Bicycling advocates in Newport took to the streets on Tuesday to explore how bike infrastructure could positively transform the city.
The “slow ride” was open to everyone and started at 5:30 p.m. from Bernadette Watkins Park at the intersection of W. 6th Street and Patterson Street in Newport.
The purpose of the ride was to allow individuals to experience current roadway conditions on a bike.
That perspective will inform which route is selected for a bike lane demonstration project scheduled to take place from September 6th through the 15th.
“Our vision for Connect NKY is to show that Newport has tremendous potential to become a bike-centric community,” said Rachel Comte, chair of the Connect NKY Steering Committee. “We believe everyone should feel safe in making the choice to bike for transportation or for recreation on the streets of Newport.”
“Cities around the country have proven that on-road biking facilities can create a safer roadway for bicyclists, pedestrians, and drivers,” said Wade Johnston, Director of Tri-State Trails at Green Umbrella.
“By piloting a bike lane, we get an opportunity to inexpensively see how it works in the real world before investing precious taxpayer dollars to make it permanent.”
Connect NKY is presented by Tri-State Trails and made possible through the generous support of The Devou Good Project.
In March of 2019, ReNewport, Southbank Partners, and the City of Newport were awarded this technical assistance grant through a competitive process. To learn more, visit ConnectNKY.org.
