Welcome to the Valparaiso Pathways

The mission of the Valparaiso Area Pathways Committee is:
to promote the use of non-motorized transportation by providing leadership and planning resources toward the development and implementation of safe pathways for the Valparaiso community....

and our vision is:
to create a signature pathway system to and through the Valparaiso area that-

• is attractive and accessible;

• encourages healthy lifestyles,

• promotes energy conservation

• assures user safety.

Welcome to the Valparaiso Pathways Homepage, where we promote healthy living through biking and other non-motorized activities throughout the Valparaiso community. Valparaiso Pathways is working with the Valparaiso Department of Parks and Recreation and the Mayor's Fit City Initiative to instill healthy lifestyle choices through fun and enjoyable activities for the entire family.

The Valparaiso Pathways is in the process of identifying and targeting for improvement routes to and through the city of Valparaiso that connect major destinations like schools, parks, and business districts.

The Valparaiso Area Pathways Committee meets at City Hall at 7:00 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month. Interested citizens are invited and welcome to participate. For more information, contact the Valparaiso Parks Department at (219) 462-5144.

We are in the process of both building our pathways and our website, so please check back as we add more information to better serve you and the community.

Bike lane now open on Glendale Boulevard

The City of Valparaiso recently developed its first bike lane pathway with the repaving of Glendale Blvd. from Campbell Street to Roosevelt Road. Although new to Valparaiso, bike lanes are used successfully in other cities such as Chicago and on college campuses such as ISU. The Valparaiso/Glendale bike link allows for designated parking on the south side of Glendale with an eastbound bike lane adjacent to the parallel parking spots. A westbound bike lane is marked on the north side of Glendale adjacent to the curb. (Find a bike lane diagram at http://www.bicyclinginfo.org/pdf/bikelane_a.pdf). Motorists must travel in the designated center traffic lanes. Motorists are not allowed to travel or park in the bike lanes but are allowed to cross the lanes when turning at intersections or when entering a legal parking space or driveway.

The Valparaiso Parks Pathways Committee would like to remind motorists to share the road and to always be on the look out for cyclists. The bike lane’s white striping serves as visual indicator that bikes are also using the roadway. Motorists, bicyclists and walkers all have the responsibility to check for any type of traffic before negotiating any intersection.

Cyclists are asked to “Bike Smart and Stay Safe.”

•	*Ride on the Right* – always ride with the traffic
•	*Obey All Traffic Laws* - Stop at stop signs and stoplights and ride with traffic. National studies show that bike lanes influence positive behavior and improve safety.
•	*Signal and Look Before Turning* -Cyclists are permitted to travel in regular vehicle travel lanes even when a bike lane is present. When making a left turn, a bicyclist is expected to make the turn from the left lane and not the bike lane. Cyclists should signal and make sure it is clear before moving into the vehicle travel lane. Motorists should always be aware that cyclists may merge to avoid an obstacle in the bicycle lane or may need to move to the appropriate lane to make a left hand turn.
•	*Ride in a Predictable Manner*
•	*Yield to Pedestrians*
•	*Use Headlights and Taillight at Night*
•	*Always Wear Your Helmet*

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