EXPAND THE SHOULDERS ON HWY W
In conjunction with Vilas County's planned re-pavement of Hwy W, we are proposing the addition of 5-foot wide dedicated bike lanes along Hwy W in both directions, finally providing Presque Isle and Winchester with a bike friendly connection to the Heart of Vilas County Bike Trail.
When complete, the new bike route will:
- Connect Presque Isle and Winchester to WinMan Trails, Manitowish Waters and the Heart of Vilas County Bike Trail
- Invite Heart of Vilas County trail users to the communites of Presque isle and Winchester, increasing traffic to local businesses, organizations, and events
- Make loop rides possible through Presque Isle and Winchester
- Make Hwy W safer for biking between WinMan, Presque Isle, and the Upper Peninsula
HOW MUCH?
This project is the least expensive option for connecting Presque Isle to Winchester and beyond, with an estimated cost of around $450,000. An earlier feasibility study completed by Wilderness Pedalers for a dedicated paved bike path within the Hwy W right-of-way between Hwy J and Presque Isle had an estimated cost of $9.36 million.
CONNECT HWY K & CRAB LAKE ROAD
Plans are also under way for a 3.85 mile primarily "through the woods" paved bike trail from Hwy K at North Lakeland School, to Big Lake Campground, and ending at the intersection of Hwy P and Crab Lake Road (already a popular bike route). This new trail will provide countless campground guests and other cyclists living in or visiting the area, access to the Heart of Vilas paved bike trails, the Town of Presque Isle, and beyond.
The cost of this new trail is currently estimated to be in the $1.3 to $1.5 million range. Our hope is to secure Federal, State and/or Foundation grants to fund a large portion of this project but we anticipate still needing local financial support to cover as much as $300,000 to $400,000 of the total project cost.
