MEDINA – Cyclists could be getting some help navigating the roads of Medina County through the erection of about 700 signs designating 20 bicycle routes mapped out along area thoroughfares.

The signs have been a goal of the Medina County Bicycle Task Force since its inception a year ago and for task force member Tony Ratajczek who mapped out the bike routes about eight years ago.

Paying for the signs has been a problem that may now be overcome through a grant from the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency. County commissioners have authorized Ratajczek to write a grant application for the signs on behalf of the county.

Ratajczek estimates the cost of erecting the bicycle route signs at more than $100,000 and plans to write a grant application to cover most of that amount.

Ratajczek mapped out routes along existing roads that would be the safest for cyclists based on factors such as traffic volume and visibility. He said the routes utilize bike trails and roads that lead past important locations such as schools, libraries and commercial districts.

However, sharing the road with vehicles can be intimidating for some cyclists. Ratajczek said the routes designated on his map have been graded for their suitability for bicycle traffic. He hopes the signs will encourage more cyclists to use them.

“I created the maps based on my experience cycling in Europe,” Ratajczek said. “They have great maps there, especially the Netherlands.”

County Commissioner Tim Smith, chairman of the Bicycle Task Force, also believes signs can help improve traffic safety when cyclists share the road with cars and trucks.

“The signs will raise awareness among drivers that there may be bicycles on the road,” Smith said. “That alone should improve safety.”

Smith also hopes the signs will encourage more cyclists to use the designated routes and keep off roads where safety is more of a problem.

The map of suggested bike routes around the county can be found on the website of the Medina County Highway Engineer. Earlier this year county commissioners adopted a revised map of those bike routes as the county’s official network of bicycle paths. The official designation of that bicycle route map should help the county qualify for the NOACA signage grant.

Ratajczek is a member of both the county’s Bicycle Task Force and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Council of the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency. He was commissioned by the Highway Engineer to create the bicycle route map two decades ago, but it had been largely ignored until this year.