The article I choose is “Autos vs. bikes: Watch for shrinking roads in metro Detroit” from the Detroit Free Press. In the article, it discusses the controversies surrounding road diets, which replace some traffic lanes with bike lanes. According to the article, there is a long-simmering tension between motorists and bicyclists over sharing the road. The supporter claims that bike lanes improve safety, business, and quality of life while the opponents call it “war on cars”. The opponents think those bike lanes are a waste of road since it was rarely be used. Some even claim that the sidewalk is enough for bicyclists. However, the article claims that there is strong evidence that adding bicycle lanes improve business. The article then discusses the bike lanes project conducted by the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) including the project of the Jefferson Avenue and Cass Avenues.
I have been working with bike-share in Detroit over this summer so I am pretty interest in the article related to bicycle lanes. I strongly support the construction of bicycle lanes and I don’t feel motorist provide compelling reasons against building bicycle lanes. The benefits of biking are tremendous. I can argue it from four aspects: economic, social, environment and health(the four aspects that I put on the MoGo impact report). Even though Detroit is known as Motor City, there is still a great portion of people do not own a motor vehicle so they have to rely on public transportation and bicycle to travel around the city. Building bicycle lanes help increase their mobility and improve cyclists’ confidence when biking in the streets. Also, replacing short-distance driving with biking can not only reduce the burn of fuel but can also encourage economic activity. However, motorists might be right about that some of the bike lanes are rarely been used. But with MoGo, slow roll, and other party’s effort, I believe the use of bicycle lanes will largely improve when people are able to access the bicycle easily.
Working at MoGo makes me personally connected with biking. Biking around Detroit makes me personally connected with the Detroit city. Thanks to the bicycle lanes in Cass Avenues, Kevin and I are able to feel more comfortable biking to work. Last week, I am able to attend a meeting held by SEMCOG. In the meeting, SEMCOG representatives discussed their survey and future vision of the bicycle lanes project. I was very excited to witness the process of policy-making. Bicyclists and cycling-related parties were all invited to the meeting and discussed their opinion about bike lanes. From SEMCOG’s survey, it reported that there is a need for bicycle lanes because there are a decent amount of people hope to use the bicycle to access certain area in their county. Not until I read this article that I realized there are other voices from motorists. It is interesting to read this article that makes me realize how important to work on advocating biking.
I have been working with bike-share in Detroit over this summer so I am pretty interest in the article related to bicycle lanes. I strongly support the construction of bicycle lanes and I don’t feel motorist provide compelling reasons against building bicycle lanes. The benefits of biking are tremendous. I can argue it from four aspects: economic, social, environment and health(the four aspects that I put on the MoGo impact report). Even though Detroit is known as Motor City, there is still a great portion of people do not own a motor vehicle so they have to rely on public transportation and bicycle to travel around the city. Building bicycle lanes help increase their mobility and improve cyclists’ confidence when biking in the streets. Also, replacing short-distance driving with biking can not only reduce the burn of fuel but can also encourage economic activity. However, motorists might be right about that some of the bike lanes are rarely been used. But with MoGo, slow roll, and other party’s effort, I believe the use of bicycle lanes will largely improve when people are able to access the bicycle easily.
Working at MoGo makes me personally connected with biking. Biking around Detroit makes me personally connected with the Detroit city. Thanks to the bicycle lanes in Cass Avenues, Kevin and I are able to feel more comfortable biking to work. Last week, I am able to attend a meeting held by SEMCOG. In the meeting, SEMCOG representatives discussed their survey and future vision of the bicycle lanes project. I was very excited to witness the process of policy-making. Bicyclists and cycling-related parties were all invited to the meeting and discussed their opinion about bike lanes. From SEMCOG’s survey, it reported that there is a need for bicycle lanes because there are a decent amount of people hope to use the bicycle to access certain area in their county. Not until I read this article that I realized there are other voices from motorists. It is interesting to read this article that makes me realize how important to work on advocating biking.
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