I would like to share this with the group, if it is OK with the
moderators: In my opinion, Winston-Salem -- like Greensboro --
must provide safe streets and equal access, especially in the central
business district (downtown area). City officials recently introduced
the first official bike lanes in Downtown Winston-Salem, a
3/10ths-of-a-mile stretch along Linden Avenue, between Fifth Street
and Martin
Luther King Drive. Unfortunately, this stretch will be terribly
underused, due to its location in an industrial block of town. Three
years earlier, the city had completed its first Downtown Master Plan
for bike lanes on Liberty Street, stretching all the way from Martin
Luther King to Brookstown Avenue, approximately two miles long. City
and transportation officials welcomed citizens to public meetings
where they would share valuable insight on these potential bike lanes
on Liberty, 4 blocks west of Linden. Unfortunately, many business
interests along Liberty opposed any plans for bicycle lanes, because
they said that a bicycle lane would eliminate needed parking spaces
close to their businesses, and bike riders would be serious
traffic hazards because of their proximity to parked cars! One of the
most vocal was a pawnshop owner: The majority of his clients are the
homeless, cyclists, and people without cars!

Let's look at the facts on Liberty Street:

1. Liberty Street is a wide two-lane one-way street which can easily
accommodate bicycle lanes, moving traffic, and parked cars on both
sides of the street AT THE SAME TIME.

2. The installation of a new bike lane, which would be placed only on
one side of the street, would cause no disruption to daily traffic
patterns or parking capacity overall. Less than 10 parking spaces
would be compromised in the upgrading process, which would safely
allow lane cut-offs at each affected intersection. The bike lane
itself, even though it would run next to parking spaces, would be
located safely away from parked cars, with ample room for vehicles
moving in the adjoining travel lane.

3. A dedicated bike lane would discourage bikers from riding against
the traffic flow and on downtown sidewalks, two major causes of
serious accidents.

It is truly a shame that city leaders indefinitely suspended such a
wonderful and far-sighted project, and succumbed to misinformation and
ignorance. The Liberty Street Master Plan and proposal would have
brought attention to Winston-Salem as a city that is serious about
alternative transportation, I believe. The Linden Avenue project may
be a beginning, but it will not be an effective one to encourage more
interest in biking around the Camel City!

To see a letter which I had written to The Journal addressing this
issue, please go here:

http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2008/jun/21/bicycle-lanes/?opinion-letters

If it is possible, I will post pictures of the Linden Avenue lanes in
the Photos section.

Ride Happy, Ride Free!

Jonathan