Bicycling

“People of all

ages, abilities and incomes will be able to safely and conveniently bike to where they live, work, play and learn

Cycling enthusiasts can find plenty of places to pedal

Story by J. Eric Eckard

Three years ago, the City of Rocky Mount adopted a bike plan designed to not only encourage cycling in the area, but also make streets safer and impact the local economy.

The first set of new bike lanes recently opened on Falls Road and Peachtree Street. And although local motorists will be learning new traffic patterns along those streets, Jessie Nunery said the bike lanes will help improve traffic flow.

“The public is slowly but surely adjusting to the changing traffic patterns on the corridors with added bike lanes,” said Nunery, the city’s media relations specialist. “The positive impact from adding bike lanes onto our roads does not stop with cyclists, as these new road designs force drivers to slow down, improving safety for all road users.”

The new lanes of traffic include a bike lane and buffer lane on the left side of the streets. Vehicle traffic has one lane, and parallel parking still is allowed on the right side of the streets.

The Rocky Mount Bike Plan “addresses how to make the streets safe for Rocky Mount’s youngest and oldest bicyclists, how to improve the bicycle connections between neighborhoods, and how an improved bicycling environment can create a healthier and

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more livable community.”

“The City of Rocky Mount will offer residents and visitors a lowstress biking experience through a network of connected and welldesigned greenway trails and bicycle-friendly streets,” the plan said. “People of all ages, abilities and incomes will be able to safely and conveniently bike to where they live, work, play and learn.”

At present, the city’s greenway system allows cyclists access to various parts of Rocky Mount. But with the addition of bike lanes on city streets, cyclists will have more biking opportunities.

The bike plan identified short-term goals to add a 17-mile network of bike lanes, boulevards and complete street retrofits, which include the Falls Road and Peachtree Street changes.

“The city is currently completing work on bike boulevard enhancements along Eastern Avenue, Madison Street and Carolina Avenue,” Nunery said. “A similar project is planned for 2023 along Avondale Avenue, Atlantic Avenue, East Raleigh Boulevard and the Grand/Grace streets corridor.”

Nunery said the state Department of Transportation initiated an update to the "Complete Streets" policy that encourages municipalities to design new streets and retrofit existing streets,

with complete street components in mind. A "Complete Street" is a roadway that attempts to accommodate all users, safely and efficiently, whether that means a personal vehicle, bus, bicyclist or pedestrian.

“Simply adding bicycle infrastructure alone does not create a bicycle friendly community,” the bike plan said. “Rather, it takes a comprehensive effort to create a culture around safe biking.”

The city plans broad outreach programs and policy changes to help create that culture as more and more bike lanes and boulevards are added to Rocky Mount’s streets.

The new bike lane projects popping up around the city were all recognized as top priority projects in the Rocky Mount Bike Plan, Nunery added.

More bicycle lanes are expected to be added on Church Street from U.S. 64 to Raleigh Boulevard and the Monk to Mill Trail, which will connect Thelonious Monk Park to the Rocky Mount Mills.

A 2011 survey indicated that the most commonly reported safety issue for cyclists and pedestrians is inadequate infrastructure. North Carolina ranks in the Top 10 most unsafe states in the U.S. based on per capita bicycle fatalities.

The bike plan’s recommendation for the changes revolve around the sentiment that “biking needs to be a safe, convenient and pleasant form of transportation for the broadest array of people. Aligning with the vision of this plan of creating safe and comfortable bikeways, this low-stress network would be appropriate for people of all ages and abilities.”

Although there had been some confusion before the permanent markings were completed for the new bike and motor vehicle lanes on Falls Road and Peachtree Street, Nunery said he’s already received positive feedback.

“Many citizens that live on both Falls Road and Peachtree Street have contacted the city to thank us for slowing down traffic in their neighborhood,” Nunery said.