Cyclists may soon be able to ride through more of the State College area on paved bike trails.

A proposed extension to a paved bike trail that parallels Puddintown Road could eventually link a series of paved paths around campus -- much to the delight of the Penn State Cycling Club.

William Tate (senior-wood products), a member of the club, said he already rides along the Puddintown Road path and approves of all plans to extend local paths.

"Any bike trail is obviously going to be a help," he said. "That's more for us to ride on."

The trail, which presently runs from Spring Creek Park to the Mt. Nittany Expressway overpass, would be extended to reach the Millbrook Marsh Nature Center, College Township councilman Dan Klees said.

Klees said the project, which has been in the works for several years, will end up costing $250,000, which is more than originally projected because of federal specifications that needed to be met.

"We're trying to make as many connections as we can to serve more parts of the community with safe bike trails," he said. "The worst thing is to have a bike path that doesn't go anywhere."

Paul Simpson, a member of the Centre Region Bike Coalition, said he thought the extended path was a positive step toward improving cyclists' experience in the area.

"We have been around for six years now, working to promote awareness for cyclists as legitimate users of the road," he said. "This path is one of the things we've been working for."

However, Bike State College member David Cicero Bevacqua said he thought having bicycle trails independent of the road is the wrong accommodation for cyclists.

"It's a misdirection of limited resources," he said. "We could get many more miles of on-road bike lanes with the same amount of money."

Bevacqua said on-road bike lanes would serve the community better and align with his organization's goal of making cycling a form of mainstream transportation.

"One of the worst places to ride your bike around here is downtown State College," he said. "What we need is a safe place for bikes on heavily-traveled roads."

Penn State Cycling Club President Melissa Wills said she thought the greater State College area did a good job providing places for her to ride though connecting the existing trails would make her routes safer.

"I think, in general, [the trails are] well maintained and useful," she said. "Sometimes you have to go a few miles to get on one."

State College Borough Council member Elizabeth Goreham said she also supported the extension of
the trail but she felt strongly about the need for a guardrail to be installed between the road and bike path.

Goreham noted the recent incident in which Thomas Fry, 51, of Boalsburg, allegedly struck and killed Penn State mechanical engineering professor Bohdan Kulakowski, 63, who was riding his bike home along Boalsburg Road on March 22. A guardrail is necessary to ensure the incident does not repeat itself, she said.

"I want to make sure the bicyclists are protected," she said.

Goreham added that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation would determine if the rail is necessary.

Tate said the Penn State Cycling Club would continue to ride throughout the area regardless of how the paths are developed.

"We all love to ride, so we're going to do it anyway," he said.