Allowing bikes on sidewalks pits cyclists against pedestrians, an advocate argues.

In the world of active transportation, "bike and pedestrian" is often uttered in one breath—as in "bike/ped," "ped/bike," "bike+ped," etc.
But for Douglas MacDonald, former Secretary of Transportation for the state of Washington, the two are not natural allies. Rather, in places without strong infrastructure for both—where neither walkers or cyclists can safely traverse car-dominated roads—they become adversaries competing for space on the sidewalk.
In Crosscut, MacDonald outlines how he sees this dynamic playing out in Seattle, where new state legislation allows e-bikes as well as regular bikes to be ridden on sidewalks. He argues that allowing any type of bike on the sidewalk is "a throwback to an earlier time," when cyclists were fewer and sidewalks were not recognized as "special refuge for the elderly or disabled." Not only do bikes in motion endanger pedestrians, he writes, but with the introduction of dockless bikeshare to the city, parked bikes are obstructing walking paths or encroaching on lawns.
On Planetizen, Ariel Godwin and Anne M. Price have dissected the implications of cycling on sidewalks, while Michael Lewyn has argued that pedestrians and cyclists should band together to fight for infrastructure that benefits both.
FULL STORY: E-bikers, these sidewalks are made for walking

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.

Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes
Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.

Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels
Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.
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