GREENVILLE

Doc says town needs to make room on roads

Dr. Greg Merti, Greenville, noted the problems bicyclists have sharing crowded streets with cars and trucks in a letter to Robert M. Good, Greenville Area Leisure Services Association executive director.

"Greenville has become a challenge from the perspective of safe biking for people who are interested in biking to work and to school," Merti wrote.

"There are no designated biking trails that would help bikers navigate through town. Although the sidewalks have improved greatly throughout the community, I think we should add some focus to the major areas of Main Street and downtown to provide safe lanes for bikers," he wrote.

Good said trail planners will take Merti’s request under consideration in the next phase of trail planning.

In the first phase, now under way, hiking and biking trails are being planned from Main Street to Riverside Park with a connection to Thiel College, Good told the GALSA board at its meeting Monday.

Greenville has received a $112,200 state grant to build the first phase of trails and another $30,000 grant for equipment to maintain the trails, Good said. Proceeds from fund-raising will supply the local match to the state grant, Good said.

The trails are part of a recreation upgrade which includes the $1.55 million sports complex now under construction and plans for a new recreation center and renovations to Greenville Memorial Swimming Pool.