4. Bike facilities

So-called "protected"--a more accurate term is "hidden"--bike lanes are currently illegal in PA. That includes the one on Walnut St. The Vehicle Code requires vehicles to be parked within 1 ft. of the curb or edge of pavement. An attempt to modify that law passed the Assembly in the last session but was not acted on by the Senate. Therefore, it must start all over. But aside from the legalities, this design protects against less than 5% of all urban car-bike crashes and (greatly) increases the risk of 80%, which occur at intersections (streets and driveways), where drivers can turn and cross each others' paths. A hidden bike lane prevents cyclists and motorists from seeing each other because of the parked cars. I refuse to use the Walnut St. hidden bike lane for this reason, and if built, I will not use one on Duke (or anywhere else). Cyclists' safety should not be jeopardized in pursuit of other goals such as slowing traffic or beautifying a neighborhood.