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Saw a new bike lane on my street in Denver and now I'm stuck on whether it actually helps
They put it in 3 months ago on a 6 block stretch and I count maybe 5 riders a day, but my neighbor says that's because the network isn't finished yet. Do new lanes get more riders over time or is that just what planners always say?
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the_wren24d ago
Used to roll my eyes at bike lanes too, figured they were just taking away parking for nothing. Then they finished a stretch near me that connected to a bigger trail, and about a year later I started seeing way more people on bikes, like it wasn't even the same street. Five riders a day on a 6 block stub sounds about right when it doesn't go anywhere yet, since nobody wants to ride six blocks and then get dumped into traffic. Give it time to hook up with the rest of the network before you write it off.
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shane_fisher3724d ago
Something nobody brings up is winter maintenance, because a lane that turns into a snow dump or ice rink for four months kills ridership no matter how well it connects. Curious if @the_wren saw the same street stay busy once the plows started pushing snow into it.
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