Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Streetsblog

Cyclists Need More Than Bike Lanes

Think bike lanes are enough to get people biking? WalkBikeCT would have you think again. A post on this Streetsblog Network member site today says that a more comprehensive planning approach is necessary to make most people feel safe on two wheels:

511799212_724dd43c28.jpgPhoto from BikePortland.org's photo pool on Flickr.

The reason cycling as transportation is not too popular in this country is that, as a policy, roads are optimized for recklessly fast automobile travel.…As you might guess, bike lanes, i.e. paint stripes and a bicycle symbol on the side of the road, are not going to help this situation much. A few people might feel safer and venture into the road, but at the end of the day you still have cars traveling fast enough to easilyand instantly kill a human being.

Designing towns optimized for pedestrian travel, where cars proceed slowly enough that they can safely share the road with pedestrians and cyclists — that’s a solution you can believe in.

From Ohio, we have two encouraging posts. Car Less Ohio writes about a new office park development in Wooster, OH, that is being designed with 8,000 feet of sidewalk and a bike path. And Xing Columbus reports that the Central Ohio Transit Authority's stimulus wish list includes a light rail project, a bike path and a greenway.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

EXCLUSIVE: OMNY Debuts on Fair Fares After Delays

The long-awaited Fair Fares expansion will launch as a three-month pilot for a few dozen riders.

May 1, 2024

Good Luck Docking Your Citi Bike In Lower Manhattan

Many frustrated commuters to Lower Manhattan opted to simply abandon their Citi Bikes undocked due to the lack of open spots in the area.

Wednesday’s Headlines: ‘ACE’ in the Hole Edition

The MTA approved a $141-million contract to put hundreds of new automated traffic enforcement cameras on buses. Plus more news.

May 1, 2024

Trump Trial Street Closures Push Pedestrians, Cyclists into Busy Traffic

News vans have dangerously blocked the sidewalk and bike lane on Lafayette Street daily since Donald Trump's trial began nearby two weeks ago.

April 30, 2024

Eyes On The Street: Coastal Resiliency Causes Mess For Pedestrians and Cyclists

Unfortunately for cyclists and pedestrians, this situation won't be fixed until "at least 2026.”

See all posts