Reader: Instead of Wasting Money on Bike Lanes, How About Fixing the Roads?

Denver recently revealed plans for new bike paths over the next two decades with the Denver Moves: Bike Map, which shows a sprawling network of streets and trails designed to make bicycling easier in the Mile High City.

The Denver Department of Transportation & Infrastructure surveyed residents online and at community meetings before coming up with its proposal to upgrade and add on to 500 miles of existing bike paths. The result is a map that shows six types of bike paths: basic bike lanes, protected lanes, neighborhood bikeways, shared sidewalks, car-free streets and trails. Lanes and bikeways are roads with sections set aside for cyclists while sidewalks, trails and car-free streets are the only paths that cyclists get all to themselves. Car-free streets are exclusively found in Denver’s largest parks, like City and Washington parks.

But the plan could hit a few roadblocks, readers warn in their comments on the Westword Facebook page. Says Lazer: 

Let’s fuck up more streets in Denver…yay!

Adds Frank:

Instead of wasting money on this bullshit, how about fixing the fucking roads?

Counters Aaron:

it could work… (good to share the roads and slow down a bit)

Responds Chris:

Will definitely slow everything down.

Offers Robert: 

This is pure stupidity. On Dartmouth Street between Sheridan and Wadsworth, they have made a bike lane in each direction, eliminated almost all the parking spots and guess what the road runs along? A BIKE PATH.

Comments Erin:

Every road should be safe and accessible, no matter what form of transport someone chooses

And Randy concludes:

Gee, all we need now is cyclists.

What do you think of the Denver Moves: Bikes plan? The metro area’s bike routes in general? Post a comment or share your thoughts at editorial@westword.com.