Chambana Sun

The Urbana Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, the Urbana Planning Commission, the Urbana Sustainability Advisory Commission, and the Urbana Traffic Commission held a joint meeting Dec. 3 in the City Council Chambers to review a draft update of the city-wide bicycle plan.

The city has been developing the plan since July 2013, and held public meetings in early 2014 before putting a draft plan before the city in April 2015.

The plan contains 12 chapters that discuss the context for the plan, including various models from other cities and the proposed bike system's features. Included are off-street trails, bike-activated traffic lights, wayfinding signs, trails to connect local parks, bike trail access for low-income neighborhoods, and designs meant to lower the number of crashes.

The commissioners suggested several additional ideas, including bike parking next to businesses, a bike-sharing program, and a living lab where new bike system ideas could be tested in real-life conditions.

Following the informational meeting, the commissions will now each vote on approving the plan. If approved by all concerned commissions, the plan will go to vote before the City Council and Committee of the Whole.