The Delaware Parks and Recreation Advisory Board unanimously recommended the bicycle plan Tuesday night.
The plan, authored by Columbus-based Santec Consulting Services, outlines $14 million in projects to be implemented by 2025. Board member Joshua Bricker said additional leg work was done for City Council by highlighting 15 of the projects from the plan.
“Some of the issues that I had with it was, when [the consultant] came back there were literally 84 different things that needed to be done, which obviously is going to be a tough number to achieve in a small amount of time,” he said.
“And then they had labeled almost everything as a high priority, which is great except everything can’t be a high priority. We have to prioritize.”
The 15 projects highlighted by the board would cost nearly $9.5 million and includes multi-use trails, connectors and enhanced crossings. Sponsors, partnerships and grant opportunities were identified in the plan, such as the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Safe Transportation Program from the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission.
Some of the projects were completed or are under way, said Ted Miller, the city’s parks and natural resources director.
More than half of the projects would promote more of an east-west connection to encourage travel to the downtown, schools and YMCA, using William Street, he said.
“These top 15 projects is a little bit more reasonable to accomplish in the next 10 years or so.”
The bike plan is expected to go on the Delaware Planning Commission’s agenda for its recommendation before going to Council.