Lake Norman, the largest man-made lake in North Carolina and, coincidentally, where I’d love to live one day, has finally put some concrete plans in place to develop a bicycle path to circle the lake, with stops at Lake Norman State Park and other key interest points.
What separates this plan from prior efforts is it has a budget.  The NC DOT has earmarked $171,000 to complete a detailed Lake Norman Regional Bicycle Plan.
The Charlotte Observer reports that The N.C. Department of Transportation has selected Lake Norman and its four counties (Iredell, Catawba, Lincoln and Mecklenberg) over other sites in the state because of the long-time demand for such a system.  News articles from the as early as the 1980s chronicle residents’ interest.
It could take more than a decade for the plans to be fully realized, but by having a plan in place, future road widenings and repairs can incorporate bike lanes and paths into the design.
Jeff Archer, owner of First Flight Bikes in Statesville, NC, and the Carolina Thread Trail, a 15-county effort to connect communities with trails, are both on the steering committee for the project.
Residents can provide input tonight at the last of three town hall meetings concerning the plan.  7pm at the Davidson Town Hall, 216 S. Main St., Davidson, NC.  Contact Bjorn Hansen of the Centralina Council of Governments at 704-688-6501 or bhansen@centralina.org for more info. (graphic from Charlotte Observer, click to enlarge)
