Officials conduct countywide bicycling survey
Montgomery County officials are peddling pedalling and want the public’s help in getting the word out.
The Montgomery County Planning Commission has released a survey to find out what residents think about bicycling for the county’s new bicycle mobility plan, Bike Montco.
The public is invited to share their current bicycling habits as well as suggest what types of programs and facilities will further bicycling in Montgomery County.
The Bike Montco plan will recommend key policies, bicycle facilities, and funding opportunities. The surveys must be completed by Sept. 15. The survey and maps are available at www. montcopa.org/BikeMontco.
To encourage widespread participation, the planning commission has collaborated with several local bicycle shops to offer an incentive. A raffle will take place in late September for a chance to win a gift certificate to one of eight local bicycle shops.
The gift certificates range in value from $25 to $75. Bikesport, Tri-County Bicycles, Perkiomen Bicycles, Riverbend Cycles, Bike & Sol, Peddler Bike Shop, Human Zoom Bikes and Boards of Ardmore, and Basic Bicycles have donated gift certificates.
The county recently held two successful public workshops to garner public input. In addition, the planning commission has developed a user-friendly online map that offers the public an additional opportunity to provide input. The map can be used to bring attention to obstacles or barriers that prevent bicyclists from riding safely.
“We want feedback from the entire community on how people bike around the county and what types of investment they would like to see. In addition to the online map and previously held public workshops, (the planning commission) is seeking comprehensive public input for creation of Bike Montco,” said Jody L. Holton, AICP, Executive Director of the Montgomery County Planning Commission.