My top five reasons:
- It’s
heartbreaking to hear news of a cyclist’s death.
- Bicycle
lanes slow vehicles down, which makes our streets safer not only for
cyclists, but for drivers and pedestrians of all ages as well.
- Bicycle
lanes make us healthier because they encourage us to use active
transportation as a form of exercise. A healthier population lessens the
burden of health care costs on the public purse.
- Fewer car
trips means less wear and tear on our roads, which reduces the big expense
that are road repairs.
- Street
parking and bicycle lanes are not mutually exclusive. Unfortunately, they
are too often framed as such, and when bicycles “win”, there is resentment
from residents that don’t use them. In reality, many cities have streets
that incorporate both, including Norwich here in Guelph.
