(Greenfield, Iowa) – Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater today (Monday), issued a statement with regard to bicycle traffic that will be passing through the County next week. On July 23rd riders on RAGBRAI will be passing through Adair County and Vandewater says that “will most certainly impact traffic during a big portion of the day.”
Bicyclists will be leaving from Atlantic early on the morning of the 23rd and ending the day in Winterset. The official route will take them on State Highway 92 from south of Cumberland all the way to Greenfield. When they leave Greenfield, they will travel south on State Highway 25 to Orient and then east of Orient on 310th Street until they exit Adair County west of Macksburg.
The Sheriff notes there are specific routes through Greenfield and Orient, where the riders will detour off of the highways and make a pass through more of the center of each town. (See the maps posted in this story). “I would encourage anyone who can, to avoid driving on or intersecting with the RAGBRAI route, if possible,” Vandewater say. “If you do find yourself on the route or intersecting with the route, expect delays.
If your choice of roadways that day intersects with the RAGBRAI route, the delays shouldn’t be terrible. Should you find yourself attempting to travel east on State Highway 92 or southbound from Greenfield on State Highway 25, be very, very patient and expect potentially mind-numbing delays during the busiest of times. Your ability to safely pass large groups of bikers traveling approximately ten miles per hour will be limited. 
If you are traveling westbound on State Highway 92 or 310th Street or northbound on State Highway 25, please consider reducing your speed, strictly avoid any distractions and remain vigilant when operating around bikers. There is almost no margin of error when it comes to bike traffic versus a motor vehicle. Any type of collision between a bicycle and a motor vehicle could prove fatal, with mere inches possibly making the difference.”
Sheriff Vanedewater said also, “I believe local citizens who know the roads will easily find an alternate route. I am concerned about commercial traffic who may be from out of the area and may be unaware that RAGBRAI is even passing through on their “regular” route. Because of that, I would ask everyone to share this post in hopes of making as many motorists as possible aware of the potential issues on Tuesday July 23rd.”
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