Wider Bike Lanes In Boulder Not Welcomed By Everyone
BOUDER, Colo. (CBS4) - Construction is underway to remove two lanes of a Boulder street to make way for wider bike lanes and not everybody supports the idea.
Every year in Boulder there are more than 100 crashes between people on bicycles and cars, and Folsom Street is considered one of the most dangerous. Crews are converting one vehicle lane each direction into a wider bike lanes on Folsom Street between Valmont Road and Canyon Boulevard.
"It would help enormously," cyclist Ron Harvey said.
The idea is in its test-run phase. It's part of what the city calls its "rightsizing" plan -- making more space to bike and walk comfortably.
Some question whether the program is really a pilot, with money being spent to paint and install barriers before the city really knows if the idea works.
"I don't think it's a very good experiment," Bill Seale from Boulder said. "I don't think doubling the width of bike lanes is going to change the number of bikers commuting to work."
For people who already use two wheels to get around, wider lanes seem safer.
"Almost every single day I basically have to make some adjustment to make sure I don't get run over," Per Gullberg from Niwot said.
Soon drivers will be the ones making adjustments. For one month the city plans to track travel times and collision rates.
Construction is expected to last two weeks. Expect some lane closures on Folsom until changes are complete.