We encourage all riders of all ages to RIDE RIGHT. Always wear an approved helmet. Stop at all stop signs and take a good look at all intersections. Be on the lookout for vehicles. Ride for pure recreation and exercise or ride for your transportation needs. Only ride on City Streets that you feel comfortable. Parents are encouraged to work with youth and designate specific routes and time of day to ride. Routes shall be determined by age and skill level of riding. For example- a younger child should not ride alone through downtown Winterset during the day but choose a route around the square or walk bike a few blocks. An adult should be more than capable of riding on any City Street. The shared lanes will mean different things to various riders.
The shared lane route may provide a designated route to specific locations such as City Park, aquatic center, downtown, and schools. The shared lane route may also provide a loop to do several miles of riding in town with minimal stopping. The designated routes provide many level streets of longer stretches with fewer turns and less stop/yield signs. The painted bike symbols and signage will help remind motorist of bicycle traffic. It is our hope that motorist will slow down, on all City Streets, as the result of seeing the shared lane markings and seeing more bicycle traffic in town. If desired bicycle riders may use all City streets. For those that are interested in using the in-town shared lane (sharrow) route, a simple explanation is as follows:
East/West Loop
West on Court Ave, then north on 8th Ave, then east on Benton St., then south on 8th Street and back to Court Ave. The EAST/WEST Loop is the most popular because it has minimum stops along the way and is very flat, approximately 2.5 miles in length. To extend this loop, take Court Ave all the way out of town to the east (past M.M. Sports Fields, dog park, and quarry) to the stop sign and then turn around and come back to town adding another 2 miles.
North/South Loop
North on 8th Ave, east on Benton St., south on 2nd Ave, (short jog on Hutchings St. and then 4th Ave), west on Husky Drive and back to 8th Ave. The NORTH/SOUTH Loop has more stops and a few more hills along the way, approximately 2.5 miles.
