Archive for Monday, February 4, 2013  KDOT seeks input from
bicyclists to update state plan  February 4, 2013   During the
summer, Matt Stratemeier weaves his bike through Lawrence on
bike lanes and city streets to reach the scenic countryside. His
30-mile, one-hour rides give him an appreciation he cannot
receive from riding in a car.  “Really, it’s just about
freedom,” said Stratemeier, 34, Lawrence, who is secretary of
the Lawrence Bicycle Club. “When you’re on a bike, you don’t
have that same kind of hurry-up-and-get-somewhere perspective.
It’s a lot nicer to just get away from the city.”  However,
Stratemeier’s bike rides are not without peril. He said there
are not enough bike lanes in Lawrence, and the few lanes that
are in place are not well-maintained.  “Sometimes you’ll see the
bike lane littered with gravel or debris, and no one wants to
ride in that,” he said. “So you end up riding in the street, and
that is dangerous because you have to keep up with the flow of
traffic, and if you can’t, it makes