Are you a cyclist who wants to have a say in putting Cullman County on the state’s long-term biking map? The Alabama Highway Department of Transportation is hoping you’ll do just that, soliciting comments from the public as part of an update to the ALDOT-managed Statewide Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan.

Covering all of Alabama, the plan and its update are currently in the public input phase, offering residents an online place to glimpse a general overview, highlight noteworthy local biking destinations, and even serve up suggestions for adding or improving biking and walking amenities in your area.

Cullman County is uniquely sited within the state to benefit from potential future ALDOT biking projects, lying along the path of a long-range “vision corridor” that aims to connect Alabama from north to south by bicycle. A portion of the county also lies within a localized “priority bicycle corridor” that encompasses the higher-demand biking needs in and around the City of Cullman.

Corridors that lie “within areas of higher potential for bicycle transportation demand are defined as priority corridors,” explains ALDOT, while “corridors between these areas and other natural and cultural destinations are characterized as vision corridors.”

Though no part of the plan is currently targeted for Cullman County funding, that could change depending on how the public and local leaders weigh in during the public comment phase. Overall, the plan “helps establish a vision for cycling and walking in Alabama,” ALDOT states, “and helps guide investment in bicycle and pedestrian facilities that maximize available funding.”

An interactive map, including space for your comment, is available at greshamsmithplanning.com/aldot-bike-ped-plan. A more extensive copy of the state’s current plan also can be accessed at www.dot.state.al.us/programs/pdf/bicycleSafety/StatewidePlan.pdf.