One Expert's Response to Misinformation from Bike Lane Opponents

Swatting down untruths and misinformation by bike lane opponents in St. Paul doesn't require a PhD, but it helps.

2 minute read

October 31, 2015, 1:00 PM PDT

By jwilliams @jwillia22


Bike Count

David B. Gleason / Flickr

Writing in BeyondChron, Bill Lindeke sets the record straight on a few points used by bike lane opponents as St. Paul expands its bicycle path network through the city. Lindeke, a St. Paul Planning Commissioner who has a PhD in geography and bicycle planning, writes about his frustration at flyers given to neighbors along Cleveland Avenue, where opponents have stepped up efforts to block a bike lane on the street that would result in the loss of or shift of some street parking to side streets.

If you believe that your career depends on a parking space, there’s no amount of research, argument, or kindness that will convince you that a bike lane might benefit Cleveland Avenue.

And to make a long story short, this flier represents a dishonest argument about street design that appeals to those invested in the status quo. On the surface, these objections might seem reasonable. But they actually reflect how inflexibility about street design and urban transportation, in order to cling to slight comforts, keeps a dangerous precedent in place for another decade.

Opponents have cited the proposed reduction of driving lane widths on Cleveland from 12 feet to 11 feet as creating a dangerous situation, although as Lindeke points out, just the opposite is true. Statistics show that in the urban environment wider lanes are more dangerous than narrower lanes.

Opponents are also asking that the route be entirely "off-street" for safety reasons, or else the entire thing should be scrapped. Lindeke notes that "smart cities build infrastructure for the whole range of bicyclists and allow them to choose where and how quickly they want to ride… it turns into a spectrum of bicycle infrastructure." Asking for perfection or nothing is just another tool of opponents to block bicycle lane development, Lindeke argues.

Thursday, October 29, 2015 in Beyond Chron

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

May 7, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Person in yellow safety suit and white helmet kneels to examine water samples outdoors on a lake shore.

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure

If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

May 1, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Aerial view of Freeway Park cap park over I-5 interstate freeway in Seattle, Washington at night.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

April 30, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

6-story building at Honolulu Community College.

Expanding Access to Design Education at Honolulu Community College

Honolulu Community College’s Architecture, Engineering & Construction Technologies program highlights the role of community colleges in preparing nontraditional students for careers in architectural and construction technologies.

15 minutes ago - University of Hawai'i News

"Radiation Zone, Keep Out" sign on wood post with red Arizona desert mesa in background

Integrating Human Rights Into Energy and Extractive Sector Transitions

Why just transition efforts must move beyond economic considerations by embedding human rights principles into business practices to ensure equitable, transparent, and accountable outcomes for affected communities and workers.

1 hour ago - Cambridge University Press

Concrete building wth Department of Housing and Urban Development sign

Blocked, Restored, Blocked Again — Housing Funds in Legal Limbo

Since Trump took office, the administration has blocked multiple affordable housing funding streams. Here's a look at which funds have been frozen, which have been reinstated, and which are in the courts.

2 hours ago - Shelterforce Magazine

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.