Danville paving way for bike riders

By Sarah Arkin

Published: July 11, 2008

Danville is taking strides to alleviate pain at the pump and inspire some healthy benefits on the side.

Armed with paintbrushes, public works employees are adding bicycle lanes to streets.

“We’re hoping to give city residents another alternative to transportation instead of just the car because of gas prices … and for the health of the city,” Karen Black, an engineer with the

department of public works, said.

Danville started paving the way for bikers in 2005 with the West Piedmont Bicycle Plan.

Recent economic woes have helped push the plan forward this summer.

“Of course with gas prices going so high we’ve had lots and lots of calls from people saying ‘we’d like to bike to work,’” Karen Cross of Danville Parks, Recreation and Tourism, said.

Depending on the existing width of a road, some may get a four-foot bike lane. On skinnier roads, signs will be posted to alert drivers that bikers are around.

Cross said they’re repainting the bike lane on West Main Street going down Patton and Wilson streets. Work started Wednesday.

After the West Main Street connections, Cross said the city would like to connect a bike lane to Ballou Park in two directions: down to Park Avenue and Memorial Drive and another up West Main Street to Schoolfield Elementary.

Ultimately, Black said they would like to see bike lanes connecting neighborhoods, businesses and other places of interest throughout the city.

“We’ve been poring over the maps trying to determine the best (way) to get people to primary places,” she said.

• Contact Sarah Arkin at (434) 791-7983 or