Hoover seeks public input to update city's bicycle, pedestrian plan
The city of Hoover is updating its bicycle and pedestrian plan and wants community input regarding what improvements people want to see for bicycle and pedestrian paths.
Two public involvement meetings have been set for Tuesday, July 25, and Thursday, July 27.
The July 25 meeting will be at Heatherwood Hills Country Club at 400 St. Anne’s Drive, while the July 27 meeting is set for the banquet room at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium at 100 Ben Chapman Drive. Both meetings will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
During both meetings, the public can review maps of the city, provide input, ask questions and discuss the subject with representatives from the city and its consultant, AECOM Technical Services.
Each meeting will be the same — an open house format with no formal presentation.
The city’s bicycle and pedestrian plan was last updated in 1999 — 18 years ago. The City Council in February agreed to pay AECOM Technical Services $206,232 to update the plan, with the federal government picking up 80 percent of that cost.
City Engineer Rodney Long said the city already has reached out to bicycle groups for input, but there are different types of bicycle users. Long-distance bicycle riders frequently ride on Shades Crest Road, which is good on weekends but difficult on weekdays, Long said.
The city wants to look for ways to improve bicycle routes for long-distance riders and those traveling short distances, such as children riding bicycles to school or more casual riders who just like to ride through their neighborhood or to a nearby store or park, Long said.
City officials also are interesting in connecting existing bicycle and pedestrian paths so people can more easily get to destinations without using vehicles, he said.
Written comments for the plan update can be submitted at the meeting or mailed to: Hoover Public Safety Center, Attn: Rodney Long, P.E. City Engineer, 2020 Valleydale Road, Suite E-100, Hoover, AL 35244.