IRON MOUNTAIN -- Finally would be the right word to describe most people’s feelings about this bike path coming to fruition. The project has seen speed-bump after speed-bump slow its progress.
Dave Pajula has been trying to make this bike path happen since 1991. Finally, he and a couple of other people were able to cut through all of the red tape and make his fantasy a reality.
“Well, it was very frustrating. We submitted a lot of applications over the years. We were rejected many times,” says Pajula.
In 2001 the plans were reviewed and construction was set to begin. However, a dispute with a resident about property lines halted the construction once again. Interest in the project was lost for a while, but the project re-ignited once again, and construction on the $300,000 project began in the spring.
“Slowly we're becoming more and more bike friendly in Iron Mountain. It seems that the cities that are endorsing the bike friendly attitude are seeing the benefits of it, and we're working towards that,” said Kyle Lindstrom.
Not only is it a relief to have the project finished, it also makes things a lot safer for the bikers themselves. The path is far enough off the road so they don't have to worry as much about traffic.
“Well, I’ve been riding around Fumee and Antoine for a number of years, but it's just a lot safer. You know with the logging trucks, like the one that just went by, going two or three feet from your shoulder, you get a little nervous sometimes,” said Randy VanGasse.
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