sneddon: Council should look at s tate s t. bike usage

FYi

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By NEIL HARTSTEIN

NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

One of the most frequent — and frustrating — complaints about problems on State Street concern speeding bicyclists and the safety threat they pose to people walking in the downtown Pedestrian Promenade.

Some fear it’s just a matter of time before these riders lose control of their hurtling bikes and hit one or more unsuspecting people out for a leisurely stroll along the city’s main artery.

While the city has tried several approaches to address the problem, on its own and in concert with others, at least one city council member says more needs to be done — sooner than later.

“Whether it is perception of safety, or actual safety, people do not feel comfortable walking down the promenade in its current configuration with bikes,” Councilmember Kristen Sneddon told the News-Press.

“There are a lot of ideas about what to try, and I just think it’s time to start trying them,” she said. “This will help people feel comfortable now and will inform the Master Plan of what can work.”

She tried to raise the issue at a recent council meeting during a discussion on the State Street Master Plan, but was told she couldn’t because it wasn’t on the agenda; that current problems on lower State Street must be governed by interim city guidelines/requirements for the promenade.

She’s in an ideal position to do that, because not only is she a council member but she’s the chair of the council ad hoc subcommittee charged with making interim recommendations to address current downtown conditions, from parklets to security to lighting — to bicyclist/pedestrian safety.

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