MORGANTOWN — For those who like to get around on people-powered wheels, the city of Morgantown has installed a handful of loops to assist with short-term parking.
Six new bike loops, which serve as bicycle parking spots for one or two cycles, have been installed: On the bottom floor of the Pleasant Street parking garage, on Brockway Avenue near Phoenix Bakery, on both sides of High Street near the Monongaila County Justice Center, near the Morgantown Public Safety Building on Spruce Street and on Carson Street near Bombay Indian Grill.
According to a city press release, the loops are basically a metal ring attached to parking meters or poles that serve as anchor points for bicycle locks.
Drew Gatlin, chair of the Morgantown Bike Board, explained that the loops continue to reinforce the notion that transportation infrastructure is about more than motorized travel, particularly in a town in which so many walk or pedal each day.
“It shows Morgantown citizens, whether they’re cyclists, pedestrians or drivers, that we do accept and support the complete streets model,” Gatlin said. “Because when you design with everyone in mind, for all uses, everyone is safer. It benefits everybody.”
As Gatlin explained, “complete streets” is a design philosophy that incorporates infrastructure for users of all types, regardless of the mode of transport. He said Morgantown has committed to the complete streets philosophy, and he’s excited to see the state starting to follow suit.
As an example, DOH District 4 Engineer Don Williams has said that improvements to Monongahela Boulevard between the Coliseum and the Star City Bridge will including a bicycle climbing lane and sidewalk.
Gatlin said the city’s bike board is an active group with a number initiatives under way at any given time.
For example, he explained that the board is in the process of putting $120,000 in grant funds from 2014 to use and will soon resume holding social rides on every third Friday.
“We do real work. We write grants for the city. We assist the engineering department on relevant projects, and we’re committed to staying involved with social causes,” Gatlin said, explaining that the board is currently several members shy.
The board needs volunteer members from the city’s 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th wards, as well as a youth representative and WVU student representative.
The bike board meets at 6:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month in the Public Safety Building Conference Room.
