A new bike route is being planned for south central Indiana. Officials behind the project say it's an effort to promote safety and connectivity.
It will run from Monument Circle in Indianapolis to just north of Seymour, using existing roads and trails.
Jim Schroeder came up with the route, which will be part of the US Bike Route, a collaboration between states' transportation departments and bike enthusiast group Adventure Cycling.
Schroeder says US Bike Route is like an interstate for bicycles.
"When they announced it three and a half years ago, I said, they’re skipping Bloomington, they’re skipping Brown County," Schroeder says. "That’s the heartbeat of cycling in Indiana."
The route will take cyclists through Martinsville, Bloomington and Nashville. It will use parts of the Cultural Trail and White River Greenway in Indianapolis. The trail will come into Bloomington from Old 37 and use College Ave and Kirkwood to take the riders around the Monroe County Courthouse.
"We’re recommending safe routes, whether it be city streets, county roads, you know, some state highways," Schroeder says. "And if there are trails available, we will use them."
Southern Indiana was initially left out of Indiana’s bike route because of its hilly landscape. But Schroeder says that’s exactly why Southern Indiana should be part of US Bike Route.
"It’s hilly, but like I said, it’s a scenic spur," Schroeder says. "And any serious bicyclist knows that if you want scenery, you’ll get hills."
Schroeder says he’s still in the process of seeking some county and state approvals for the project. He hopes to announce the final route by May.
