Balloon Biker and Indiana Dunes

A friend of mine has started her trek across the United States. Her first post was about the camping trip I accompanied her on to Indiana Dunes.

Where would you put bicycle lanes in the suburbs?

A discussion was started today over at The Chainlink asking, "Where should protected bike lanes get installed in the suburbs?"

I weighed in myself. In my opinion, if cycling is ever to be a viable day to day utility for people in the suburbs, decision makers must identify the connector streets. The roads that people must use. In Mokena, this is Route 30, Saint Francis road, Wolf, and a few others. Once these are identified, then a lane or separated path can be built.

Many roads in the suburbs are fine for cycling on, but if that 10% of the route is dangerous, then someone will just take their car.

If I had business on the other side of interstate 80, I have little or no safe options to cross the interstate. If just one of the roads crossing it had a shoulder, the issue would be moot.

If you build the infrastructure, what has been shown again and again.

Go on over and tell us your opinion.