As a dedicated bicycle commuter, I constantly reassure people concerned for my safety. To avoid injury, I have even lengthened my route to work to avoid riding on busy arterials, and I cross them only at controlled intersections.
Given that, I normally would applaud any attempt to improve cycling infrastructure, but Tacoma’s plan to squeeze bike lanes onto North 21st between Alder and Proctor is not safe and only serves to affirm the notion that cycling in the city is dangerous.
With so many safer options for east/west travel across the North End, why take a car lane away from a busy arterial and add a bike lane next to the whizzing cars? Neither drivers nor cyclists will approve of this bike lane. Drivers lose a lane, and cyclists will see higher traffic on safer bike routes close to North 21st.
This will be just another bike lane (AKA: anxiety alley) to nowhere. If the city is serious about climate control, public health and quality of life, it should take its paint and new pavement to areas of the city where cyclists have fewer options, like my daily death trap: roads leading to the new bridges across Interstate 5.
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