Door County Awarded Bike Route Grant

Door County’s bike route planning received a big boost October 27 as the county was awarded an $80,000 matching grant to support a countywide Comprehensive Bike Plan.

The award comes in the form of an 80/20 matching grant, so the county must fund the remaining $20,000 of the expense to create the plan. The award was part of $32.5 million the state awarded for transportation enhancement and bicycle and pedestrian projects. All projects require a 20 percent local match.

At its annual meeting Oct. 19, the Door County Silent Sports Alliance (DCSSA) accepted a donation from the Door County Triathlon for $1,000 earmarked for the plan.

The alliance also elected a new slate of officers. Bob Dickson was re-elected president; Luca Fagundes was elected vice president; Brian Merkel was re-elected treasurer; and Casey St. Henry was elected secretary. Larry Fish, Phil Anschutz, and Paul Anschutz were re-elected to the board, and Bryan Troutman and Debbie Kiedrowski were introduced as new board members.

The board also celebrated the progress the organization has made toward advancing silent sports projects and accessibility in just three years of existence, including:

• Bike plans completed by the Town of Gibraltar and Village of Egg Harbor, plus plans in the works in the City of Sturgeon Bay, Baileys Harbor and Liberty Grove

• Continued work on a project to map kayak launch points throughout Door County and document public water access points

• Safe Routes to School funding and projects completed in Sturgeon Bay

• Volunteer work days that have improved bike and ski trails at Potawatomi, Whitefish Dunes, Newport and Peninsula State Parks

• Weekly ski reports published in local print and media outlets

• The growth of group bike rides throughout Door County

• Hosting of two bike summits to educate municipal leaders and the public on the benefits of becoming a bike-friendly community

• Ski Club started for 2010-11 at Sturgeon Bay High School

The next DCSSA meeting is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 15 at 7 pm at the Fish Creek Community Center. Find out more about the Door County Silent Sports Alliance at http://www.doorcountysilentsports.org, where you can also find information about becoming a member.