Local News

Cycle the City storms Steubenville streets

STEUBENVILLE -- A fleet of bikers hit the streets Saturday for an approximately hour-long trip through downtown and into Beatty Park as part of Cycle the City, an event organizers hope to host monthly.

Cycle the City's inaugural ride had been rescheduled to Saturday after the first attempt on July 30 was postponed due to weather. The ride was jointly organized by the Harmonium Project, the Jefferson County General Health District, Strong Towns Steubenville and other local organizations.

"This event seeks to show that this city could benefit from good bike infrastructure," said Jacob Hyman, Strong Towns Steubenville local conversation leader.

Hyman noted before the beginning of the ride, which drew between 30 and 40 participants, that the rainout likely gave organizers more time to advertise the event, thereby drawing more participants than it would have without the original cancelation.

Riders were split into three separate groups taking two separate routes. An intermediate and advanced group rode the main route, which began at the fountain by Historic Fort Steuben and traveled up Fourth Street, turned on Franklin Avenue, went down Fifth Street and turned onto Lincoln Avenue before entering Beatty Park. From there, participants had a chance to rehydrate before making their way back to the green space in front of Leonardo's Coffeehouse for refreshments and social time.

The third group was for kids, who biked a similar route but did not make their way to Beatty Park. The routes loosely followed the Steubenville Heritage Trail, an established trail that spans about four miles from Beatty Park, through downtown and into Belleview Park.

Hyman said afterward that the event was fantastic, needing to begin 30 minutes late because of the amount of participants who kept arriving. Hyman said Strong Towns Steubenville, a newly formed grassroots city revitalization group, hopes to host Cycle the City monthly, with the next one tentatively planned for Aug. 26.

The choice of Aug. 26, the fourth Saturday in the month, is meant to fill out Steubenville's monthly event calendar, avoiding weekends occupied by First Friday festivals and the Saturday Market on Fourth Street.

Hyman said the rides are meant to highlight the Heritage Trail and the Great American RailTrail, a national trail proposed to span 3,700 miles, which would link the Heritage Trail with West Virginia's Panhandle Trail, as well as other trail networks. Rides also are meant to "show that there's a population here that would benefit" from the trails and continued investment into their infrastructure, Hyman said.

The proposed Great American Rail-Trail would reach from the state of Washington to Washington, D.C., and Hyman said it would conceivably allow bikers to ride from one end of the nation to the other. Hyman said Steubenville is planned to be on the trail, but the participation of local officials is needed to invest in the proposal to make the most of it.

"The bike rides help to show what Steubenville could look like with biker tourism," said Hyman, adding that the rides will help to show that the city must do to accommodate bicyclists while maintaining road access for drivers.

Jason Sanders, a regular biker, participated in the ride with his year-old daughter Heaven in tow behind him in an attachable trailer. Sanders, who is originally from Florida, said this is his first time riding with his daughter and the trailer, and he supports efforts to increase biking in town because "it's cheaper on gas."

John and Kim Neidengard participated in the ride as well. The two have been biking together for about five years, riding local trails, although John Neidengard has been biking for much longer.

"It makes you feel good to be out in that fresh, open air," said John Neidengard.

Kim Neidengard said, "I do like the peacefulness, and most trails are so quiet, and most people are passing and doing their own thing."

Seven-year-old Conner Wilson did the ride with his family, who he said like to ride local trails like the Conotton Creek Trail in Ohio, Panhandle Trail in West Virginia and Montour Trail in Pennsylvania.

Wilson said the ride was "way too easy," but added, "I'm just glad I didn't go 13 miles, or I would've fainted off my bike."

Stephen Johnson and his son Theo, one-year residents of Steubenville after moving in from Utah, rode a tandem bike together. Stephen Johnson said biking is a family hobby that they have been trying to develop.

Stephen Johnson was pleased with the ride, saying, "It makes me excited to see there's more community being developed in the area."

Glenn Nese said he was glad he came out to the ride. Nese said he likes to bike whenever he gets an opportunity, "which isn't often" due to his hectic schedule.

"If they have more, and I have the time, then I'll try to come out again," Nese said.

Nese, who grew up in Steubenville during part of its heyday, said, "This is nice for them to try and get something started in Steubenville."

Paul Monroe said that he and his family liked the ride so much that they hope and plan to do it again informally every Saturday "just to bring some more exposure to bikers."

Monroe said that people watching the bikers go by while sitting on their porches often waved to the participants. There was at least one disapproving driver on the road, Monroe said, but there were "more waves than honks."

Sister Joan Paule Portenlanger, TOR, did the ride with fellow religious Sister Sarah Rose Dent, TOR. Portenlanger said she heard about the ride from a city happenings bulletin that is distributed to Franciscan University of Steubenville retirees and other university associates.

"It was so nice to bike with other people," Portenlanger said, "to have community, to meet new people and to bike over our town."