Pickerington takes first step in trail plans

(by Rachel Scofield, Eastside Messenger staff writer – February 10, 2010)

One goal of the Pickerington city council is to create safe routes to school for local students. City Engineer Greg Bachman’s plan for bicycle paths fits the bill. Last summer, Pickerington conducted a phone survey to determine the needs of its residents. From the results, council formulated a "strategic plan" listing priority projects. Providing children with safe routes to school was a priority, Councilman Brian Wisniewski said. "There is hardly any busing within a mile of the schools," Wisniewski said. "It’s an obvious safety issue." Students must trespass through yards or walk along streets as they travel back and forth to school, Wisniewski said. Bachman combined the strategic plan’s goal for safe routes to schools with the 2006 Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan for bike trails. "Five trails are envisioned," Bachman said. "The trails are primarily orientated east-west in order to connect Pickerington neighborhoods to the Diley Road multi-purpose trail and to Pickerington Ponds Metro Park…" For Columbus Street and Long Road, Bachman proposed that the city create "complete streets." "’Complete streets’ is a term for a roadway system that incorporates features for all users – vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists," Bachman said.  For more information, go here: www.columbusmessenger.com/NC/0/7812.html