Extending the trail southward past Middlefield Road will be a tremendous improvement. The current bicycle routes in this part of town are pretty poor, especially for children that are too young to bike on Middlefield Road (where cars too often speed and park in the bike lanes).

Bike infrastructure is a solid investment by the city that pays dividends for decades into the future.

I would so love to be able to send my middle schooler to Crittenden by bike.

But there's no way to avoid crossing Rengstorff and many drivers don't seem very concerned about hitting a kid on a bike in the crosswalk-- I've had some very near misses on my bike IN the crosswalk with a child in the bike seat. So unfortunately I'm still going to need to get in the car to drive my kid a mile to school despite a million bucks spent.

Yah, I hear you ML Parent. The way many people behave on the roads prohibits others from participating in life as freely and safely as we would like sometimes. I've seen the speeding, cut-offs and "games" played on that section of road. The drivers have made it very unsafe for the rest of us.

It's really a shame that the school district can't spare a couple of feet for the path. I was at a BPAC meeting a while ago, and the school district representative was 100% against any bike path. Strangely, she kept raising the specter of kidnappers snatching middle school kids off the bike path to explain her reasoning.

I'm so pleased to see this portion of the trail has finally gotten approved. It will improve safety and recreation for all ages, but particularly kids who go to Crittenden who now may be able to bike or walk to school.

The Parks and Rec Commission has worked to get this trail extension through for several years.

-Thida Cornes
Parks and Rec Commissioner