City officials began talking about expanding biking and walking opportunities in the city more than a year ago, after resident Christine de Vlaming appeared before council about the need.
Since then, council formed a committee to discuss the measure, and help formulate a master plan.
“We’ve got a plan, but money to put everything in place we don’t have right now,” said Councilman Chris Mann, who serves on the committee.
John Cock with Alta Planning presented the plan to council Monday night.
The plan contains both short-term and long-term goals to make the city more bike and pedestrian-friendly.
The master plan calls for $10 million in infrastructure and programming, but Cock said that discussions of possible funding sources for short-term projects are already underway
Officials are discussing the possibility of creating bike lanes while the Department of Transportation is re-striping N. Main Street and 1st Avenue.
“SC DOT was supportive of these concepts,” Cock said.
Residents agreed that more bike paths and to see speeding reducing in Easley
Residents’ number one priority concerning biking was bikeways.
“They want more bike lanes,” Cock said. “They want more bikeways, shared routes, regional routes and places to park bikes.”
The master plan recommends the city create 28 miles of bike paths and sidewalks and improved intersections.
The city’s parks and recreation Master Plan also calls for the creation of additional biking and walking trail.
Making it easier for local children to bike or walk to school safely was a high priority for planners and committee members.
The plan recommends creating a “Safe Routes to School” program to encourage young people to bike or walk to school.
The plan also recommends a bike path connecting downtown Easley all the way to the site of the new Easley High School, Cock said
Another inexpensive project would see updated signs marking bike paths created, he said.
One attendee at Monday’s meeting asked if the Simpson area had been considered in the master plan.
Areas with high concentrations of residents who don’t own cars were given high priority in the creation of the plan, Cock said.
“Sidewalks and bike facilities are proposed throughout the city’s jurisdiction,” he said.
Mann agreed, stating that one route discussed would involve Hillcrest Avenue and Fleetwood Drive.
“I can assure you that the map we’ve got here has every inch of the city covered,” he said.
Discussions are also underway with Greenville Pickens Area Transportation Study officials about the possibility of funding a bike trail that would follow the length of Brushy Creek.
Councilman Dave Watson thanked the committee members
Mayor Larry Bagwell said that GPATS money funded most of the bike and pedestrian study.
“I think it’s money well-spent,” Bagwell said.
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