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KIRKSVILLE,MO. -- A number of residents voiced their concerns to the new Alternate Route 63 Traffic Safety Commission last Tuesday.

However, not all the talk was about vehicles.

The voice of bicyclists had some opinions of the new highway as well.

One of those voices was Rachel Ruhlen who is a Research Assistant Professor  at A.T Still University.

Rachel is an avid bicyclist who not only rides a bike for health and exercise, but uses her bike for transportation as well.

Rachel says the new Alternate Route has been wonderful for bicyclists to travel on and hopes the trend continues.

"When roads are designed they are often designed without taking into consideration of all the users including bicyclists and pedestrians. This road was designed pretty well for bicyclists and pedestrians. It's a nice road to ride on," Ruhlen said.

KTVO spoke with Marissa Ellison of MoDOT and she gave us this comment.

"Like all our highways that are new or being designed, MoDOT takes into consideration pedestrian use of the roads. This includes potentially widened shoulders, dedicated ped lanes, pavement markings, signs etc. One of the most pedestrian-friendly changes that has been made statewide is the incorporation of rumble "stripes" - these were formerly rumble "strips" that were actually on the shoulders; now they are made on the edge line stripes on the road. While this change was primarily done for driver's safety (there is more recovery time with the rumble in the stripe as opposed to the shoulder), bicyclists have expressed their desire and eventual satisfaction with having the rumbles in the stripes."