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The Daily OrangeRoad rules: Euclid gets bike lane
By Carrie Jordan
Posted: 10/17/07, 1:48 AM EST Section: News
There are more reasons than ever to cycle in Syracuse, with new bike lanes on Euclid and Comstock avenues.
The lanes were painted recently as a result of advocacy from students and several biking groups, said Dennis Brogan, director of public affairs and neighborhood services at Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll's office.
The new bike lanes are an effort to make biking and traffic safer, Brogan said.
Two years ago, the issue was brought up at a meeting at the Westcott Community Center. Since then, groups including Student Environmental Action Coalition, University Neighborhood Partnership (UNP) and Bike CNY have advocated for the new bike lanes.
Beth Rougeux of UNP, said the group has been studying issues related to the density in the university neighborhood east of campus for about eight months. Traffic and biking were key topics in the discussions.
"The UNP was another voice among the many that have encouraged bike lanes among the university," she said.
Nathan Halabuda, a junior computer science major, said he thinks the idea is a good gesture but may not be practical.
"The bike lanes have kind of turned into just a parking lane," he said.
He suggested this may be a problem because people commute home on bikes at the same time as the "6 o'clock switch-over" for parking on Euclid.
The parking lanes on Euclid are intended to be shared with bike lanes.
"This is a respect thing for students and faculty. The choice was to eliminate biking or share the road, not to eliminate parking," Brogan said.
Illegal parking on the sides of the street will be enforced, Brogan said. People are looking to realign their transportation options as gas prices rise and as the public becomes more aware of environmental problems.
Caroline Savage, a sophomore international law major, lives on South Campus and frequently rides her bike in the area. She said she is surprised that the bike lanes were not painted sooner.
The lanes were painted recently as a result of advocacy from students and several biking groups, said Dennis Brogan, director of public affairs and neighborhood services at Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll's office.
The new bike lanes are an effort to make biking and traffic safer, Brogan said.
Two years ago, the issue was brought up at a meeting at the Westcott Community Center. Since then, groups including Student Environmental Action Coalition, University Neighborhood Partnership (UNP) and Bike CNY have advocated for the new bike lanes.
Beth Rougeux of UNP, said the group has been studying issues related to the density in the university neighborhood east of campus for about eight months. Traffic and biking were key topics in the discussions.
"The UNP was another voice among the many that have encouraged bike lanes among the university," she said.
Nathan Halabuda, a junior computer science major, said he thinks the idea is a good gesture but may not be practical.
"The bike lanes have kind of turned into just a parking lane," he said.
He suggested this may be a problem because people commute home on bikes at the same time as the "6 o'clock switch-over" for parking on Euclid.
The parking lanes on Euclid are intended to be shared with bike lanes.
"This is a respect thing for students and faculty. The choice was to eliminate biking or share the road, not to eliminate parking," Brogan said.
Illegal parking on the sides of the street will be enforced, Brogan said. People are looking to realign their transportation options as gas prices rise and as the public becomes more aware of environmental problems.
Caroline Savage, a sophomore international law major, lives on South Campus and frequently rides her bike in the area. She said she is surprised that the bike lanes were not painted sooner.
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