Geneva committee recommends safer, more connected bike lanes, paths

GENEVA – Riding a bicycle in Geneva can be a challenge as some bike lanes and paths just end with no direction as to where to go next, or bike riders don’t feel safe transversing some areas designated for bicycles.

The city’s Strategic Plan Advisory Committee presented a report Monday night in a joint meeting with the Committee of the Whole, detailing issues with bike riding and how they could be addressed.

Geneva has a bike plan that was adopted in 2005, but committee chairwoman Winnie Frankel said Batavia, St. Charles and Kane County have newer plans that they’re already in the process of updating.

“In the Strategic Plan … one of the visions under Quality of Life – it specifically says – that part of our vision for the city of Geneva in 2025 is that residents and visitors benefit from efforts to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety that enhance access to civic and cultural amenities,” Frankel said.

Under outcomes and objectives in the city’s Strategic Plan, directly affected by biking in Geneva, are economic vitality, environmental stewardship and quality of life, preserving the natural environment promoting an active lifestyle, Frankel said.

SPAC member Melanie Mannon said the city has already signed on to a number of biking initiatives.

“We know that people want improved biking in the city and we know that the city has already had some work done on it,” she said.

“There’s still a lot of issues with the city not being connected. There will be some areas where there’s lot of bike lanes and bike paths and you can get from one place to another – and then it ends. Or maybe an area that’s supposed to be a recommended bikeway but there’s no area to bike,” Mannon said.

Technically, bicyclists can ride in the street, but Mannon said it’s not safe.

“Many do not feel safe biking in Geneva,” she said.

The committee met with about 50 people at a bike survey event and gave their input on biking in the city, she said.

The top things the city could do to be more bike friendly is increase visibility, bike safety signage, pavement markings and to bridge the gaps in connections, Mannon said.

People who attended the meeting looked at photos of bike areas in the city, with 94% saying they felt safe to use the bike lane on Lewis Road, Mannon said.

But when it came to a Route 25 designated bike route near Fabyan Forest Preserve, 42% said they would not bike there.

“It’s a designated bike route with nowhere to bike,” Mannon said.

Some might say that they’ll just bike on the sidewalk, but it’s busy on weekends with joggers and walkers, she said.

“It’s really not a safe place on the road or on the sidewalk for bikers to bike,” Mannon said.

Another area where bikers did not feel safe was between Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital and Geneva Commons, Mannon said.

“It is a connection to the business,” Mannon said. “All those neighborhoods could be biking to the Commons but they don’t really feel safe doing it.”

Committee member Jim Kafer recommended re-establishing the Bike and Pedestrian Committee.

“This is a group that could act as a liaison between the city and the community to promote and enhance bike and pedestrian safety,” Kafer said.

A long-term plan would be updating the 2005 bike plan, Kafer said.

“Most of it comes around to a feeling on our part that the city needs to look at the establishment of a complete streets policy,” Kafer said. “What it means is you put together a comprehensive plan that encompasses pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, bus transportation – the whole gamut. And by doing it in a comprehensive way, it should all flow in the same direction which should make it more workable and acceptable.”

Kafer said neighboring communities were doing long-term plans and Geneva should do it as well.

“We found out when we had our meetings this summer, there’s a lot of interest in biking in this community,” Kafer said. “It has become somewhat of a problem when people don’t have a place they can bicycle.”

Fifth Ward Alderman Robert Swanson said the council can discuss next steps at its November planning session as to what it can do quickly to address some of the biking issues.

“We can work with our public works to determine on those immediate lists of streets to mark as bike paths – where do we have the capability? Where do we have the width to do so? What would be the cost and how could we work it into our annual marking plan?” Swanson said.

“I love that. And I would champion that for our offsite (meeting) in November,” Swanson said, referring to the city’s annual planning session. “Come up with how much is it going to cost? And what can we do? And when?”

The full presentation of the report will be posted on the city’s website at www.geneva.il.us.