I live in Columbia, MO and the bike routes here are one reason I took my job here. The reality is that when people can bike and walk more, they are less car dependent and this can free up money that is spent at local businesses. It is a win-win and unlike our highways which are built on debt, is an investment that holds up longer.
Chestnut Street here in West Philadelphia used to be a 3 lane speedway. A few years ago they cut it down to 2 car lanes and added a parking-protected bike lane (the bike lane is between the sidewalk and the parking lane on the north side of the street). They also put in nice concrete islands at the front and back of each block for pedestrians waiting to cross between the bike lane and the travel lanes.
It’s much safer, and while hardly Edenic, a much nicer space to be in than the wasteland feeling it used to give off. What’s more? Travel times by car are just as smooth. The lights are timed for traffic going about 30 mph. You sort of cruise on through. It’s better for everyone!
Tremendous idea. The more abstracted we are from physical, in-person reality, the more likely we are to be at odds with one another. I appreciate your ability to meld idealism with nuts-and-bolts pragmatism.
Would be fantastic if Gravois could be narrowed. Crossing as a cyclist on a green light is a crapshoot. Take too long and the racing cars at the light will try to run one down. There has, in my 26 years here, never been speed enforcement there. Maybe we should get even more police, seeing we only have 3x the per capita number of same size cities...
I live in Columbia, MO and the bike routes here are one reason I took my job here. The reality is that when people can bike and walk more, they are less car dependent and this can free up money that is spent at local businesses. It is a win-win and unlike our highways which are built on debt, is an investment that holds up longer.
Chestnut Street here in West Philadelphia used to be a 3 lane speedway. A few years ago they cut it down to 2 car lanes and added a parking-protected bike lane (the bike lane is between the sidewalk and the parking lane on the north side of the street). They also put in nice concrete islands at the front and back of each block for pedestrians waiting to cross between the bike lane and the travel lanes.
It’s much safer, and while hardly Edenic, a much nicer space to be in than the wasteland feeling it used to give off. What’s more? Travel times by car are just as smooth. The lights are timed for traffic going about 30 mph. You sort of cruise on through. It’s better for everyone!
Tremendous idea. The more abstracted we are from physical, in-person reality, the more likely we are to be at odds with one another. I appreciate your ability to meld idealism with nuts-and-bolts pragmatism.
Would be fantastic if Gravois could be narrowed. Crossing as a cyclist on a green light is a crapshoot. Take too long and the racing cars at the light will try to run one down. There has, in my 26 years here, never been speed enforcement there. Maybe we should get even more police, seeing we only have 3x the per capita number of same size cities...