Columbus seeks community feedback on Bike Plus plan for safe cycling

View a previous report on efforts to bring more bikes lanes to Columbus in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The City of Columbus is seeking community input on a bicycle infrastructure plan that would introduce protected bike lines and other bike-friendly traffic improvements.

Bike Plus is the city's plan to create a safe, connected and comfortable network for people to bike, scooter, skate and roll in Columbus. Brian Ashworth, transportation planning manager for the Department of Public Service's Division of Mobility and Parking Services, said it's all about developing infrastructure that safely accommodates alternative modes of transportation as Columbus prepares for expected growth.

"We know that if a million more people are moving here in the next couple of decades, we can't have a million more cars," Ashworth said.

An interactive map of the drafted Bike Plus network was posted online on June 3. The map was created using feedback from a series of pop-up meetings, an online survey, a four-day workshop with stakeholders and a series of public office hours. Columbus is currently seeking feedback on the draft, meaning the map isn't final.

In February, bicycle safety advocates spoke out at Columbus City Council to demand safer roads after a bicyclist was struck and killed by a car on the city's northeast side. Ashworth said the Bike Plus plan goes hand in hand with the city's "Vision Zero" plan, which is meant to completely eliminate fatal traffic crashes by 2035.

The Bike Plus plan isn't just for Columbus' biking pros, according to Ashworth, but anyone who may want to try out an alternative mode of transportation. He emphasized that this is a plan for everyone.

"It really resonated as we went out to a lot of the area commission meetings in our communities of interest that it is for people of all shapes, sizes, colors," Ashworth said. "That's who Bike Plus is for, and I really just can't say that enough."

A glossary on the Bike Plus website details the five types of bikeways that could be introduced throughout the city as part of the plan:

• Bike Boulevard -- A low-volume, low-speed neighborhood road designated for bicycles to share with motor vehicle traffic.
• Bike Lane -- A portion of the roadway designated by striping, signage and pavement markings for bicycle use.
• Buffered Bike Lane -- A bike lane with additional painted separation between motor vehicle lanes or parking lanes.
• Protected Bike Lane -- A bike lane with physical separation from motor vehicles, such as a parking lane or barrier.
• Shared Use Path -- A path that's physically separated from motor vehicle traffic by an open space or barrier. These are also used by pedestrians, skaters, wheelchair users and more.

There are currently four events planned by the city for residents to provide input on the proposed map:

• 614 Day -- June 14, 4 to 8 p.m., at the Corner of State and McDowell Streets in Franklinton
• Linden Fresh Market -- June 18, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 1464 Cleveland Ave.
• Marion-Franklin Pool -- June 20, 5 to 8 p.m., at 2699 Lockbourne Road
• North YMCA -- June 24, 5 to 8 p.m., at 1640 Sandalwood Place

Once the community gives their input, Ashworth said it's up to the city to integrate it into a plan.

"Then it is really our job as the planning team and the consultant team to combine the technical analysis with the public input along the way to balance both sides of that," Ashworth said.

Ashworth said that once the city is done collecting feedback -- which could include multiple public engagement periods and draft versions -- the aim is to put a plan before the council for adoption sometime in September or October.