Investigating the effects of bike lanes in Minneapolis

Are dedicated bike lanes near pedestrian friendly paths a safe transportation environment? I feel that bikes and electric scooters are more dangerous than cars.

Re: Investigating the effects of bike lanes in Minneapolis

#6

Post by aBioGuy » Thu, Jun 23, 2022, 2:42 PM UTC

If you make it pleasant to ride a bike - people will do it.

Where I live, there is an off-street bike path that was completed about 10 years ago. Since then many new businesses have opened along the path. The economic impact of pulling people OUT OF A CAR and INTO THEIR environment is perhaps under-appreciated.

Re: Investigating the effects of bike lanes in Minneapolis

#7

Post by vangelis » Thu, Jun 23, 2022, 2:43 PM UTC

It sounds like Minneapolis is doing great things.

Re: Investigating the effects of bike lanes in Minneapolis

#8

Post by pwenzel » Thu, Jun 23, 2022, 2:44 PM UTC

Minneapolis resident here. Biking is pretty serious in our city, even in the winter. Many of the bike lanes and paths are plowed with the same priority as car traffic. We also have the Grand Rounds, which is almost 80 miles of paths that circle the lakes in Minneapolis and further into St. Paul. It's pretty amazing.

Re: Investigating the effects of bike lanes in Minneapolis

#9

Post by boringg » Thu, Jun 23, 2022, 2:45 PM UTC

Easy equation - make safe biking in the city and people will use it instead of driving if weather permits. It's such an easy equation to improve the quality of a city.

Re: Investigating the effects of bike lanes in Minneapolis

#10

Post by thedevelopnik » Thu, Jun 23, 2022, 2:47 PM UTC

aBioGuy wrote: post #6

If you make it pleasant to ride a bike - people will do it. Where I live, there is an off-street bike path that was completed about 10 years ago. Since then many new businesses have opened along the path. The economic impact of pulling people OUT OF A CAR and INTO THEIR environment is perhaps under-appreciated.

Yeah Denver turned one of the residential roads in my neighborhood into an official bike road two years ago. They replaced stop signs with roundabouts, put up tons of signage, and where there are lights at major crossings they put sensors that are triggered by bikes.

Even though it’s still shared with cars, it’s so much more pleasant and safe because they are more aware and polite.

Went from biking being just a thing I do to get around to taking my son to and from school on his bike every day.