Jan. 5. By Dave Vieser. Cornelius Commissioners unanimously adopted the town’s first bike master plan. The town currently has 8.2 miles of bicycle facilities, comprised of 2.3 miles of bicycle lanes and 5.9 miles of greenways and side-paths. The plan calls for a comprehensive network more than 10 times larger.
It includes bike lanes, marked shared lanes, greenways, sidepaths, and low stress bike routes, totaling 97.4 miles.
Cornelius resident Gerard Thomas, one of four who spoke in support of the initiative, underscored the need for bicycle accommodations. “I’ve lived in the town for eight years, have a family of six and I don’t own a car. In the past few years, we’ve had a few dangerous moments with my family and my children when we’re biking along because there’s just no infrastructure for family bicycling. So I want to give this plan my full support.”
Planning Commissioner Wayne Herron added that the plan “will be a valuable tool not only for improvement of the Town’s alternative transportation network, but in being able to seek alternative funding for implementation for all alternative modes of transportation.”
Twelve priority projects and five signed bike routes have been identified for near-term development which will provide critical connections and routes for safe bicycling in Cornelius.
The plan also calls for the formation of a permanent Town Bicycle Advisory Committee
adoption of a complete streets policy, whereby bicycle (and pedestrian) facilities will be an integral component of all transportation projects in the future conducting bicycle educational programs and events especially during May, National Bike Month.
In other action, the board approved financing terms with BB&T Bank to borrow $412,000 for 2017 vehicle purchases, including five police vehicles. Commissioners Gilroy and Duke voted against the measure, but Mayor Travis broke the tie (Commissioner Ross was absent). In deference to the concerns about borrowing expressed by Gilroy and Duke, the town will review the policy in February at its first budget preparation meeting.
