Sedona is making its way toward becoming a bicycle-friendly community with Sedona City Council?s adoption of the Sedona Bicycle Plan.

Sedona is making its way toward becoming a bicycle-friendly community with Sedona City Council?s adoption of the Sedona Bicycle Plan.

Council unanimously approved adoption of the plan as a component of its consent agenda April 10.

Mal Cooper/Larson Newspapers

Now, an action plan needs to be adopted, according to Verde Valley Cyclists Coalition President Daniel Paduchowski. VVCC wrote the bicycle plan adopted by council.

Before Sedona is eligible to become a League of American Bicyclists bicycle-friendly community, the city needs to take the initial steps.

?They will actually help your community get more bicycle- friendly,? Paduchowski said.

An action plan is a list of 10 components to help Sedona be bicycle friendly including goals, programs and education.

Adoption of a plan would tell the league Sedona is serious, according to Paduchowski.

Currently, Sedona wouldn?t be eligible because of its lack of bike lanes and facilities, Paduchowski said.

?We don?t have enough qualifying things to be considered,? Paduchowski said.

Sedona City Manager Eric Levitt said he is in the process of recommending the city work with Arizona Department of Transportation to include bicycle lanes when Hwy. 89A in West Sedona is restriped.

?The only piece missing in this whole entire Verde loop is in West Sedona,? City Community Services Director Marie Brown said.

When the Hwy. 179 Improvement Project is complete bike lanes will connect Sedona with the Village of Oak Creek. Bicyclists can already ride from Sedona to Cottonwood on wide road shoulders along Hwy. 89A.

?We?re the missing piece,? Brown said. ?We?re the missing link.?

Bike lanes would be implemented from the ?Y? intersection to Dry Creek Road, Levitt said.

Paduchowski is going to write a grant for money to restripe Hwy. 89A, but he said that?s only one component.

?Once bike lanes are on the highway it doesn?t mean we?re done,? Paduchowski said.

VVCC?s transportation plan calls for main corridors to be striped but Paduchowski said it also includes back routes, such as those used by children to get to school.

Once infrastructure is in place, educating bicyclists and motorists is a key component to bicycle safety, according to the plan.

Paduchowski said VVCC is developing school programs and presentations to the general public to increase awareness.

VVCC has worked with students at Verde Valley School and West Sedona School, Paduchowski said.

?It takes everybody getting together to be on the same page,? Paduchowski said.