Our MUP’s
Setting aside the politics of vehicular cycling vs. separated bike facilities for a moment, I have to say I’m grateful for the multi-use paths that criss-cross our hometown. Most run through beautiful greenbelts and offer a pleasant respite from the perpetual pressures of riding in city traffic. Most are only a couple of miles long, and they often start and end in less than ideal locations, but we still go out of our way to work them into our cross-town travels whenever possible. Our City Bikeway Planner is working hard to turn these free-standing paths into a cohesive network, and I believe we’ll eventually get there, but it could be years due to the usual obstacles of limited budgets, environmental permitting and the like. In the meantime, we’re happy with what we have.
5 Responses to “Our MUP’s”
Sounds just like the conversation I keep having with the guys here! “These are great facilities. Now, how can we get the funds for you to join the dots together . . .”
:-D
@ Alan
You’re so very lucky you have an office in charge with some authority over the cycling network. Roseville also seems to have people who want thing to work properly.
The approach to Cycling on this side of the pond is haphazard at best. We have numerous excellent trails and routes, but no real governance over them, and virtually zero communication of what’s where.
Take this, for example, Cardiff County Council’s Cycling homepage:
http://www.cardiff.gov.uk/content.asp?nav=2870,4048,4196&parent_directory_id=2865
Clicking on the “Cycle Routes” link and attempting to open the “View our online cycling map” will lead to BIG headaches.
Go on, see for yourself. Everyone. You may not live here, but have a go.
It’s utterly dreadful, isn’t it?
Frustrating – that’s the only word to describe the situation here.
> Clicking on the “Cycle Routes†link and attempting to open the “View our online cycling map†will lead to BIG headaches.
Not sure what headaches you are referring to? Yes, it’s a bit convoluted with several clicks and having to accept the terms and conditions and find the right layer once you are in (fortunately it was in the obvious transport section!!) and the map engine itself isn’t a good as googgle and is a little slow. But is that what you are referring to? Doesn’t seem that bad. Not compared with other areas which fail to map that at all.
UK too.
I would imagine even the beautiful Copenhageners complain about their system of facilities now and then. However, it’s a automobile world, and things aren’t going to get better until the citizens make their preferences and demands clear. I work for local government in a state capital in the U.S., and the glass is half-empty or half-full depending on your perspective. We have a system of unconnected bike lanes, street w/ sharrows, and shared use paths, and trying to do more makes often me feel like Sisyphus. However, I can assure you that constant conflicts in the cycling community over helmets, types of facilities, even the mere existence of facilities, etc., is often used as an excuse not to do anything. The cycling community can and must present a united, strong front to the decisionmakers and their staff or nothing will change for the better.
i gotta say i love the paths here in seattle. while there are none on my commute, I frequently use them on my weekend rides.
it’s really something to be able to get thirty-five miles out of town without having ridden on a single road. then, after less than a mile of two lane country highways, there’s another 31 mile path that takes you through farmland and then up into the wet hills of east king county and across massive railroad trestles. this is an amazing resource. there should be cycle paths connecting every major city in the US. oh to dream.