomorrow's meeting:

The City of Oshkosh is updating its Pedestrian and Bicycle Circulation Plan, which was originally created in 1998, and amended in 2000. As part of the plan update, the City is hosting a Public Informational Meeting on Thursday, August 20, 2009 to provide an opportunity for and to solicit public comment and suggestions.

Attendees are encouraged to provide input regarding existing walking and riding conditions throughout the city, preferred destinations and locations of interest to pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as any other advocacy or planning efforts the public feels are necessary to improve conditions for walking and bicycling within the City of Oshkosh.

The City recognizes there are great personal, environmental and societal benefits of walking and bicycling for both recreation and transportation purposes and is dedicated to enhancing and promoting safe and efficient pedestrian and bicycle circulation routes within our community. However, the success of any planning effort requires active public participation and the implementation of recommendations require strong community support.

Please make all efforts to attend this public information meeting and provide us with your input. Together we can make Oshkosh a more pedestrian and bicycle friendly place to live!

Date: Thursday, August 20, 2009

Time: 5:30 to 7:00 pm

Location: City of Oshkosh City Hall, Room 404, 215 Church Avenue, Oshkosh

If persons attending require special accommodations, please contact the Planning Services
Division at 920.236.5059.

If you are unable to attend but would like to provide suggestions, please feel free to comment here or send an email to city planner David Buck at dbuck@ci.oshkosh.wi.us

http://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/pr/press_release08-10-09.pdf

Posted in: community events,Local Government,Our City,sustainability