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Germantown Bicycle Plan
For many years, the City of Germantown has advocated bicycling
as a means of transportation, fitness and recreation. For
the past several months, a bicycle task force has been working
to create a safer environment for all levels of cyclists within
the City, to develop a comprehensive Bicycle Master Plan for
the City and to help the City attain the coveted designation
of “Bicycle Friendly Community” from the League of American
Cyclists. Currently, the City of Germantown Bicycle Task force
is working in conjunction with the Memphis Metropolitan Planning
Organization (MPO) to develop a bicycle/pedestrian master
plan for the entire region.
Bicycle Task Force
The Bicycle Task Force is comprised of Germantown citizens,
owners of local bike shops, members of local cycling teams/clubs,
the mayor, and staff from various City departments including
Community Development, Parks and Recreation, Research and
Budget and Police. The task force meets on the first Wednesday
of every month, except June, July, and August, at 5:30 p.m.
in the Department of Parks and Recreation. The public is welcome
to attend the meetings. For more information, contact the
Department of Parks and Recreation at 757-7373.
Definitions
The following definitions from the Manual of Uniform Traffic
Control Devices describe the types of bikeways existing and
proposed, on and off roads, within the City.
Bicycle Lane – a portion of a roadway that has been designated
by signs and pavement markings for preferential or exclusive
use by bicyclists.
Bikeway – a generic term for any road, street, path, or way
that in some manner is specifically designated for bicycle
travel, regardless of whether such facilities are designated
for the exclusive use of bicycles or are to be shared with
other transportation modes.
Designated Bicycle Route – a system of bikeways designated
with appropriate directional and informational route markers,
with or without specific bicycle route numbers. Bicycle routes,
which might be a combination of various types of bikeways,
should establish a continuous routing.
Shared-Use Path – a bikeway physically separated from motorized
vehicular traffic by an open space or barrier and either within
the highway right-of way or within an independent alignment.
Shared-use paths might also be used by pedestrians, skaters,
wheelchair users, joggers, and other non-motorized users.
Bike Lanes/Routes/Shared Paths
Several years ago in Germantown, bike lanes were established
on many of the City streets to allow cyclists and automobiles
to coexist on the road with the least amount of conflict.
A map of these bike lanes is provided. All of the Germantown
public elementary schools are accessible by bike lanes from
the surrounding residential neighborhoods. The practice of
marking bike lanes was suspended for several years and many
lanes are not continuous. The Bicycle Task Force is working
with new developments and reviewing old streets in an attempt
to find new locations for bike lanes and to connect existing
lanes. (See map of existing bike lanes)
The Bicycle Task Force has established several “looped” bike
routes for all levels of cyclists that provide a means of
transportation, recreation and fitness. The routes were designed
to provide connections to the existing City of Memphis Bike
Routes for the purpose of enhanced transportation and to allow
recreational cyclists to access the City of Memphis routes.
All of the proposed bike routes begin and end at a City park
to insure adequate parking and to allow for water and restrooms.
Bike Route #1 – The Farmington Loop (Approximately 5.4 miles)
- The current route used by most cyclists within the City
of Germantown for recreation and fitness is a loop beginning
at Cameron Brown Park. Exiting Cameron Brown Park’s western
exit, cyclists turn left and travel east on Farmington, take
a right turn on Wolf River Boulevard, a right on Forest Hill-Irene
Road, a right on Dogwood Road, a right on Kimbrough Road,
a final right on Farmington Boulevard and return to Cameron
Brown Park. (See Farmington Loop
Map)
An alternative is to continue eastbound on Wolf River Boulevard
without turning right onto Forest Hill-Irene Road. Cyclists
travel eastward on Wolf River Boulevard to the eastern Germantown
City limit/Collierville border. This alternative connects
cyclists to Houston Middle School, Houston High School, the
eastern leg of the greenway and any future connections to
the City of Collierville.
Comments: A bike lane exists along most of this route on Farmington
Boulevard, Forest Hill-Irene and sections of Dogwood Road.
Cyclists should be cautious near the intersections of Dogwood
and Cordes Road and Dogwood and Kimbrough Road where the bike
lanes terminate for a short length.
Bike Route #2 – The Poplar Pike Loop (Approximately 3.8 miles)
- A second loop is designated on the south side of Germantown.
The route begins at Cone Park near the intersection of C.D.
Smith Road and Poplar Pike. Exiting the park, cyclists travel
east on Poplar Pike and then turn right on C.D. Smith Road.
After riding over the railroad tracks and then westward to
the intersection of C.D. Smith and Hacks Cross Road,cyclists
take a right turn on Hacks Cross Road, travel over the railroad
tracks and then another right turn on Poplar Pike, returning
to Cone Park. (See Poplar Pike Loop
Map)
Comments: A bike lane exists along some of this route on Poplar
Pike. C.D. Smith Road is quite smooth and has very light traffic
with no intersecting streets except at both ends.
Bike Route #3 – Municipal Square Loop (Approximately 2 miles)
– A third route provides greater access to the “Municipal
Square” including the Municipal Center, Germantown Performing
Arts Centre, Germantown Centre, Fire Department, Police Department,
Community Library, Post Office and Municipal Park. This route
begins on the east side of Municipal Park. Cyclists exit the
east side of Municipal Park by the library and take a left
to travel north on Exeter Road. Cyclists then take a right
on Neshoba Road, a right on Kimbrough, a right on Farmington
and a right on Exeter, returning to Municipal Park. (See Municipal
Square Loop Map)
Comments: Municipal Square Loop provides connections to the
Farmington Loop and the Neshoba Loop.
Bike Route #4 – The Neshoba Loop (Approximately 4.8 miles)
- The fourth route is designed to provide access for riders
on the west side of Germantown Road and to provide access
to the City of Memphis bike routes. The route begins at Riverdale
Park. Leaving the park, cyclists travel west on Neshoba Road
to Riverdale Road. Cyclists then turn right to travel north
on Riverdale to Wolf River Boulevard, turn right traveling
east on Wolf River Boulevard to Kimbrough Road, turn right
traveling south on Kimbrough to Neshoba Road and finally turn
right traveling west on Neshoba and returning to Riverdale
Park. (See Neshoba Loop Map)
An alternative route is to turn right off of Wolf River Boulevard
onto Brierbrook Road and travel south by southeast until reaching
Neshoba Road. Brierbrook has an existing bike lane.
The Neshoba route provides three extensions to the existing
City of Memphis Bike Routes. These connections can be made
by traveling west along Neshoba Road to the western Germantown
city limit or traveling west along Wolf River Boulevard to
the western Germantown city limit or traveling north along
Germantown Road to the northern Germantown city limit and
across the Wolf River Bridge. (see City of Memphis Bike Routes
- East Memphis Tour at www.cityofmemphis.org/BikeRoute/BikeRouteEast.asp)
Comments: A bike lane exists along some of this route, including
most of Neshoba Road and some of Riverdale Road. Cyclists
should be cautious near the intersections of Neshoba and Riverdale,
Neshoba and Miller Farms, and Neshoba and Germantown Road
where the bike lanes terminate for a short length.
Greenway/Shared Use Path - The Germantown Greenway has something
to offer everyone. Once completed, the trails will loop the
City, offering alternative transportation routes to all parks,
many neighborhoods and many area businesses. Long range master
planning efforts call for a 22-mile linear park system which
will provide quality of life enhancements for all Germantown
citizens. The trails offer access to both pedestrians and
bicyclists. (see Greenway Map)
The greenway system offers completed trails along the Wolf
River from Neshoba Park to near Riverdale Road. Spurs along
that stretch link local businesses to the main corridor. Future
sections under construction include links from Johnson Road
Park to Houston Levee Park and Poplar Avenue to Wolf River
Parkway via Forgey Park. Future construction will link Houston
Levee Park with Cameron-Brown Park.
Signage/Bicycle Racks
Signage in conformance with the MUTCD will be installed in
the near future to designate the routes. Bicycle racks for
parking bikes will be installed in all of the Germantown Parks
in the near future.
For questions regarding the bike routes you may contact Joe Nunes, Neighborhood Services Manager at, 757-7229. For information on
the greenway/shared use path please contact Dave Melaas, Parks
Development Administrator, at 757-7375.
To download a picture of existing bike lanes, click
here.
Click on links below to see each route map.
Farmington
Poplar Pike
Greenway
Municipal Square
Neshoba
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