JACKSON, Wyo. — The Jackson Town Council voted 4-1 to approve a bike network on Snow King Avenue and Willow Streets between Cache Street and Gill Avenue in a meeting yesterday evening.
“This will be a seasonal project that improves and promotes public safety and bike use, an increasingly popular mode of transport for individuals and families around town,” said the town in a statement this morning.
Staff recommended that council provide direction on buffered bike lanes on Snow King Avenue and Willow Street and direct staff to make short-term improvements this spring.
Previously, staff presented background information on bike networks and proposed options for a safe, multimodal connection between Snow King Avenue and North Cache.
“The Willow Street Safe Routes project addresses the Town’s long-standing goal to improve access and safety for people to get places by bicycle and on foot in the downtown core,” says the town.
“The extension of the buffered bike lanes will provide access to numerous public destinations along the corridor and advance the Comprehensive Plan goal to create a transportation system that prioritizes the movement of pedestrians and bicyclists.”
According to the Town, during the summer months, an average of 966 trips are taken per day in the existing buffered bike lanes on Snow King Avenue.
In September 2021, the route was tested with a temporary bike lane in place. The primary purpose of the temporary bike lane was for Jackson elementary students to safely bike to school for iWalk, iBike, iBus to school day.
After Town Council unanimously directed staff to initiate the planning of bicycle network improvements evaluating a range of possibilities, staff drafted concept designs, engaged the community about each of them and revised the designs based on input.
Town Council voted for buffered bike lanes on both sides of Willow Street and a single buffered lane on the south side of Snow King for eastbound cyclists. The new Willow Street Safe Route will include bollards, striping and signage to create the seasonal bike lanes.
“Having heard from many community members through engagement sessions and public comment, the overwhelming sentiment among the public, staff, and council was that adding bike lanes to make a comprehensive network from mid-town through the north end of town will be a benefit for the entire community,” the town said.
