As Northampton debates Picture Main Street’s redesign, some experienced cyclists argue that bike lanes make cycling less safe — that cyclists should simply “take the lane” and ride predictably, an approach called “vehicular cycling.” Ward 6 City Councilor-elect Chris Stratton has made this argument. But it misses the point: protected bike lanes aren’t for people already comfortable taking the lane. They’re for everyone else.
I’m an experienced cyclist who rides in traffic regularly. But I don’t ride with my kids downtown as it is today. With Picture Main Street’s parking-protected bike lanes, we would. And it’s not just us. The retiree who’d bike downtown for coffee. The family who’d ride together on weekends. The college student who’d bike to work. The middle schooler who’d bike downtown to meet friends. These aren’t people who need vehicular cycling lessons — they need infrastructure that meets their needs. Some 60% of adults are “interested but concerned” about cycling. Protected lanes get them riding instead of circling for parking or staying home.
Protected bike lanes have been shown to have one-ninth the injury risk of riding on major streets without bike infrastructure. Cities with protected facilities see 44% fewer cycling deaths and 50% fewer serious injuries. Modern protected lanes work. That’s why Picture Main Street includes sight lines and intersection design that address safety concerns.
Vehicular cycling has had decades to get more people on bikes, yet many still drive downtown because of safety concerns. Protected lanes will finally serve the majority of Northampton residents who want to bike but won’t do it in mixed traffic. Councilor-elect Stratton and other confident cyclists will always be welcome to take the lane if that’s what they prefer. But the rest of Northampton deserves infrastructure designed for them too.
Alex Kahn
Northampton