Cape Fear Regional Bicycle Plan

Welcome to the Cape Fear Regional Bicycle Plan website. In 2015, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) awarded a planning grant to the Cape Fear Council of Governments to develop a regional comprehensive bicycle transportation plan. The purpose of the plan is to identify opportunities and constraints for bicycling in the Cape Fear region, and to establish recommendations for improvement.

The Cape Fear Regional Bicycle Plan covers Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, and Pender Counties as well as southern Bladen, western Onslow, and southern Sampson Counties. The plan is complete and has been adopted by a growing number of transportation planning organizations, counties, and municipalities in across the region.

The plan has yielded positive outcomes for cyclists in the region. Due at least in part to the plan, two highway interchange projects are planned to be constructed with wide shoulders on the overpass structures to accommodate bicycles crossing US 17 at NC 211 (Southport-Supply Rd) in Brunswick County and US 74 at SR 1506 (Boardman Rd) in Columbus County.

The Plan Document Bicycle Suitability Maps The Planning Process Plan Adoption Contact

The Plan Document

We are pleased to announce that a full draft of the Cape Fear Regional Bicycle Plan is now available for public download, review, and comment. Please use the link below to download the draft plan PDFs.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (4 Pages, PDF)

FINAL PLAN (165 Pages, PDF)

PLAN APPENDICIES (101 Pages, PDF)

SUMMARY PRESENTATION (PowerPoint)

Bicycle Suitability Maps

The Regional Bicycle Suitability Maps are provided as a tool for those who intend to bicycle in the Cape Fear region. There are three subregional maps (A, B, & C) for the northwestern, southwestern, and northeastern parts of the region. Each map includes a rating for roadways, from easy to advance, and highlights some potential routes for bicycle touring.

The maps were generated using roadway data such as traffic volumes, traffic speed limits, roadway pavement widths, and other factors to begin defining suitability for bicycling. The results were further refined based on input from area cyclists, drawing from their knowledge of riding conditions in the area. Please use them as a resource to help plan cycling routes in the region, but also recognize that conditions change, and all users will not agree with all of the classifications. So please use them at your own risk.

BICYCLE SUITABILITY MAP A (Northwest Region)

BICYCLE SUITABILITY MAP B (Southwest Region)

BICYCLE SUITABILITY MAP C (Northeast Region)

The Planning Process

The Planning Process

The development of this plan included a public process, featuring input from a steering committee, and input from the public through this project website, an interactive on-line map, a user comment form, a kick-off meeting charrette, two public open house series, county presentations, and a presentation to transportation planning organizations, counties, and municipalities in the study area. These and other steps in the process are outlined in the approximate timeline below:

Spring 2016: Project Kick-Off, Data Collection, MPO/RPO TCC meetings, and Public Outreach Sessions
Summer 2016: Analysis of Bike Routes & Draft Network Development
Fall 2016: Development of Full Draft Plan & Committee Review
Winter 2016-17: Plan Revisions & Public Outreach Sessions
Spring 2017: Final Plan + Presentations

Project Steering Committee

The steering committee is made up of a combination of residents, MPO, RPO, County, Municipal, and State representatives. The steering committee consists of the following members:

Allen Serkin, Cape Fear RPO
Peggy Holland, Jacksonville Urban Area MPO
Mike Rutan, Mid-Carolina COG/RPO
Suraiya Rashid Motsinger, Wilmington MPO
Patrick Riddle, NCDOT Division 3
Joe Bailey, NCDOT Division 6
John Vine Hodge, NCDOT Division of Bicycle & Pedestrian Transportation
Greg Elkins, Bladen County
Kirstie Dixon, Brunswick County
Bethel Paris, Cape Fear Cyclists/East Coast Greenway
Hiram Marziano, City of Whiteville
Stephen Smith, Columbus Trails Alliance
Chris O'Keefe, New Hanover County
Pat O'Mahony, Pender County
Rebekah Roth, Town of Burgaw
Eddie Madden, Town of Elizabethtown
Niel Brooks, Town of Leland
Jacob Vares, Town of Oak Island
Niles Barnes, East Coast Greenway

Plan Adoption

The plan is currently in the adoption process. Organizations and communities that adopted or plan to adopt the plan include:

Cape Fear RPO: Adopted May 12, 2017
Wilmington MPO: Adopted May 31, 2017
Pender County: Adopted June 19, 2017
Jacksonville MPO: Supported July 13, 2017
New Hanover County: Supported July 17, 2017
Brunswick County: Adopted July 17, 2017
City of Whiteville: Adopted July 25, 2017
Columbus County: Adopted August 7, 2017
Bladen County: Adopted August 21, 2017
City of Wilmington: Adopted September 19, 2017
Town of Chadbourn: Adopted October 3, 2017
Town of Oak Island: Adopted October 10, 2017
Town of Lake Waccamaw: Scheduled October 10, 2017
Mid-Carolina RPO: Adopted October 25, 2017
City of Southport: Adopted November 9, 2017
Down East RPO: Adopted November 28, 2017
Town of Burgaw: Adopted December 12, 2017

Contact

View larger map

Cape Fear Regional Bicycle Plan

Resources