Cooperation and Leadership Bring National Designation for Bike Path

In September of 2012, OrthoWorx provided $50,000 as part of its Community Enhancement Initiative to partially fund the creation of the Krebs Trailhead, located between South and North McKinley Streets in Warsaw.

With initial site work already occurring, the trailhead park will continue to be worked on over the course of the summer and is expected to be complete by the fall.

Krebs Trailhead will function as a centralized location to access the current bike paths and greenways in Warsaw and Winona Lake. It will feature restrooms, drinking fountains, trail information, seating, picnic tables, bike and car parking and a bicycle fix station. Bicyclists can use this space as either a starting point or a destination when navigating the community’s trail system. The Master Plan for the bike path and greenway system in Warsaw and Winona Lake dictates a “backbone” across town that will connect the Heritage Trail in Winona Lake to the Chinworth Trail on Warsaw’s west side. Krebs is located on this backbone and offers a refuge for bicyclists and pedestrians.

“As the City of Warsaw and the Town of Winona Lake move forward on implementation of the Master Plan, we will be connecting a lot of the areas identified in the plan. The Krebs Trailhead will be a focal point with the kind of amenities that are needed on the greenway that currently do not exist. In addition, a connection into Winona Lake and the Winona Avenue extension will make this addition even more of an achievement,” states Craig Allebach, Town Manager of Winona Lake. “The recent recognition as a Bronze Level – Bicycle Friendly Community 2013-2017 lends credibility to the work that has gone on these last two years. This is especially significant because of the two communities being recognized together, which speaks volumes to the cooperation and leadership of the two communities.”

The “Bicycle Friendly” designation awarded to Warsaw and Winona Lake by The League of American Bicyclists, a national non-profit organization, focuses on the bicycle-friendliness of a community. Being awarded this title means that the community provides safe accommodations for cycling and encourages people to use a bicycle as a mode of transportation.

Continued improvements to current bike paths, creation of new bike paths and lanes, continued efforts to encourage more people to use their bicycle as a regular mode of transportation and education about bicycle safety all play a role in determining the level of bike-friendliness a community exhibits. Warsaw and Winona Lake have been awarded the Bronze level, which signifies that the fundamental building blocks are in place. For a further explanation of the requirements and awards given to communities, please visit The League of American Bicyclists homepage.

“In the last year and a half, Warsaw and Winona Lake have been working hard together to improve safety and facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians. Our designation as a Bicycle Friendly Community is a proud achievement for our community. Bicycle and pedestrian facilities and safety initiatives promote community health and wellbeing, attract new families and businesses, and encourage tourism,” comments Staci Young, Recreation Director for the Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department. “This designation, while an honor, is also just a starting point for continued improvements and eventually seeking higher designations. We are eager to continue our hard work.”

For more information about the Warsaw and Winona Lake Bicycle-Pedestrian Master Plan, please visit the Ride+Walk Warsaw+Winona Lake website or their Facebook page.