Greenville, SC is similar. We have 27 miles of bike trails and it's always popular for work commutes or trips to the town north of us. Could be a great green initiative for numerous cities.
Investigating the effects of bike lanes in Minneapolis
31–40 of 258 posts
Re: Investigating the effects of bike lanes in Minneapolis
#32Minneapolis resident here. Unlike the other Minneapolis resident here, I feel like I see most of the bike lanes entirely disused. A project in my neighborhood turned a major thoroughfare into a one way with a separated bike lane, and I've seen maybe 40 people use it since it's completion a few years ago.
I'm curious what a 69% increase looks like in real numbers - a 20% increase on next to nothing is still next to nothing.
In my honest opinion Minneapolis is 75% of the year too hot or too cold for all but the most keen bikers.
Re: Investigating the effects of bike lanes in Minneapolis
#33#bike4life :)
Re: Investigating the effects of bike lanes in Minneapolis
#34If 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…
Where in Denver is this? Am local here and most of the city is dismal for biking safely with kids
Re: Investigating the effects of bike lanes in Minneapolis
#35If 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…
Are you talking about 16th? Moving from NYC, I appreciated the island of sanity that street provides in Denver’s car-dominated cityscape.
Re: Investigating the effects of bike lanes in Minneapolis
#36Easy 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.
if weather permits
Reminds me of an old cycling adage (possibly predates modern cycling, not sure):
There's no such thing as poor weather, only poor clothing choices.
I hate to come across as a Nordic fetishist, but there are several cold northern cities known for their year-round cycling. Bike paths are plowed and/or heated. And people just layer up. Oulu, Finland comes to mind - paths are designed to drain well so sheets of ice don't form, plows are paid bonuses for clearing snow in a timely manner, etc. Winter ridership numbers in Oulu would put most/all American cities' summer numbers to shame.
Re: Investigating the effects of bike lanes in Minneapolis
#37Fair question: Are dedicated bike lanes near pedestrian friendly paths a safe transportation environment? I feel that bikes and electric scooters are more dangerous than cars.
I'm going to assume it's safer. I can't remember the last time I heard about someone riding a bike or scooter killing a pedestrian. Oh wait, I've never heard of that. But I have heard of people driving cars that have killed:
- other people driving cars
- cyclists
- pedestrians
- themselves
Why do you feel that bikes and scooters are more dangerous than cars?
Re: Investigating the effects of bike lanes in Minneapolis
#38Fair question: Are dedicated bike lanes near pedestrian friendly paths a safe transportation environment? I feel that bikes and electric scooters are more dangerous than cars.
"The Answer May Surprise You!" Or maybe not surprising at all? I guess it doesn't happen very often, but according to this from last year, it's also not been studied.
https://etrr.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s12544-021-00...
Near accidents and collisions between pedestrians and cyclists
An online survey was directed to inhabitants of Finnish cities ... The main results show that near accidents are far more common... Only 16 survey respondents had been involved in a collision during the 3-year period, whereas roughly a third had experienced at least one near accident.
Re: Investigating the effects of bike lanes in Minneapolis
#39Fair question: Are dedicated bike lanes near pedestrian friendly paths a safe transportation environment? I feel that bikes and electric scooters are more dangerous than cars.
That feeling seems pretty absurd. Cars get dedicated infrastructure and kids are never allowed out on their own for fear of being run over.
Cars are more massive than bikes and scooters and kill almost everyone they hit at a minimum of 40mph. Bikes max out at 20mph with the exception for a racing cyclist. Also by weight they are far smaller.
Car produced noise, micro plastics, and exhaust also have detrimental effects on the environment we live in.
The list goes on an on. Bikes and scooters whizzing by pedestrians is annoying, but probably not the huge danger that is compared to a car.
Re: Investigating the effects of bike lanes in Minneapolis
#40I too miss all of the cycling I did in college. Unfortunately where I live now I'd just be run over if I were to cycle everywhere now. The costs of rural living I guess.