EASLEY – Bicycle symbols were painted onto the new bicycle lanes on several streets along Easley’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan on Friday.

Crews were out placing the symbols on East 1st Avenue at Russell St. Crews began at The Huddle around South C St. and made their way down to Russell St. New signs were also placed alerting drivers of the beginnings and endings of bike lanes on the roads being marked.

The City of Easley approved the Master plan in Dec. 2009 with the goal of becoming a bicycle friendly community. The first step was the restriping of lanes downtown to incorporate bicycles.

JAT Markings of Travelers Rest are in charge of putting down the 23 symbols in the area.

“The symbols will go from Pendleton St. to Hwy. 93 (Main St.) on East 1st, all of Russell St., East 2nd Ave, East 3rd and South B,” said John Cox of Land Planning Associates, Inc. who supervised the markings. All of these are partial roads that tie in together, he said.

“The City is also submitting documentation to the DOT to explore a ‘road diet’ for Hwy. 135 from North Main to Fleetwood Drive, on the way to Palmetto Baptist Hospital,” he said. “The comprehensive Master plan shows other road diets, but this one is the easiest to complete.”

A feasibility study process was recently begun for the Brushy Creek Greenway which was made available through Greenville Pickens Area Transportation Study (GPATS).

“We are very excited to see such progress on the ground in Easley,” said Christine deVlaming, a City of Easley Bicycle Friendly Committee member. “The team and the City have been inspired by the progress made in Greenville with the Bicycle Friendly Community effort there led by Andrew Meeker.”

Easley recently completed their first phase of application with the League of American Bicyclists (www.bikeleague.org), according to deVlaming.

“We will have much more to do before we finalize our application to gain BFC status in Easley, however we are on our way,” she said.