Now
Fair
83°
High
82°
Low
63°
Full Forecast

Jobs

Cars

Homes

Rentals

Alerts

Subscribe
Home > News > Local
Bookmark Us   •   Make Us Your Homepage

Cindy Lange-Kubick: Bike lanes? Good idea, bad design

Comments 41 comment(s)  
E-mail Story E-mail Story
Print Story Print Story
Share  Share
Text Size: 
Tools Sponsor

Saturday, Jun 30, 2007 - 11:59:40 pm CDT

Bike lanes are sensible.

They’re progressive.

They’re hip and cool.

Story Photo

They play to all the things we and those savvy 2015 visioners want our city to be.

Except, you know those bike lanes in downtown Lincoln? Those itty-bitty, gang plank-wide strips down the middle of our one-ways?

Let’s just say this: Great idea, not so great execution.

I’m noticing this more since I started biking to work on sunny summer mornings.

I seem to have no trouble scooting north down 14th Street from my Indian Village home, pedaling merrily along, skirting parked cars and dodging careless squirrels until suddenly — annoyingly! — magically, the bike lane appears, like the Yellow Brick Road to Oz, just as perilous, only much, much shorter.

First, there’s the problem of getting from your relatively safe space into the bike lane.

And then there is figuring out, a few short blocks later, how to get out of the bike lane without ending up like one of those flattened squirrels you just passed.

Maybe it’s just me, I think, watching other bikers forge fearlessly along the concrete tightrope, their backs to approaching traffic on both sides.

Thursday, when I decide to play it safe and drive downtown, I spot a bike merging into its lane.

I roll down my window at the stoplight on O Street.

How do you like riding in the bike lanes, I ask in my most fair and balanced journalist voice.

Jewel Noll doesn’t hesitate: “I think it’s really scary.”

The graduate student, on her way to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus, grew up in Wisconsin, where not only do they make good Gouda, they design darned good bike lanes.

She’s always owned a helmet, Jewel explains. She just never wore it until she got to Lincoln.

Not only does she have a problem with her lane being in the middle of the street, she can’t figure out the logic of which street they chose.

A bike lane on a bus route?

“It’s silly.”

The buses have to dodge her. She has to dodge the buses. Cars have to dodge them both.

“It seems like the whole bike system is an afterthought. Drivers are irritated. I feel like the buses are probably really irritated.”

And Jewel?

“My comfort level is absolutely gone.”

Longtime Lincoln biker Bill Swearingen agrees. The 14th Street bike lane? Bad idea.

“I think 12th Street is way better.”

Fewer buses, less traffic, still a straight shot to the University.

Sarah Porto has issues with the bike lanes, too, as a driver.

Try figuring out the lanes on 11th Street, she says.

Is that short skinny space with parked cars on one side and a bike lane on the other near the parking garage a driving lane? If it is, why do so many people keep giving her the one-fingered salute when she’s in it?

She called the police to make sure the lane she was driving in was a real one.

“They said it was.”

That doesn’t stop traffic on the other side of the bike lane from turning into her.

“If you’re in the wider lane and you’re turning left you’ll cut off a bike. People don’t know what to do.”

It’s a big deal, she says.

Can anyone say, accident waiting to happen?

“The idea of bike lanes is great,” says Porto. “But ...”

But.

That sums up my bike lane thoughts perfectly: Bike lanes are great, but not just for the sake of having them.

I don’t have the ultimate solution.

Although Jewel did mention that back in Wisconsin, where lots more people ride bikes, and fewer people need to find parking downtown, some businesses offer financial incentives for people to bike to work.

A dollar a day to bike to the office? I’ll take it.

The more bikes on the road, the harder it will be for cars and cities to ignore their needs.

And to continue my quest to be fair and balanced, I called city transportation planner David Cary, who says the bike lanes are standard width, 12th Street wasn’t chosen because it’s not a continuous one-way and a lane in the middle of the road is safer than one next to parked cars.

The truth is, bicyclists still have to get from home to the bike lanes. And from the bike lanes to work and back again.

And the truth also is that some of Jewel’s bike-riding friends have started to take alternate routes to campus.

Why?

To avoid those scary bike lanes.

Reach Cindy Lange-Kubick at 473-7218 or clangekubick@journalstar.com.


$1 Sunday Delivery - Subscribe Today!
Local > Back to Top of Story

Post Your Comment

Standards and Rules
All posts to JournalStar.com are subject to our Terms and Standards.
Your posted comment will appear after it has been approved.
Frequently asked questions about story commenting.
(optional)
   
Hide Comments Hide Comments   Newest First Newest First  
Cat wrote on July 1, 2007 12:13 am:
" I would have put the bike lanes on the right, where bikes are supposed to be normally. Just give them a bit of extra room. In the center is just awkward and annoying. But I'll give kudos to those that actually use them. I usually get stuck behind the biker who ignores the lanes, and the rules ,and just goes whereever and however they want. "

 Rich wrote on July 1, 2007 2:57 am:
" Maybe you should just ride on the sidewalk. That way, you will be forced to pay attention to every driveway, like you should anyways even if you are on the street. These lanes are a not designed for amatuer bicyclists; they require skills that are honed by the ultra-paranoia induced by being on alert every 50 feet for cross-traffic. Amatuers will quickly realize that the bike lanes are there for those that have been doing this for years. Stick to the sidewalks and slow down for every blind driveway and crosswalk. You'll thank yourself for the alertness that this exercise builds. "

 Mitchell wrote on July 1, 2007 4:05 am:
" I am downtown daily, and basically split my time between my bije and my car. These buke lanes are the most poorly thought out bije planes on the planet. Whether it is safer or not that the lanes are in the middle of the road is not the point. The lanes shrink 14th street to one effective lane, and traffic is now backing up all the way through M street. I am willing to bet that the wizards who disigned this are neither bikers nor very smart. Well done fine City of lincoln bureaucrats. Aaaaargh! "

 What A Joke wrote on July 1, 2007 7:20 am:
" Bike Lanes???? What a huge joke they are. As one person who was recently hit by a car (and NOT downtown) I try to avoid the downtown area as much as possible. It would seem the riding in the "Bike path" downtown just makes me an easier target. I find myself either riding through the alleys (possible flats) or simply going down other streets that are not marked as bike paths. Perhaps the city planners should have let someone who ACTUALLY rides pick the streets. I, for one, prefer to travel down a street with less traffic. Buses AND cars. Traveling along the bus route is, by itself, inherently dangerous as the drivers are looking for CARS and NOT bicycles. One would thing that with all the money spent on studies that at least ONE would have addressed the bike paths. Other cities I have been to have done a lot to accomodate bicycle riders. From completely closing streets to pedestrians and bicycles to closing a lane or even, heaven forbid, allowing bicycles on the sidewalks in the downtown area. After all, aren't the sidewalks downtown large enough for a MARKED bike path on them? Just a thought. "

 d wrote on July 1, 2007 8:32 am:
" I dont think the width of the bike lane is a problem as they are comparable to lanes around the country, but the design is extremely weak. Can they not at least TALK to somebody working for a city with successful bicycle commuting lanes like Madison, Chicago, SF? With our parking problems I cant believe this city wont make this topic (and public transportation with bike-racks) a high priority. Of course our new mayor is a Lawyer and career bueracrat, so as long as he has reserved parking for his lexus, he wont care as much about bicycle transportation as who's got lawn care contracts. "

 Noah wrote on July 1, 2007 9:53 am:
" What I would like to see is bike lanes on the side of the road. It would require repainting the lanes and moving the parking spots away from the sidewalk, but I would feel much safer if I were riding alongside parked cars rather than in the middle of the street. Or... just abolish the prohibition on bike-riding on downtown sidewalks! The bike lanes on the side of the road appears in Boston and Chicago, and seems to be a good system. "

 Erik wrote on July 1, 2007 10:51 am:
" I agree with Rich. It's just a big inconvenience for most drivers to have a biker almost riding along with you. Just have them ride on the sidewalks. Pedestrians would have to watch out if a biker comes along their path. I don't see many bikers along downtown during the lunch hour. "

 Helen wrote on July 1, 2007 11:02 am:
" Bike lanes are great. I agree that the design of Lincoln's aren't the greatest. I understand why the are in the center of the street, because of cars backing out of stalls, but this plan was just an attempt to say we have some bike lanes. Try them on different streets, since these were just a test. I normally just ride the streets when downtown, but I go as fast as traffic most of the time and ride very defensively. I'll use the bike lanes, but there are no E/W ones. Unfortunately Lincoln hasn't thought about alternative transportation in the past and has to play catch-up now. Hard to do effectively. "

 Scott wrote on July 1, 2007 11:13 am:
" You're all crazy. Lincoln needs bike lanes; they just need a little help figuring out how to do it. Visit Oregon. Every city has bike lanes (even my small town of 30,000) on their main arterial streets and they work just fine. For Lincoln to get their bike lanes to work it might mean re-designing parking to parallel spots or perhaps back-in diagonal. Bike lanes work--Lincoln is just still a novice with them. Keep at it and things'll work just fine. "

 Byekin wrote on July 1, 2007 11:17 am:
" I understood the bike lanes to be sort of an experiment by the City. I applaud their efforts but agree the design/location could be better. I am not at all afraid to ride in them even during rush hour, however, I consider myself an experienced cyclist. I hope eventually we'll see more bike lanes after cyclist/motorist get more accustomed to them. "

 Barbara wrote on July 1, 2007 11:35 am:
" Sidewalk riding is very, very dangerous. Cars exiting driveways will not see a sidewalk cyclist until it's too late; cyclists on the sidewalks jeopardize the safety of pedestrians. Bicycles belong in the street - NOT the sidewalk. Traffic moves slowly enough downtown (speed limit is 25 mph, with most cars going about 15mph) that bicycles should behave as what they actually are, legally- vehicles. To be safe on a bike: ride in the road; don't ride beside parked cars; don't weave in and out of traffic; stop at all stop lights and stop signs; don't ride on the sidewalk, ever; take the lane at an intersection; SIGNAL your turns. Motorists, to be safe around cyclists in traffic - yield the right of way as you would to any other car, if the situation warrants it; don't pass a cyclist on the left and then immediately try to turn right (you would never do this to another car!); give room while passing a cyclist; remember that cyclists are NOT REQUIRED to use a bike lane; remember that cyclists are legally allowed to use any route, any road (except freeways), not just those labelled "bike route." "

 Michael Michael Bicycle wrote on July 1, 2007 11:42 am:
" Significant thought was put into the existing lane design, including examining designs in other cities. There's nothing so hard or scary about riding in the lanes; it's certainly no tougher than it would be riding along with the cars and buses in the 'normal' lanes. Bike lanes on the right would have problems too, as you would learn when a car pulled in or out of a parking space right in front of you or passed you on the left only to make a sudden right (say, on P Street). No, the bike lanes are not ideal, but any design is going to be a compromise between the needs of motorists and the needs of cyclists. Just be smart, alert, aware of the rules of the road, and you'll be fine. "

 Michael Michael Bicycle wrote on July 1, 2007 11:47 am:
" @Erik: Why is it more inconvenient to have a bicycle along side you when you're driving, than it is to have a car in an adjacent lane? Remember, bicyclists are granted by state law the same rights and duties given to motorists. "

 Observer wrote on July 1, 2007 12:50 pm:
" I would agree that the downtown area needs accommodations for bike riders. However, the lane that was "designed" for 14th Street is downright dangerous. The traffic on 14th Street is much to heavy to accommodate bicyclists safely. My suggestion would be to make 12th Street into a pedestrian/bike mall with bike lanes both directions from K Street to R Street. Pedestrians should not have to deal with bicyclists riding on downtown sidewalks. With my apologies to all bicyclists who do obey the traffic laws, my observation from driving on downtown streets and from watching from my office window at lunch time is that many bicyclists consider themselves above the rules of the road, treating red lights as though they were stop signs. "

 biker, but not downtown wrote on July 1, 2007 3:53 pm:
" The story should have included that riding a bike on downtown sidewalks is ILLEGAL!! This is becoming a huge problem and the police need to crack down on this. I seen several people walking get hit by careless bike riders. Last month I walked out of a downtown restaurant and was nearly clipped by a biker flying by. Stay off the sidewalks! I have no problems with bikers on the street, but unfortunately most seem to think they own the road rather than sharing it. I'll still to biking on the trails around town. "

 Michael Michael Bicycle wrote on July 1, 2007 4:46 pm:
" @Observer: You're absolutely right that cyclists should obey the rules of the road and traffic laws. Cyclists that blow traffic lights will be ticketed if they are caught; I've seen it happen. However, I'm forced to disagree about the safety of cyclists on 14th Street. I ride there frequently, often at rush hour. It's completely rideable, and plenty safe. "

 Experienced Biker wrote on July 1, 2007 5:21 pm:
" Bicycling on the sidewalk is only very, very dangerous if you ride like an idiot at breakneck speeds or do not pay attention. You should be paying attention to each driveway and crossing regardless if you are on the street or sidewalk. You shouldn't ride on the street if you can't keep up with traffic, and you should ride on the sidewalk any faster than will allow you to stop within a foot or two. When pedestrians are present, you shouldn't ride faster than at a jogging pace. "

 Michael Michael Bicycle wrote on July 1, 2007 7:26 pm:
" @Experienced Cyclist: Bicycles and cyclists don't have to be able to 'keep up with traffic' to ride in the streets. Bicycles ARE traffic. And, it's true, riding on the sidewalk is measurably more dangerous than riding on the adjacent roadway. Studies (such as this one: http://www.bicyclinglife.com/Library/Moritz2.htm) show that the likelihood of a crash is much greater when cyclists ride on the sidewalk. Please be careful about spreading misconceptions. "

 Jon wrote on July 1, 2007 8:50 pm:
" Those bike lanes are about the most unsafe thing I've ever seen. I never know whether to cross them and then miss the corner I wanted to turn on. Had so people from out of state visiting, and they were shocked and thought the city must be nuts for doing that. They said they wouldn't ride their bikes down those lanes for a million. I have seen some bikers almost get hit, I try to stay out of downtown because of it. "

 A Lincoln pedestrian wrote on July 1, 2007 9:13 pm:
" Bikes belong on the street. Bikers should obey all traffic rules too. Motorists should allow bikes to ride down the streets without trying to sideswipe them, cut them off, or knock the biker into oblivion, or honk and yell obscenties at the biker just because they are on the road riding their bikes. Bikers are taypayers too and have the right to be on the roads. I don't want bikers on sidewalks, because I have been almost hit too many times to count. Have heard also too many horror stories about pedestrians being knocked down flat by bikers driving down the sidewalks at 90 miles an hour. My point is that Lincolnites--both drivers and bikers need to be considerate of each other. We all need to get past the thoughts that "I" and "me" are the most important people out on the road. "

 kiwi wrote on July 1, 2007 10:12 pm:
" The design of the current bike lanes suggests that they were designed with ultimate failure in mind. There are alternate configurations for bike lane design in the downtown area that would suit traffic both bike and auto better. Lincoln bike lanes for whatever reason - premeditated failure. "

 John wrote on July 1, 2007 10:13 pm:
" The first time I saw those bike routes all I could think was someone is going to get hit and killed and some motorist will also have his life ruined. I don't know the means to solve a bike route problem other than I do suggest the city hold a series of meetings and encourage the bikers to attend and give input. "

 ZW wrote on July 1, 2007 10:23 pm:
" I notice in this article that they make no mention of it being illegal to ride on the sidewalks in downtown Lincoln. Bicyclists are safer riding on the sidewalks instead of the streets with some of the drivers that I have seen in the city. Having a bike lane in the middle of the street is an accident waiting to happen. Please move the lanes. "

 Barbara wrote on July 2, 2007 12:58 am:
" Hmm, I guess it's true that the current bike lanes are poorly designed and dangerous, given the large number of accidents and deaths that have happened since they were installed --- oh wait, there have been NO accidents or deaths! Minneapolis, for example, has exactly these kind of lanes - and they are heavily used. Motorists just treat the lane like another lane of traffic, which of course it is. Would you drive without looking into another lane of traffic? Just pay attention. "

 Bob wrote on July 2, 2007 8:04 am:
" The City's Downtown Master Plan called for bike lanes on 11th & 12th. Because of businesses that complained, the northbound lane got moved to 14th. Look around at what other bike friendly cities do and you'll see there isn't anything that "wrong" with what we've got. You can't have a bike lane on the right side of a mandatory right turn lane, which we've got most blocks downtown. Hence the lanes end up "in the middle" of the street. Yeah they could be better, but try to get LIBA or DLA to support removing any parking to allow the lanes to be moved closer to the curb! "

 Downtown Worker wrote on July 2, 2007 9:55 am:
" I agree! Bike lanes are good, but there were VERY poorly thought out! They are important but a big pain in my rear when I'm trying to drive during rush hour down here! There just isn't enough room! You have a bike lane, a turning lane and a lane going straight or turning the other way! It's too little room for all the cars, not to mention the buses!!!! "

 Biker who likes to stay alive wrote on July 2, 2007 11:20 am:
" I ride hundreds of miles a month in a city much larger than Lincoln. If people don't feel safe in a bike lane, they aren't going to use it. Personally, I would rather ride next to parked cars than in the middle of the street. Yes you have to watch for turning vehicles that might cut you off, but at least they are fairly easy to monitor. I approach every intersection assuming there's a right-turner that's going to cut in front of me. Sometimes they do, but often they will yield once they see I am paying attention. I love my bike, but I have no illusions about who's in charge out there. It's the people in the big-heavy vehicles, and I am at their mercy. The sooner you figure that out and accept it, the better off you will be. "

 Cars in bike lanes??? wrote on July 2, 2007 12:14 pm:
" Did I read the article right - did she say the Lincoln Police told her it was OK to drive cars in bike lanes? The city's website specifically says that the bike lanes are for the exclusive use of bicycles. http://www.lincoln.ne.gov/city/plan/study/shareroad.pdf Cars can cross over them but cannot drive down them. The problem is that the city tried to make everyone happy and has made noone happy. They need to put the lanes are more suitable roads. "

 Scott wrote on July 2, 2007 1:27 pm:
" I bike downtown and obey the prohibition on riding on sidewalks wherever possible. The mixing of bikes, cars and buses was indisputably dumb and dangerous. Especially when the bike lane is STILL right next to where cars can back out without being able to see you. Also, if you don't want cars driving in bike lanes, raise the roadway on the edges of the bike lane. But the best solution I can see is this: Turn 15th into a bike lane. "

 Nate wrote on July 2, 2007 1:29 pm:
" I must admit, I felt safer riding my bike on those streets before the bike lanes were added. Good idea, poor execution. As others have mentioned, we need something more revolutionary, such as reverse-angle parking, or turning a street into a designated bike/pedestrian mall. Or even moving the parking out a ways to accommodate redesigning the sidewalks to handle bikes. "

 Barbara wrote on July 2, 2007 2:54 pm:
" I don't like bike lanes in general, because they foster the misconception among drivers AND cyclists that bicycles are not traffic and need to be treated differently! All these extra lanes cause confusion, because so few people are confident enough of their road skills (drivers and cyclists) to use them correctly. Bike lanes do NOT make cyclists safer on the road, they only give the impression of safety. A painted line does not protect you. My solution - no bike lanes, bikes on the street as vehicles, because they are vehicles. Cyclists should ride as they drive, using the same rules. Motorists should treat a bicycle as they would a slower-moving vehicle such as a piece of farm equipment or construction equipment. Just *pass when it is safe to do so* as you would normally! This is especially easy downtown, where cars move slowly as it is, with all the intersections and signals. People in cars don't want to run anyone over; if cyclists are visible, not on the sidewalk, and behaving in a predictable manner, everyone will know what to do. "

 patio wrote on July 2, 2007 3:16 pm:
" Maybe if more cops on bikes road around downtown, more drivers would be more cautious and tolerant of bikes downtown. Driver's seem to have no prolem yelling or cutting off a biker, but perhaps if that biker had a badge and a radio... ... And bike lanes should be next to curbs, not out in the middle of the street or along side parked cars. "

 Kelly wrote on July 2, 2007 3:30 pm:
" For nearly 10 years I have regularly commuted by bicycle 7 miles across town to my job downtown. I also own a car that I regularly drive when cycling is not practical. I applaud the city for their efforts to install bike lanes, however I think the design is flawed. Most cyclists in the downtown area travel at nearly the same speed as auto traffic. I have regularly ridden 14th street northbound and my personal experience is that I felt safer riding in the lane of traffic than the new bike lane placed between two lanes of traffic. The bike lane effectively reduced the capacity of the street from 3 to 2 lanes, making it more congested and hence more dangerous and less efficient and frustrating for all involved. One way traffic with parking on both sides and alternating right/left turns at every other intersection necessitates that traffic frequently cross the bike lane creating a dangerous situation. Riding a bicycle on a downtown sidewalk is dangerous to both pedestrians and cyclists. It is dangerous for pedestrians because of the likelihood he/she will stop or turn unexpectedly in front of a cyclist and cause a collision. It is dangerous for cyclists because cars do not anticipate bicycles that move faster than pedestrians to enter intersections, alleys, and driveways. Besides the safety issues, riding a bicycle on a sidewalk is much less efficient than riding in the road. Most bicyclists like everyone else in our society are in a hurry to get where they are going and streets are the fastest option. Bike lanes are usually most effective on main arterial streets where heavy traffic flows at a higher rate of speed. Bike lanes are unnecessary on lightly traveled side streets or streets where the speed limit is low. Consider moving the north-south lanes to 16th and 17th streets extending from South Street to Vine and create east-west lanes on K and L Streets from 10th to 21st. This design would make it safer for cyclist to travel on those roads and complement existing off street bike paths. Both drivers and cyclists must know and obey the rules of the road as well as have a mutual respect for one another. "

 Jody P. wrote on July 2, 2007 4:00 pm:
" It would be hilarious to see a busy city with nothing but bicyclists. Since they all run stop signs without slowing down, and they all treat red lights as if they were only flashing red lights, a busy intersection would be one big pile-up of idiots. Can you imagine? I know that a lot of SE Asian cities have a lot of cyclists, but I would guess that the cyclists probably treat traffic laws as more than mere suggestions over there. "

 90 MPH wrote on July 2, 2007 4:37 pm:
" If anyone can ride down a sidewalk at 90 miles an hour, they're in the wrong line of work! Who was this that you saw riding 90mph? Maybe you meant 15 mph. "

 Sampson wrote on July 2, 2007 6:34 pm:
" I didn’t attend a Lincoln Public School so I missed out on the class on “Traffic Engineering” that everyone else in Lincoln got but this is my two cents anyway. The design currently use in Lincoln is the same as the ones used efficiently in many other cities much bigger than Lincoln. So we can keep what we have or we can remove over 50 downtown parking spots and unnecessarily spend more city money to move it to the right side of the road. As for moving them to other streets… you end up with the same problem on all of them. Although I do like the idea of adding more a bike lanes to 16th and 17 from South st. to Vine st. "

 Flash Gordon wrote on July 2, 2007 9:49 pm:
" There is no way imaginable that you could get me to ride down the middle of a downtown street in a "bike lane." It's the most ridiculous concept I've ever seen. I'm just waiting for someone to get hit or killed and have the city face a multi-million dollar lawsuit. The city will deserve to pay every penny a judge awards the victim. "

 CS wrote on July 3, 2007 9:51 am:
" If the motorist isn't paying attention, I suppose. If the cyclist is riding like some of the ones that I see then the city won't be liable. Since when is stupidity compensable? I ride occasionally both downtown and elsewhere and I don't know what is worse-drawing a target on myself from bike hating motorists that can't go through me when I take the lane, or watching other cyclists disregard traffic rules so the car behind me can take out their ire on me since im stopped in front of them. "

 Respect Starts with the LPD wrote on July 3, 2007 12:20 pm:
" This morning as I was commuting by bicycle to my downtown job I was cutoff by a vehicle as I traveled west bound on Q street. I was traveling at the same speed as the traffic around me, slowing to stop as I approached an intersection with a red light when I heard a vehicle approaching from behind floor it around me. The vehicle sped around me, and then cut into my lane right in front of me just in time to stop for the red light, causing me to slam on my brakes to avoid rear ending the vehicle. To my surprise it was a LPD parking enforcement vehicle (#419). As we waited for the light to change the officer eyed me in his rear view mirror so I shook a disapproving finger at him (mind you the index finger not the middle finger). He got out of his vehicle and said in a confrontational tone, “What?” I replied, “You cut me off!” His reply was, “I used my turn signal!” He got back in his vehicle with no apology and avoided eye contact at the next stoplight. … Since when does using your turn signal suffice as an excuse for aggressive, reckless, irresponsible driving? As mentioned earlier, mutual respect between drivers and cyclists in addition to obedience to the law is essential. Perhaps our own law enforcement officers could start by setting an example. This guy should have been thanking me; I was one less ticket he had to write today for downtown parking. "

 bicycletreker wrote on July 4, 2007 11:56 am:
" Thanks for keeping the bicycling issues in the news. The more people see and read about it the more they will be educated. I do commute almost every day of the year to work, so on one level I appreciate the attempt. But I find the quality of the streets for the bike lanes (and bike routes for that matter) to be so low that they produce a hazard just to ride onthem. Avoiding the potholes and rough roads makes it unsafe for riders who have to dodge these areas and drivers have no idea that bicycles might need to avoid dangerous situations as it is. One Last note on and earlier article about bicycles racks on Star Tran Buses. THere was an email campaign throughout the city supporting this measure. 100s of names supported this issue. to report that there was not any public interest in this disappointing and little investigative reporting seemed to be done. "

 Jewel wrote on September 20, 2007 3:29 pm:
" Where I have been in Europe the sidewalks are wide with a line painted down the center, one half for pedestrians, one half for bikers. Simple. Just stay in your lane. "

Ads by Yahoo!

More Stories In Local