CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As the Queen City grows. so does the need for infrastructure to support different modes of transportation like bike lanes.
One local organization is hoping the city of Charlotte will double the money budgeted for bicycle programs to build bike lanes faster.
Sustain Charlotte is collecting signatures for a petition asking supporters to help grow the bicycle network so folks who use their bikes to go to work, to the park, or to get their errands done have a safe way to do so.
Mari McNeary is one of those cyclists and uses two wheels to get around.
“I do a lot of personal cycling, so I get excited when there are more places to ride,” McNeary said. “The Little Sugar Creek Greenway is right across the street and I can commute almost completely to work because of that.”
The avid biker is also the general manager at Charlotte Cycles. She said it’s important to create safe spaces for riders.
This idea is on track with Sustain Charlotte’s work. Eric Zaverl is the company’s Urban Design Consultant.
“You make these safer slower streets, less car-dependent it’s going to be better for people who are walking and cycling,” Zaverl said.
The organization is asking the City of Charlotte to increase its budget for bicycle programs from $4 million to $10 million to build 10 miles of bike lanes every year, fit for all ages and abilities, and essentially complete the bicycle priority network before 2040.
“It’s basically a bike highway, that connects all of Charlotte,” Zaverl said. “Those are all on a map right now currently, part of the strategic mobility plan but we don’t have any way of funding them.
Sustain Charlotte said the increased infrastructure would help ease congestion, promote active mobility, and increase safety. The organization notes on its petition that despite pedestrians and cyclists being involved in only 3 percent of crashes in Charlotte between 2017 -2021; they account for 40 percent of traffic deaths.
Mcneary said biking is becoming more popular and riders want to feel more protected.
“Traffic here can be a little hectic but when you are separated from the cars you will find a lot more people attracted to those paths,” said McNeary.
Sustain Charlotte said increasing bicycle facilities and overall infrastructure creates jobs, is better for the environment, and is also a benefit to local businesses.
Bike lanes at the cost of parking spaces can make some businesses nervous but a study found that it can benefit them. It’s harder for people to stop and park if they see a shop they want to check out as opposed to someone on a bike, for example.
“It’s not nice to sit streetside and you have car exhaust next to you,” Zarvel said. “So, it’s all about creating great places to be and when you have those places people want to spend more time there, and then will spend more money.”
The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy’s “Making the Economic Case for Cycling” study found that improving bicycle access in commercial areas resulted in higher retail sales. High-quality bicycle infrastructure also raises property values and the demand for bicycles creates jobs to cater to that industry like Charlotte Cycles.
“We’re seeing an uptick in rentals and services right now,” McNeary said. “As we are going to get closer to the end of April when it is going to get constantly warm, we are going to see more people buying bikes and doing some commuting that way.”
Sustain Charlotte is collecting signatures through May 13.