Bluffton pedals toward 'bicycle-friendly' status

BLUFFTON — Community leaders in Bluffton are actively seeking to make the village more bicycle-friendly, with the goal of making the village a destination for people to come bike. And, they're partway through a years-long project of creating a pathway system that will be part of the village forever. Dick Ramseyer, a project leader, said the village and the Bluffton Lions Club developed a master plan in 2009 to expand pathways for biking and walking in the village. A few pathways had existed since the 1980s, but project leaders wanted to expand them. The goal, Ramseyer said, is to create a pathway about 12 miles in length circling the village. The pathway would have paths branching off of it, allowing bikers to access all sections of the community. The group spent 2009 to 2014 gathering resources, including funding, but have been building a piece of the project almost every year since 2014. A 2021-22 project is the Lions Way Allen-Hancock County Line path project. It's designed to connect to Lions Way Route 103 path, then extend south along County Line Road, exiting at the entrances of Swiss Country Estates and Swiss Park subdivisions. "Again, the advancement of this work will rely on the engagement of the whole community, including the Village of Bluffton, generous sponsors and donors," states a fact sheet on the project. "The project will be 100% volunteer-driven, with the Bluffton Pathway Board providing project management and the Bluffton Lions Foundation serving as fiscal agent." Ramseyer said the group involved in these endeavors also realized Bluffton needed a bike shop. So they recruited one. "It's a pretty green community, in general," said Raymond Harner, who owns Bike Crazy with his wife. The Harners had a shop in Columbus Grove, but already had a lot of customers in Bluffton. Then, the Bluffton Chamber of Commerce reached out and said people wanted a bike shop in the village. Harner said last year, amid the pandemic, their store was kept busy as more people purchased bikes as a socially distanced recreational outlet. But he and his wife still found time to ride their own bikes along all the paths. He said what he enjoys about biking in Bluffton is seeing people he knows. "It feels like home, to me," he said, adding that "people are glad to see you." Ramseyer said the intention was to make it so people who live in Bluffton can bike to work. But they also want to encourage residents of Lima and Findlay to come to the village for day trips. "We see Bluffton as a real destination point," where people can come to ride their bikes, then spend the day, Ramseyer said. He added that there are "lots of things to do" in Bluffton, and the hope is that people will come to bike, then spend time at the coffee shop or a local restaurant. In addition to putting bike racks throughout downtown, part of the plan includes getting Bluffton officially designated as a "bicycle-friendly community." Ramseyer said pursuing this national designation involves moving through "lots of hoops," and it may take several years. Once they earn the certification, the village will be identified throughout the country as a place to ride bicycles. This, Ramseyer said, may lead bicycle aficionados from farther away to come to Bluffton to ride — again, perhaps exploring local businesses or even staying overnight. The Bluffton Pathway Board reports to Bluffton Village Council, and funding goes through the Bluffton Lions Foundation. The board received funding from the Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation for a section of pathway near the Hancock/Allen county line. And the Ohio Department of Transportation has granted some funding for a section that will be built in 2023. Ramseyer noted that ODOT has put more emphasis in recent years on making biking and hiking part of its plans. The board also brings in funding through the Ride to Remember. Originally an endeavor of the Triplett family, avid bikers who helped create the community's first paths in the 1980s, it's now organized by the Bluffton Lions Foundation and raises funds for the pathway program. Ramseyer said the ride typically attracts about 300 participants. The ride went virtual last year amid the pandemic, but will be offered both virtually and in-person on July 10, with routes involving several area counties. Harner had been part of the now-defunct Hancock Handlebars in Findlay. He said it can feel "a little more scary" to ride bikes in Findlay than it does in Bluffton, but he would love to see Findlay become more bicycle-friendly, too. Arthurs: 419-427-8494