Can We Improve Utsunomiya's Bike Ridership?: Some Proposals

I have been biking in Utsunomiya now for roughly six months and although there are lots of bikers here, I believe that there is room to up the percentage.  For my daily needs I don't  need anything more complicated than my bicycle. According to the WorldWatch Institute "a bicycle needed only 35 calories per passenger mile, whereas a car expended a whopping 1860" (treehugger.com, 7/2/2006). Going to the grocery store, to school, to neighborhood stores should be activities easily done by bicycle. The main hindrances to bicycle use for many is the perception of bicycle travel as dangerous. Perceptions are important and in America, roughly 60% are in the "willing but wary" category. I'm sure there are an  equal number of people in Utsunomiya who feel the same way.

What can be done to get more people on bikes? First of all bike travel must be perceived as safe. There are some things that can be done to achieve this cheaply. Paint on the pavement is a good place to start. Designated lanes painted a different color take away the ambiguity of bicycle travel. Cyclists know that in an ideal world it is safer to run on the street than on the sidewalk. Cycling on the street reduces the dangers of hitting pedestrians and being hit by cars entering from side streets. The reason many cycle on the sidewalk is from a feeling of danger riding in the street. Narrow shoulders, no shoulders, telephone poles in the streets of many side streets mean anxious cycling for many.

Another solution being tried in Europe and America are dedicated bike lanes. These are separate lanes reserved for cyclists and are popular with cyclists in Bogota, Columbia, New York City, and Chicago. 

The benefit of these lanes is that they are separate from traffic and provide the feeling of safety that lead many people to cycle again. The problem in Utsunomiya is finding the space for them. I believe that, if we are creative, we will be able to find some places for separate bike lanes in the city.

The last thing I want to talk about are neighborhood greenways. These are streets that run parallel to an arterial that provides safe connections between residences and schools, libraries, parks and neighborhood businesses without the worry of fast traffic. There is a network of these in Portland, Oregon which link neighborhoods together for cyclists. Greenway streets have incorporated traffic calming devices such as bumps and bumpouts to slow auto traffic, increase green space and provide an integrated system for bicycle use.

It is time to start thinking creatively about a bicycle system that appeals to current and future residents as well as tourists who come here to enjoy what Utsunomiya has to offer. National trends are pointing to a desire for more walkable neighborhoods and eco-friendly communities. Let's work together to make Utsunomiya a leader in this trend.