Bike Boulevards to Everyday Destinations
From "Transportation and Mobility Implementation Committee"
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I propose creating a network of bike boulevards (low vehicle traffic and speed streets) that connect to everyday destinations: grocery stores, K-12 schools, universities, and the transit center.
Bethlehem has wonderfully connected streets making it easy to walk and bike to where your everyday needs are, but these routes and destinations are often car-dominated making the journey there difficult. The largest concern that prevents people from riding a bike is fear of car traffic.
We can utilize existing roads where vehicle speeds are already lower like residential streets for bike boulevards. Proper signage, decreased speed limits and "BIKE BLVD" markings can indicate the route and alert cars to cyclist activity. The South Bethlehem Greenway has excellent examples of signage leading to different destinations and their distances. We can focus on upgrading intersections that are currently dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists.
It is also important to recognize that the majority of the places we do our shopping are car-oriented and unfriendly to pedestrians and cyclists, for example Stefko Blvd Shopping Center and Lehigh Shopping Center. Even our small town shops are located on along our car main arterial routes: Linden St, Broad St, and E 3rd St. A network of safe bike boulevards would help make getting to everyday necessities safer and make riding a bike more accessible to all.
We can look to cities of similar populations and resources as a role model for how they created a bike-friendly place:
Thanks!
