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
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly
The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.
LA's Top Parks, Ranked
TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.