Northwest Baltimore Residents: Bike lanes don't belong on Gwynns Falls Parkway

BALTIMORE -- The war on wheels is ramping up between bike advocates and those who don't want to see bike lanes added to the roads in their communities.

Residents in Northwest Baltimore are concerned about bike lanes being added to Gwynns Falls Parkway.

The city's Department of Transportation initially announced in 2017 that it planned to install 77 miles of separated bike lanes within a five-year span.

The goal of the multimillion-dollar endeavor is to help bicyclists get around the city faster. To date, the department has only achieved less than a fourth of that goal, according to WJZ's media partner the Baltimore Banner.

"It's safer for everyone to have a dedicated space for bikes," a bicyclist by the name of Jonathan said.

Northwest Baltimore residents argue that Gwynns Falls Parkway, a major thoroughfare, is constantly busy.

There are always cars speeding along it. Additionally, it's a struggle for people who live there to find parking, according to residents.

Adding bike lanes to Gwynns Falls Parkway would create new problems for the people who live along the busy road, they said.

"It's not enough room," Northwest Baltimore resident Marvin "Doc" Cheatham said. "Why would we be decreasing the amount of space we need? if anything we want more space."

Cheatham said neighbors in the area are urging city leaders to cancel their plans to create bike lanes.

"This is already a narrow street," Northwest Baltimore resident Kelli Bigelow said.

There are other improvements to the area that should be prioritized, Bigelow said.

"Our concern is that there is so much more than our neighborhoods need," she said.