Wausau moves forward with bike/ped plan

WAUSAU -- MYFOXWAUSAU - Tuesday night the Wausau City Council approved a long-term plan to improve bike lanes and walkways. The plan will make it easier and safer for bikers and walkers throughout Wausau.

Wausau is the first municipality in the metro area to adopt this plan from Marathon County's Metropolitan Planning Commission.

Grand Avenue is one of the busiest roads in Wausau. It's one of the only places in the city bikers have to ride on the sidewalk.

Chairman of the Wausau MPO Bike & Pedestrian Commission Phil Valitchka says, "Grand Ave is the icon for what's not good about bicycling in Wausau."

That will change in 2012 the DOT and city will work together to re pave the road. That project will include widening the road so bikers have their own lane.

Valitchka says, "It's one of the links in the community that bicyclists tell us for commuting purposes is the one impediment to get to other communities in the city so we're very enthusiastic about the possibility of improving Grand Avenue for bicycles."

Whether it's paving or widening anytime a road construction project happens the bicycle and pedestrian paths will benefit in projects over the next 20 years.

Valitchka says, "By adopting the plan, the City Council has indicated that it would like all of the departments as they look at projects in the future on the streets or on trails to consider the recommendation in the plan, so Wausau becomes a more bike and pedestrian friendly community."

Wausau's City Planner Brad Lenz says the first thing you'll notice is stripes on the road.

Lenz says, "A lot of our streets are already wide enough that all that's needed is to stripe a lane down the side of it, so hopefully in the very near future people will start seeing those stripping projects because they are somewhat easy to do compared to building entirely separate facilities."

It's projects like these that will make it safer and easier to get around.

Valitchka says, "Bicycling is one of those many activities that people find attractive and if we have the system and if we have the resources and we've been developing them and attracting people to that, that's a good economic development attraction as well."

The plan also looks at off-street improvements for many of the paths in the community.

As they move forward they'll form a sub committee of the Common Council with a specific focus on the bike and pedestrian improvements.