This update to the 1996 Jefferson County Bikeway and Pedestrianway Plan included increasing connections throughout the Glacial Heritage Area (GHA) and linking to the STH 26 Trail. The plan update focused on increasing the diversity of recreational opportunities throughout the county to foster economic development. Improving the non-motorized transportation network was deemed essential in this endeavor to unlock the tourism potential of the GHA. In addition, many municipalities in Jefferson County were looking for ways to connect their community to regional tourist destinations.
Plan development included substantial coordination between local, county, and regional entities. Private businesses, like Trek Bicycles (headquartered in Waterloo, WI), also participated in funding and developing this plan in an effort to strengthen the economic appeal of Jefferson County for bicycle recreation.
The plan resulted in a series of local-level bicycle and pedestrian facility maps that link the entire GHA together in a “string and pearl” configuration where the “strings” are paths or connections and “pearls” are parks or other heritage areas. Together with programming and funding recommendations, the facility network forms the backbone for non-motorized transportation to the county’s many social, cultural, and environmental resources.