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Routes For Two Wheels

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By TONY MARRERO

Hernando Today

Published: February 18, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - Tourists have asked for it for years.

Visitors who want to see Hernando County on two wheels - and by pedal power - want a map that shows them where to ride.

"One of the first things people ask is if there are maps for cycling, and we didn't have any," said Steve Diez, the county's bicycle-pedestrian coordinator.

Now they do.

The first Hernando County Bicycle Map is now available and shows some of the best roads and trails for bicycle riding.

The foldable map was produced by the county's planning department with funding from a Florida Department of Transportation grant and Hernando County Tourist Development. The first batch of 50,000 maps cost $35,000.

The roads on the map are color coded according to the level of traffic (low, medium and heavy) and whether they have a shoulder or dedicated bike lane.

The Suncoast and Withlacoochee state trails are prominently marked. The car-free ribbons of asphalt that run through some of the county's most scenic countryside are havens for cyclists.

Off-road trails in Weeki Wachee Preserve are included. The Croom Motorcycle Recreation Area, open to mountain bikers, is marked. So, too, are nearly two dozen county parks, with a description of each facility at the bottom of one side of the map.

But the project is meant to do more than show the way for recreational riders, Diez said. With high gas prices, a sour economy and an increasing concern for the environment, more people are considering commuting by bicycle. The map serves as a guide, he said.

"The goal is to show the average citizen that there are ways to get from Point A to Point B safely," he said.

That is especially critical in Spring Hill, he said.

On the map, thin, green lines weave through the maze of roads in the heavily populated, high traffic area south of State Road 50 between U.S. 19 and the Suncoast Parkway. The so-called "community connectors" have less traffic and lower speed limits, making them safer for cyclists.

The map is a big contribution for cyclists, recreational and commuter alike, said Zoltan Serfozo, owner of Extreme Bicycles. The bike is shop is one of three included on the map.

"It's a huge step to convey that, 'Hey, (riding) is doable out here, and it's not just limited to the parks and paths,'" Serfozo said.

Where to find the Hernando County Bicycle Map

The free, foldable maps are available at the following locations:

• The atrium of the County Government Center, 20 N. Main St., Brooksville.

• The Hernando County Welcome Center, 30305 Cortez Blvd. (in the Best Western, just west of I-75).

• Hernando County Recreation Department, 205 E. Fort Dade Ave., Brooksville.

• Black Bear Bicycles, 13009 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville.

• Extreme Bicycles, 10470 Northcliffe Blvd., Spring Hill.

• Bike Worx, 1231 Cass Circle, Spring Hill.

An online version of the map is accessible by visiting www.hernandocounty.us/mpo/.

For more information, call Steve Diez, 754-4057.

Reporter Tony Marrero can be reached at 352-544-5286 or lmarrero@hernandotoday.com.

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