From left are KCCRVC President Dave Taylor; KCCRVC members Jo Paczkowski and
John Hall; and KCV Cycling Club members Fred Helfrich and Tim Dombrosky. (Photo provided)

The Kosciusko County Convention Recreation and Visitors Commission recently provided a grant to the KCV Cycling Club to purchase Kosciusko County Bikeway signage to designate 200 miles of county roads as routes for cyclists.

KCV identified the routes after considering such factors as safety, convenience, traffic density, road conditions and scenery. The County Highway Department is currently installing the signs at important locations and intersections along the routes.

Signage has already been installed in the southeast, southwest and northwest quadrants of the county, and are currently going up in the northeast quadrant. The signs include directional arrows to help cyclists stay on the recommended routes.

Fred Helfrich, a member of KCV, said, “It is our hope that these routes not only will be
convenient for cyclists, but will also alert motorists to the presence of cyclists so they will be more aware and expect to see them along the route. Our ultimate objective in all of our efforts is to make the roads safer for everyone.”

The routes in Kosciusko County will match up with designated routes in Marshall, St.
Joseph and Elkhart counties, as well as with proposed bike routes in Warsaw and Winona Lake. They are also included on a new four county bike route map recently published by The Michiana Area Council Of Governments.

In addition to the MACOG map, the KCCRVC has provided an additional grant for the publication, which is a Kosciusko County bike suitability map to provide a more detailed view of the routes.

KCV wants to remind everyone that these are just signed routes and there are no separate facilities for cyclists. Everyone (cyclists and motorists alike) should always remember that bicycles are considered vehicles under Indiana State law and are subject to the same rules of the road as other vehicles. That means bicycles have the right to use the full traffic lane if necessary. Bicyclists in Indiana have all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of a motorist.

These routes do not affect the state laws which are applicable to bicyclists in Indiana. Any routes or facilities do not guarantee safe passage by using the route. Nor does their existence create any remedy or liability which did not otherwise exist under law.

Bicyclists assume the dangers inherent in riding bicycles on roads and pathways. These routes are meant to assist in selecting routes for transportation or recreation.