COVINGTON, Ga. — On Thursday afternoon, Newton County announced a partnership with the Covington Conyers Cycling Club (C4) to erect 50 signs throughout the county that will promote safety for cyclers on the road.

C4 intends to create more than 300 miles worth of trails throughout Newton, Rockdale, Walton and Jasper counties for cyclists to ride on. Through their partnership with Newton County, they hope to provide a safer environment for cyclists and encourage local citizens to stay active.

“Bike trails are huge in our community. They promote a healthy style of living,” Newton County Chairman Marcello Banes said. “We’re so excited to be partnering with the Covington Conyers Cycling Club for this initiative.”

John Keck, president of C4, expressed how vital the partnership with the local government is for the mission of his organization.

“[Thursday] was really the culmination of eight months of effort and energy put into developing routes in this four-county area,” Keck said. “We’ve identified the routes and gotten the cooperation of Newton County and the city of Covington. The marking of these routes gives people the opportunity to live that healthy lifestyle we promote in a safer fashion.”

Keck’s vision for C4 is to provide a safe riding environment for cyclists within the local four-county area through well-marked bike lanes and routes. It is his hope that by doing so, his organization will continue to adhere to their three pillars: advocating for safer conditions, promoting healthy lifestyles and giving back to the local communities.

“This is a great area to ride in. It’s a low-traffic area,” Keck said. “And now we have signs that protect our safety, so I think it’s going to be a tremendous benefit to the community as well as to the Covington Conyers Cycling Club riders.”

Newton County began to place signs on C4 trails last week to raise awareness about drivers sharing the road and watching out for cyclists.

“Working to support trails of all kinds is not only part of our strategic plan, but it also brings another amenity and shines another light on our county,” Banes said. “By just placing some signs on our roads we have shown that we support trails, are encouraging added quality of life and are providing a safe and secure environment for those living in and traveling to Newton County.”