This is the 4th and final part in the 4 Keys to Bicycle Friendliness Series that I have been doing this week. Bicycle lanes, paths, and trails are the final key to bicycle friendliness in a community.
You may have noticed that the 4 keys have all been arranged by the amount of actual involvement needed from city officials. I did this because if you start by opening up
communication and then gradually increase the need for more involvement you can build a strong case for more drastic steps towards having a bicycle friendly community.
Bike lanes, paths, trails, and even wider outside lanes can ease tensions between cyclists and motorists. They accomplish this by giving everyone more room for their desired mode of transportation and limit the slow down caused by cyclists taking a lane for safeties sake which seems to frustrate a lot of non-cyclist drivers.
Bike lanes, paths, trails, and wider outside lanes all take planning and usually a fair amount of tax dollars to construct. Intersections, sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, etc. all have to be modified to accommodate these improvements. The only way to get this done is with community involvement. A bicycle club or even the city officials would not be able to do this on their own. Bicycle clubs, school officials, parents, city offices, and the general population of a community must work together to make these types of changes.
Support your cause by making everyone aware of the benefits of safer routes to schools for children. Cyclists can take more direct routes to the places they wish to go which makes cycling that much better. Work with motorists to get them on board because they will not be held up as often by cyclists. Find ways to get everyone working together, to accomplish something for the common good of your community.
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