Officials schedule 3 bike plan meetings
POTTSTOWN >> As readers continue to voice their opinions about Pottstown’s new bike lanes, online and in the newspaper, there is an opportunity to voice them where it matters most — to the Montgomery County officials making plans for more bike lanes.
The Montgomery County Planning Commission will hold three public events to present more information about the county’s biking plan called Bike Montco.
The Bike Montco plan envisions the creation of a future on-road bicycle transportation network throughout Montgomery County.
“This planned future network and new policies in Bike Montco will work toward achieving improved bicycle access and mobility all across the county — a major goal of the county’s comprehensive plan, Montco 2040: A Shared Vision,” according to an announcement from the planning commission.
“This event also will discuss how municipalities can embark on practical and achievable projects to improve bicycle mobility and safety in their own communities. Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and discuss how to make bicycling more appealing in their town,” the planners wrote.
One way to make it more appealing, according to Pottstown Borough Councilman Don Lebedynsky, is to teach children how to obey the rules of the road while riding their bikes.
“I keep seeing kids blowing through stop signs. We have to live with these bike lanes now, I hope parents will teach their kids how to ride safely. I would hate to see someone get hurt.”
Pottstown activist Thomas Hylton, who advocated for the bike lanes as part of the Safe Routes to School project, argued in a paid advertisement published Thursday that in fact, the bike lanes have made it safer for bikers and pedestrians, particularly at the intersection of Beech, Wilson and Roland streets.
“Besides making space for bicyclists, the bike lanes slow down car traffic and make the street safer for walkers,” Hylton wrote.
“Back in 2011, the school district received a grant from PennDOT to hire a traffic engineer, Pennoni Associates, to review walking routes to Pottstown schools. A second firm, Traffic Planning and Design, became involved later. Both firms pinpointed the intersection of Beech, Roland, and Jackson as a major hazard,” wrote Hylton. “A federal grant paid for the redesign and construction of the intersection to make it safer for everyone.”
If you want to learn more about Montgomery County’s bicycle plans, or have some thoughts to share about the ones already built, here are your three opportunities.
• Oct. 18 – 7 p.m.: Lower Gwynedd Township Building, 1130 N. Bethlehem Pike, Spring House, PA 19477
• Oct. 23 – 7 p.m.: Upper Merion Township Building, 175 West Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406
• Nov. 5 – 7 p.m.: Abington Township Building, 1176 Old York Road, Abington PA 19001