By Dorothy L. Doering

FOR THE FIRST TIME since the 1920's, when automobiles became the dominant form of transportation, bicycle riding is being regarded as a serious way to move from one place to another. People are using bicycles to go to work, school, shopping and for physical fitness as well as recreation.

No one knows whether the bicycle movement is a fad or a permanent change in American life styles. Therefore, with the tremendous interest in bicycling, there are many problems that need attention:

Safety
Informing the Public
Legislation
Bike Ways
Forming of Bike Clubs

A survey on sports participation through the Athletic Institute reveals:

TOP TEN IN MILLIONS OF PARTICIPANTS

Bicycling ................67.2 Softball ..................18.8

Fishing ..................60.0 Shooting ................17.9

Boating ..................43.2 Shuffleboard ..........12.0

Camping ................41.7 Golf ........................11.9

Roller Skating ......24.0 Waterskiing ..........11.1

Lincoln Bike Trail, from Springfield to New Salem State Park, rural residents welcome Bicyclist.

How can this meteoric rise in biking be accounted for? Few experts are in complete agreement on the subject, but a few explanations are logical:

1. The Industry has been aggressive in its promotion.

2. Physical fitness.

3. Biking is fun, and offers good recreation for all ages.

4. Relatively minimal expense.

5. No pollution which adds to ecology movement.

6. Cycling makes no special demands on physical prowess, young and old can enjoy it and there are no special facilities needed.

Whatever the reason—biking has reached an all-time high.

PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENTS ROLE

What can local park and recreation departments do?

1. Organize local bicycle clubs and provide professional leadership in promoting family recreational activities through bicycling.

2. Assist with promotion of Safety at all levels.

3. Work towards legislation which will provide tax dollars for the establishment, marking and maintenance of bike trails.

4. Provide bike route brochures of local areas and support the establishment of a department

Dorothy Doering is President of the Springfield Bicycle Club and coordinates activities throughout Central Illinois for bicycle enthusiasts.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 8 May/June, 1972

at the state level dealing with all aspects of bicycling.

5. Open community centers to other touring clubs for over night lodging or make arrangements for camp outs in parks with shower facilities.

WHAT CAN A BIKE CLUB DO?

1. Hold meetings to organize activities.

2. Encourage families, teens and adults to ride together.

3. Promote favorable legislation for the bicyclist.

4. Publicize and distribute news releases and newsletters.

The beginning of a 30 mile Sunday afternoon ride. Rides of 30, 50 and as much as 100 miles are common place among club members.

5. Inform cyclist how to ride correctly and how to fix minor repairs on their bikes.

6. Promote bicycle safety.

7. Promote bicycle parking and exclusive lanes.

8. Host other bicycle clubs touring through local area and provide over-night lodging.

9. Hold city-wide clinics to inform public on all aspects of bicycling.

Illinois has made a small step forward with the passage of legislative bill No. 1514. This bill provides for the use of monies from motor-fuel tax funds for erecting, placing and maintaining signs or surface markings or both to indicate officially designated bicycling routes.

The city of Chicago boasts 250 miles of proposed bikeways for bike commuters in addition to 15 miles of marked routes in use.

Many parks and recreation departments throughout the state have brochures on bike trails which run through their parks or communities. But Illinois has a long way to go in giving, the touring cyclist accurate bike routes in Illinois. Hopefully, in the future, Illinois will get bicycling under one department and give the bicyclist an interesting and enjoyable experience.

Bicycle rally held last summer in Springfield drew 1,800 cyclists. Here some 500 disembarking from special train from Chicago to participate in the rally.

Oregon recently passed House Bill 1700, commonly known as the Bicycle Bill which provides for a levy of 1% of the motor fuel tax. This tax provides funds for the establishment and maintenance of bicycle trails and foot paths. No other state has bicycle legislation as effective and far reaching as this.

Wisconsin has an across-the-State bikeway offering 320 miles of beautiful scenic travel from LaCrosse to Kenosha. More bikeways are in the planning and construction stages which will add to the pleasure of the bicycle enthusiasts in Wisconsin.

The State of New Hampshire just completed a detailed booklet on maps and places of interest throughout their state.

The idea of bikeways started in Homestead, Florida in 1962 and then mushroomed to every state in the nation. The definition of a bikeway is streets or roadways especially designed by the local authority as a safe and convenient route for bike users. Bikeways are marked with uniform conspicuous signs which have a white bicycle silhouette on a green background.

For those wishing to inaugurate a new bikeway or seek other information about bicycling, contact:

The Bicycle Institute of America, Inc.
122 East 46nd Street
New York, New York 10017

They have available a kit which covers the nuts and bolts of planning a bikeway.

This writer has visions of an Illinois Bicycle Association which could provide services to residents throughout Illinois such as:

Legislative information
Maps and brochures of established routes throughout the state
Coordinated efforts of local clubs throughout Illinois
Contacts with other states and their operations

And many other services that would be normal functions of a state association of this nature.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 9 May/June, 1972