There has been much discussion throughout the state of Pennsylvania recently about bike lanes on main roads. With gas prices going up, more and more men and women in the state of Pennsylvania are turning to bicycling as a primary source of transportation to work and bicycling makes sense with the initiative many are now taking to “go green.” Biking recreationally is also hugely popular among many in the state as well, especially in the Philadelphia area. With all of these factors coming into play, it is only natural that new bike lanes are being installed in towns and cities throughout the state. While many residents are ecstatic, some citizens and authorities are expressing concern.
Just a few months ago bike lanes were installed on busy King’s Street in the town of York Pennsylvania. The town even celebrated “Bike to Work Week” in honor of the new bike lanes, making headlines across the state. Even though these bike lanes have made for exciting news, several York residents say that they will not be using the bike lanes even if they are conveniently located along a short path to work.
They are afraid of the dangers of driving bikes on busy roads. Many are concerned about injury. One driver said he has witnessed drivers of cars driving right into the bike lanes carelessly.
Now the city of Philadelphia is abuzz about bike lanes. City councilman Bill Greenlee wants any future lanes to require council approval. To do so, Greelee wants to create an ordinance in Philadelphia to put the council in charge of bike lanes to be consistent with policies in place for regular motor vehicles.
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater disagrees with Greenlee. Director Alex Doty says “No city council approval is needed for new vehicular travel lanes, crosswalks, or bus stops.” He fears this will “put red tape” in front of the streets department traffic engineers and make it hard to put bike lanes in place.
No matter what your stance on bike lanes, remember to always bike and drive safely. Several bikers are injured each year. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident contact a Philadelphia accident lawyer or Philadelphia injury lawyer immediately.