136 locally fabricated lime-green racks going into downtown, parks, commercial corridors
Fort Wayne, Ind. – Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry invited people to discover Fort Wayne on their bicycles today by announcing the installation of 136 new bike racks this summer in downtown, at City parks and along commercial corridors in alignment with the City’s Bike Fort Wayne plan.“As our residents discover all that our community has to offer – from the beautiful parks and trails to the numerous festivals and outdoor activities – a bicycle serves not only as a way to save gasoline but to burn a few calories to get to these great places,” Mayor Tom Henry said. “By all accounts, Fort Wayne residents are riding their bikes more, either recreationally or as an alternative to their cars. We know that when we offer better bike parking, people are more likely to use their bikes as a form of transportation.”
All of the racks were manufactured by local companies: Park ‘N Gear on Illinois Road and Industrial Training Solutions in Huntertown. They were powder coated in Allen County facilities with Gleave Construction providing the installation.
Some locations for the new racks are:
• the Broadway corridor
• the South Calhoun Street corridor
• Northside Park pool, Hamilton Park, Solomon Farm, Packard Park, Freimann Square
• Additional downtown locations
• East State Village
Almost 60 new racks have been installed so far, with the City’s Community Development staff working to identify additional locations. The public can also help to identify possible bike rack locations. A bike rack request form is available at http://www.cityoffortwayne.org/images/stories/community_development/planning_and_policy/bike/docs/Fort_Wayne_Bike_Rack_Program.pdf.
Mayor Henry made the announcement as part of his Discover Fort Wayne initiative that helps encourages Fort Wayne residents’ “attachment” to the place where they live. Discover Fort Wayne focuses on highlighting features connected to the primary drivers of attachment: a community’s social offerings, aesthetics and openness. Discover Fort Wayne ties to the findings of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation’s Soul of the Community report that studied 26 cities, including Fort Wayne, to identify what makes people love the place they live.
“Fort Wayne’s quality of life elements like our trails and vibrant commercial corridors are important in attracting and retaining young, talented professionals and benefits people of all ages, from the toddlers who ride in a bike trailer to the daily bike commuter,” said Mayor Henry. “Improving the attachment our residents have to Fort Wayne can help drive our local economy upward.”
The 2011 racks complement the 127 the City installed, primarily in downtown. This year, the focus was on placing racks at locations that experience bike traffic or are part of the bike infrastructure network indentified in the Bike Fort Wayne plan. In the City’s 2008 bike use survey, parks were one of the top places bicyclists identified as a place they rode to.
Eighty percent of the racks’ funding comes from the federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality dollars through the Northeastern Indiana Regional Coordinating Council. The City was responsible for a 20 percent match. The entire cost was $18,781 with the City only responsible for $3,778.
Discover Fort Wayne through these upcoming community events:
• Ribfest today through Sunday, June 19 at Headwaters Park. Free admission before 5:30 p.m. and all day Sunday.
• SCAN Duck Race Saturday, June 18 at Johnny Appleseed Park. Activities start at 10 a.m. with the race beginning at 11a.m. Duck sponsorships are available until 11 a.m. day of the race.
• Fort Wayne Museum of Art’s In Plein Sight exhibition opening Saturday, June 18 through July 31. Regular admission applies.
• Glenn Miller Orchestra concert at Foellinger Theatre at 8 p.m. Friday, June 17. Tickets $8.
• History Center is offering free admission during regular business hours now through Saturday, June 18.
###