A Troubling Trend of Backlash to Bike Lanes

“The trend to remove bike lanes is growing, and it is scary, and based in an imaginary world where the only thing that exists is a car and its suburban driver,” writes Ron Johnson in Momentum, drawing attention to a troubling trend that is seeing city officials in U.S. and Canadian cities removing hard-won bike infrastructure.

At the federal level in the United States, President Trump has expressed disdain for bike lanes and a desire to kill New York City’s congestion program (along with its bike infrastructure). But the trend began before his election, with cities like Ontario and San Mateo moving to destroy existing bike infrastructure.

It’s one thing to remove a painted bike lane, which offered little protection anyway. But, to invest the resources to actually remove safe and separated bike lanes that take planning, and millions of dollars of investment, is so non-sensical it’s always comedic if it weren’t so tragic.

For Johnson, part of the problem stems from the lack of long-term vision and commitment to cycling infrastructure. “A real bike network isn’t just a few painted lines or token bike boulevards. It’s a commitment to creating a connected, protected network that spans an entire city—one that allows cyclists to get from point A to point B without dodging traffic, worrying about unsafe intersections, or feeling like an afterthought in a car-dominated city.”

People who want to see bike infrastructure continue to grow must, in Johnson’s view, advocate loudly for it against the tide of opposition. “It won’t be easy, but it’s crucial that we continue to push for safe, accessible, and well-connected bike networks in our cities.”