Bike Lanes, A Work in Progress

Are the Bike Lanes a work in Progress or just a lot of work? A quick informal survey last month revealed out of 36 responses only about 3 people thought they were a good idea. Bus drivers were upset that they were not consulted; most people said they would have liked them on less congested streets and the overall word used to describe the new lanes was a “nightmare”. And, when asked about the proposed bike lane for the Gerald Desmond Bridge, another nightmare, most folks believed we should be courting money that should go to improving our neighborhoods.
The bike lanes may in fact turn out to be a great thing for the city but why didn’t we put any in the North - South routes so working folks could actually use them to get to work and enjoy our great downtown? They may be coming, but once again the East – West Coastal routes are the first to get these changes. The much hated bike lanes actually bring money into the district via improved signalization (coming soon) and beautification measures like trees and potted plants. While on the city council, Rae Gabelich and I requested that comparable dollars be spent in other parts of the city, and not just in the downtown area.
Are the West, Central and North areas of the city once again losing out on federal dollars intended to improve the entire city, not just areas where bike riding is a recreational pastime. The City’s emphasis on increased tourism brings jobs in restaurants and hotels. These low wage jobs are mostly located in the downtown area. If a bike is your only means of transportation to school or work these can be a God send, but then again, that assumes that these bike lanes were actually meant to improve all our neighborhoods and provide assistance to people who actually need them! .