Collegiate Times

Blacksburg is seeking public input on the placement of current and future bike routes.

The goals of the survey include locating possible places that bike routes should be installed in town, as well as places where bike routes already exist and need improvements.

“We want to find places where people feel comfortable biking and where they want to see improvements,” said Priscilla Cygielnik, assistant director of public works in Blacksburg.

According to Cygielnik, many residents are not biking right now because they do not feel safe or comfortable.

“We’re hoping this survey will help people feel safer to bike if they want to,” she said.

A wide variety of changes could come from the survey. Mainly, the improvements will benefit bikers traveling to and from school, work, or running common errands around town.

“We are working on establishing a downtown bike loop which will put people out of dangerous major traffic areas downtown and move them to side routes that still take them to the same place,” Cygielnik said.

The survey is available online and in paper form, which can be picked up at Blacksburg Motor Company Building, Blacksburg Parks and Recreation Center, East Coasters and the Bike Barn.

Participants are asked to designate on a town map where they wish to see biking routes constructed or where they wish to see improvements of existing biking routes. The public survey was made available Nov. 4 and the last day to submit input is Dec. 2.