More Protected Bike Lanes Added to Austin, NYC, Chicago

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dcfatherson — (Source: People for Bikes, http://ow.ly/zeryU)

Great changes are happening when it comes to bike lane improvements. From Austin, Texas to Chicago Illinois, protected bike lanes are beginning to pop up across the US, according to a Peopleforbikes blog post.

It’s rethinking our streets to accommodate more users says, David Vega-Barachowitz of the National Association of City Transportation Officials, in the article. Because protected bike lanes offer more safety to bicyclists than painted bike lanes, protected bike lanes may be the key to inspiring millions of Americans & Latinos to ride their bikes instead of driving to most places.

“Cities all over the country painted stripes on busy streets, and when these lanes attract only a modest increase in bicyclists, city officials conclude there is only limited interest in bicycling,” PeopleForBikes president Tim Blumenthal said in the blog post. “A lot of people just won’t venture out on busy roads without a greater level of protection from traffic.”

According to Peopleforbikes, since 2007 New York City (28.6% Latino) has added 42 miles of protected bike lanes to their streets. This occurred after Mayor Michael Bloomberg and transportation commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan launched a plan to improve street safety in the city.

Chicago (28.9% Latino) has recently added 23 miles of protected lanes and San Francisco (15.3% Latino) added 12 miles. Other cities like Austin, TX (35.1% Latino) added 9 miles, and Washington, DC (10.1% Latino) now has a total 7 miles of protected bike lanes.

In addition to improving safety for bicyclists and making ridership more attractive, the Peopleforbikes blog states that protected bike lanes can benefit everyone. For instance, protected bike lanes might: