NORTH CAROLINA LAKES DISTRICT REGIONAL BIKE PLAN SUMMARY
Introduction
The NC Lakes District Regional Plan is envisioned to be a multi-faceted project to advance and enhance the unique natural and historic qualities of the Kerr-Lake region. The complete plan will include the following component plans:
Geographic Area Boundary
The planning area encompasses Person, Granville, Vance, Franklin and Warren counties and the communities of Roxboro, Oxford, Stovall, Henderson, Middleburg, Warrenton, Norlina and Macon. The focus of the plan will to be link the region’s myriad of lakes, riparian corridors, and recreation areas; reinforcing and enhancing the region’s existing character: compact traditional town centers surrounded by sparsely settled rural areas of forests, farms, lakes and rivers.
Targeted Connections
The goal of the plan is to link the region’s lakes utilizing a system of on- and off-road trails.
Who will work on the Plan?
Plan development will be coordinated by Kerr Tar Regional Council of Governments’ Planning Department staff, with contributions of in-kind assistance from local communities, county and municipal planning staffs, and local GIS planners. COG and local staff may be supplemented by an intern to assist with plan development, including outreach and research.
Who are potential partners?
The Plan will need active input from people representing a variety of viewpoints and interests not only to ensure that the plan is comprehensive but that it has champions who can carry the Plan through to implementation. An active group of stakeholders and partners will be critical to the long-term success of the plan and will include generally, local citizens, local and state planning professionals, and organizations concerned with bicycling, recreation and other planning focus areas.
Local Support for Cycling in the Region
There are a number of bike clubs that have already been identified in the region and there are more that will continue to surface. Local events like the Mayo Lake Triathlon and the Ride between the Lakes Bike Race represent existing interest that can be leveraged to support a comprehensive bike plan for the region. Lessons learned from these events and others will be used to inform the development of the plan.
In addition, the success of the Kerr-Tar Lakes District Bicycle Plan will depend partly on the recognition and incorporation of work that has gone into previous planning efforts including existing adopted local and county greenway, bicycle, pedestrian, comprehensive transportation, economic development, environmental protection, and human health and recreation plans.
The NC Lakes District Regional Plan is envisioned to be a multi-faceted project to advance and enhance the unique natural and historic qualities of the Kerr-Lake region. The complete plan will include the following component plans:
- Kerr-Tar Lakes District Regional Bikeways Plan
- Kerr-Tar Lakes District Regional Blueways (public canoe and boating locations) Plan
- Kerr Tar Lakes District Regional Scenic Byways Plan
- Kerr Tar Lakes District Regional Pedways (hiking trails) Plan
Geographic Area Boundary
The planning area encompasses Person, Granville, Vance, Franklin and Warren counties and the communities of Roxboro, Oxford, Stovall, Henderson, Middleburg, Warrenton, Norlina and Macon. The focus of the plan will to be link the region’s myriad of lakes, riparian corridors, and recreation areas; reinforcing and enhancing the region’s existing character: compact traditional town centers surrounded by sparsely settled rural areas of forests, farms, lakes and rivers.
Targeted Connections
The goal of the plan is to link the region’s lakes utilizing a system of on- and off-road trails.
- Link existing network of state, county, and local parks along the proposed bike routes and adjacent to the regional lakes;
- Link and incorporate into the plan, regional and locally significant features including public facilities (i.e. schools, colleges, libraries, etc.) currently primarily located in or immediately adjacent to our region’s towns and cities; historic sites and landscapes; and, natural and recreation areas (including existing and proposed parks and recreation facilities);
- Integrate identified river basin priority riparian corridors into planned off-road road bicycle network.
Who will work on the Plan?
Plan development will be coordinated by Kerr Tar Regional Council of Governments’ Planning Department staff, with contributions of in-kind assistance from local communities, county and municipal planning staffs, and local GIS planners. COG and local staff may be supplemented by an intern to assist with plan development, including outreach and research.
Who are potential partners?
The Plan will need active input from people representing a variety of viewpoints and interests not only to ensure that the plan is comprehensive but that it has champions who can carry the Plan through to implementation. An active group of stakeholders and partners will be critical to the long-term success of the plan and will include generally, local citizens, local and state planning professionals, and organizations concerned with bicycling, recreation and other planning focus areas.
Local Support for Cycling in the Region
There are a number of bike clubs that have already been identified in the region and there are more that will continue to surface. Local events like the Mayo Lake Triathlon and the Ride between the Lakes Bike Race represent existing interest that can be leveraged to support a comprehensive bike plan for the region. Lessons learned from these events and others will be used to inform the development of the plan.
In addition, the success of the Kerr-Tar Lakes District Bicycle Plan will depend partly on the recognition and incorporation of work that has gone into previous planning efforts including existing adopted local and county greenway, bicycle, pedestrian, comprehensive transportation, economic development, environmental protection, and human health and recreation plans.