First Selectman Mike Tetreau announced today that the Town of Fairfield has been featured by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a success story for the bike route that was completed on Mill Plain Road in 2013. The development of this route was possible through the collaboration of Town of Fairfield departments including Health, Engineering, and Public Works, as well as Town committees such as the Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan Advisory Committee (now the Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee).

The Mill Plain Bike Road Route follows the Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan for Fairfield which was approved by the Board of Selectmen in 2013. A train station, an elementary school, two middle schools, and a high school are all located along the bike route. This route is approximately 3.5 miles long and was made possible through the 2012-2013 Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant. Funds were used to strip the shoulder lanes, paint sharrows, and purchase “Bike Route” and “Share the Road” signs.

First Selectman Tetreau said, “We are very pleased to have the CDC recognize Fairfield as a success story. Our Health, Public Works, and Engineering departments, as well as the Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee, are continuing their work to create safe bike routes and promote active living." The Town’s efforts led to the launch of the Fairfield BikeShare program this past April at Zane’s Cycles where citizens can check out a bike for free and explore all Fairfield has to offer.

The development of this first bike route was just the beginning of changes in Fairfield’s infrastructure to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety. Since then, bike racks have been installed around downtown Fairfield, Fairfield’s first free BikeShare program at Zane’s was launched, and the Shoreline Bike Route and Library to Library Bike Route have both been approved by the Police Commission. The Town of Fairfield is committed to encouraging active living in Fairfield.

The full CDC Success Story can be accessed by clicking this link: http://www.cdc.gov/phhsblockgrant/states/pdfs/connecticut2015.pdf.

To view Fairfield’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan please visit: http://www.fairfieldct.org/filestorage/10736/12067/18736/20066/Fairfield_Bicycle_%26_Pedestrian_Plan_BOS_Endorsed_6-19-13.pdf.

For more information, contact Santina Jaronko, Health Educator, Fairfield Health Department, at 203-256-3150 or sjaronko@fairieldct.org.

The photo shows First Selectman Mike Tetreau and Andy Graceffa, member of the original Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan Advisory Committee (now the Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee), kicking off the new bike route on Mill Plain Road in 2013.