The city hasn’t decided how many bike racks will be purchased because the money won’t be released until 2016, said city engineer Leo Shanayda. Some bike racks can cost $200, while others cost up to $1,000, he said.
“It all depends on how fancy we want to be with them,” Shanayda said.
The racks will be placed in public right-of-way, Shanayda said, but no locations have been determined.
“It’s a long time away,” Shanayda said.
The bike racks are good news for Springfield, said Center City Association Executive Director Bill Harless.
Early last year, the Springfield Bike Task Force began examining ways the city can become more bicycle-friendly in order to increase economic development, recreation and transportation opportunities.
The task force finished the first phase of its Bike Plan, which revealed the city had about 90 bike racks throughout the community. The city applied to be designated a bicycle-friendly city by the League of American Bicyclists last year and was denied, but received feedback on what it needs to improve.
The city’s existing infrastructure includes road and trail networks, including 94.5 miles on three different trail systems. Other infrastructure assets include the bike actuator on West John and South Yellow Springs streets, the cross alert system at the Simon Kenton Trail and Mitchell Boulevard, and the NTPRD skateboard park on Mitchell Boulevard. It also highlighted different destinations along the road and bike network, including restaurants, hotels, parks and special attractions.
“It makes people understand that they should be sharing the city streets with bike traffic,” Harless said. “It’s all going to be good for Springfield, and downtown specifically.”
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