Lisa Riegel: Patience will limit ‘bikelash’

Regarding the Dec. 15 Road Worrier article “Road redesign puzzles some drivers, cyclists”: Despite the growing pains highlighted in Bruce Siceloff’s column, bicyclists are already enjoying the network provided by the new bike lane markings in Raleigh.

With increased bicycling comes many benefits like fewer cars on the road and improved public health. However, the bicycling infrastructure in most places – and public education about how bicyclists and motorists should interact – hasn’t caught up.

BikeWalk NC, a statewide advocacy organization, applauds the City of Raleigh’s efforts to provide safe and equitable access for bicyclists by implementing 27 miles of new share-the-road facilities. The low-cost strategy to repave and restripe a street without widening will help, in a relatively short period of time, car-centric Raleigh see real signs of progress toward establishing a sharing culture.

While change is always difficult and there may be some “bikelash,” we encourage residents and bicyclists to work together with patience, positivity and respect. Let’s not lose sight of the fact that companies like Red Hat and Citrix are regenerating our economy and the workers they are attracting to Raleigh expect choices.

Roads are for more than just vehicles, they are for people, whether we are driving, riding a bike or the bus, running or walking.

This story was originally published December 31, 2015 at 4:59 PM with the headline "Lisa Riegel: Patience will limit ‘bikelash’."