FOND DU LAC (NBC 26) — In Fond du Lac, a new pump track is in the early stages, according to Public Works Director Paul de Vries.
And he says it's largely due to the community.
"Well, it really came from local bike advocates," De Vries said. "It wasn't something that was on our radar as a city."
A pump track is a continuously looped bike track that features banked turns and elevation changes, which allows riders to shift momentum up and down to ride around the course without pedaling.
The project would take place in Franklin Park
"We would probably look at least doing design next year, and then construction in 2028," De Vries said.
WATCH JACK PORTER'S FULL BROADCAST STORY HERE...
When it comes to the surface of the pump track, there are a couple of options to explore, says De Vries.
"Maybe it's asphalt, or maybe it's concrete. That would be kind of determined once we get into the design details," De Vries said.
De Vries says he has heard different estimates on how much a project like this could cost. And a lot of it depends on the surface and size of the track.
The project cost could be as little as $100,000 dollars or up to $500,000 or more, according to De Vries.
At the Fond du Lac Cyclery, owner Bart Hallgren says he is really excited for the pump track.
"Having a pump track really opens it up to BMX and mountain bike riders, kids and adults," Hallgren said. "And just a great way to get a little fitness and a little different way to ride a bike."
Hallgren says that having the pump track in Fond du Lac would save cyclists from having to go all the way to Green Bay, Wauwatosa, or Madison for the nearest paved pump tracks.
You don't have to travel if it's here, it's a lower barrier to entry," Hallgren said. "Not everyone has the means to take their bike on their car and travel an hour to go use a pump track."
De Vries says the next steps for the pump track are getting full approval from the Fond du Lac Advisory Park Board and then receiving more community feedback.
