This Can't Happen...I have an idea

As reported in the October, 2010 issue of Bicycling magazine, two towns in the United States have or have proposed banning bikes on their cities' streets. Black Hawk, Colorado has banned cyclists from most city streets for safety purposes. I have never been to Black Hawk, but the editors of Bicycling suggest that the law was passed so, "bus tourists and truckers traveling to local casinos wouldn't be inconvenienced by having to wait to pass bikes safely on narrow mountain roads." In St. Charles County, Missouri an ordinance has been proposed to ban cyclists from some state highways.

I am in support of this if these communities either close main road access to cars and trucks for bikes, runners and walkers to access all parts of the communities; or if they create dedicated and maintained lanes/trails that give bikers, runners and walkers access to all areas of their communities. I have no problem with communities keeping bike and pedestrian traffic off the space where motor vehicles drive, if bike and pedestrian traffic has dedicated and maintained space to ride that gives them same access to all parts of the community. Oh, sidewalks do not count. Sidewalks are not biking traffic friendly...not enough space.

If a community cannot create dedicated cycling lanes on their roads, or access paths/trails, it is absurd to keep them off the roads. I have mentioned in earlier posts, the easy solution is for every new federal dollar spent on road projects, 5o cents should go to cycling and pedestrian paths. Or if a road project uses federal dollars it should be required to include cycling lanes and side walks. This news from Colorado (of all places) and Missouri is very, very sad.