SANFORD – If you’ve got an old bicycle or a new one, a recumbent bike or some other sort, a ride through Sanford’s new 3 ½ mile cross-town route —or portions of it — on June 1 might just be for you.

Lee Burnett of the Sanford Trails Committee said Sanford Bike Fest will offer multiple route options — including a 1.3 mile section along city streets that will be closed to traffic throughout the four-hour festival, which begins at 10 a.m. at the Sanford Springvale YMCA.

“I call it Maine’s most integrated bike trail,” said Burnett, because it includes the current Sanford Junior High School, the elementary schools, the YMCA, Number One Pond, Sanford’s parks and neighborhoods and the new Sanford High School and Regional Technical Center.

The bike fest is an opportunity to showcase Sanford’s trails and the vision ahead for the Downtown Connector — an on-road bicycle route that connections sections of the off-road trail.

Earlier this year, Aceto Landscape Architecture of Portland provided, at no charge, designs for how the Downtown Connector could make around safer. Now, officials like Burnett are hopeful that the infrastructure piece that features bump-outs on some portions of the route and a dedicated bicycle lane with some separation from the traffic can come sooner rather than later.

Kristen Cyr of the newly-minted Cycle Sanford group of about 10 cycling enthusiasts said the organization’s goal is to create a network of on- and off-road cycling routes to induce residents to use bicycles for transportation, recreation and health.

“Cycle Sanford’s hope for the Sanford Bike Fest is to raise community awareness of the impressive trail system already in place and to generate community advocacy regarding future investment in cycling infrastructure,” she said.

The bike event will feature BMX events outside the YMCA. Fast & Happy Bicycles of Springvale will have a mechanic’s tent there for free bicycle and helmet checks and is also providing the “course marshals” who are designated cyclists on the route to guide and assist participants

The route follows paved bike paths, packed gravel bike paths and city streets. There are options for a one-mile loop trip, a three-mile trip to and from the downtown, or a seven-mile round-trip to and from the new Sanford High School and Regional Technical Center

Food and drink along the route will be provided by local restaurants. Helmets and closed toe shoes are encouraged. Sponsors include Sanford Trails, Sanford Parks and Recreation, Southern Maine Health Care, the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, Cycle Sanford and Fast & Happy Bicycles.

Burnett said there are no registration fees or requirements, people can just show up. The event will go on throughout the four hours, so people can arrive at 10 a.m. or anytime during the period to set out for a ride.

”This is not a race or a fundraiser,” he said, just a fun ride for everybody. “Recumbent bikes, tandem bikes, e-bikes, antique bikes, cargo bikes, trick bikes and pedicabs are all welcome.”

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 780-9016 or twells@journaltribune.com.