An air pump and bike repair station have been installed at the city park, located off Bagley Street behind Evergreen Cemetery along the Thunder Bay River. The City of Alpena installed the cement pad and Kiwanis sign at the bike servicing station.

“We funded this through the Kiwanis Club here,” said Dave Weber, Kiwanis president-elect. “We thought it would be a good idea for not only the children of the community, but all the bicyclists. There’s a lot of activity in this area, here. This bike path, that is tremendous. We felt, in talking with the city, that this would be a good location, and collectively, we worked on it.”

The repair station has nine different tools “to repair, hopefully, any bike mishap that they may have during their tours,” Weber added.

Kiwanis Treasurer Glenn Taylor said the bike servicing station could prove helpful to those who use their bicycles as their primary mode of transportation, in addition to those who use theirs for recreation.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley

“So that’s the second one in the city,” Weber said, adding that the first one is on Woodward Avenue by the soccer fields. He said the Kiwanis bike servicing station was installed about three weeks ago at Sytek Park.

“I hope it gets used,” Weber said. “We’re proud of it. Hopefully it’ll last for many, many years.”

Weber said the City of Alpena Bi-Path is an excellent place to ride your bike. The 18.5-mile paved path loops around Alpena, along the Thunder Bay River and Lake Huron in parts, and passes by many scenic areas and city attractions.

“Actually, the Bi-Path and all the parks are one of the things that attracted us to Alpena,” Taylor said.

“I think the little extras like this in a city are things that attract people,” said Kiwanis President Rob Boynton.

May is National Bike Month, and next week is Bike to Work Week, May 15 through 21. Friday, May 19 is National Bike to Work Day.

Drivers should use caution this time of year and look twice for cyclists on the roadways.

Cyclists should wear helmets, be aware of their surroundings, and avoid wearing earbuds or texting while riding.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities to follow the rules of the road as motorists. When riding, always:

¯ Go With the Traffic Flow. Ride on the right in the same direction as other vehicles. Go with the flow ­– not against it.

¯ Obey All Traffic Laws. A bicycle is a vehicle and you’re a driver. When you ride in the street, obey all traffic signs, signals, and lane markings.

¯ Yield to Traffic When Appropriate. Almost always, drivers on a smaller road must yield to traffic on a major or larger road. If there is no stop sign or traffic signal and you are coming from a smaller roadway, you must slow down and look to see if the way is clear before proceeding. This also means yielding to pedestrians who have already entered a crosswalk.

¯ Be Predictable. Ride in a straight line, not in and out of cars. Signal your moves to others.

¯ Stay Alert at All Times. Use your eyes and ears. Watch out for potholes, cracks, wet leaves, storm grates, railroad tracks, or anything that could make you lose control of your bike. You need your ears to hear traffic and avoid dangerous situations; don’t wear a headset when you ride.

¯ Look Before Turning. When turning left or right, always look behind you for a break in traffic, then signal before making the turn. Watch for left- or right-turning traffic.

¯ Watch for Parked Cars. Ride far enough out from the curb to avoid the unexpected from parked cars (like doors opening, or cars pulling out).

The NHTSA also states that the safest place for bicycle riding is on the street, where bicycles are expected to follow the same rules of the road as motorists and ride in the same direction. However, children less than 10 years old are not mature enough to make the decisions necessary to safely ride in the street, and the NHTSA recommends that they ride on the sidewalk.

Contact Darby Hinkley at dhinkley@thealpenanews.com or 989-358-5691.