A new problem for bike lanes

KPBS, CA - Coronado’s wide streets, slow traffic and bike paths make it a haven for cyclists. It won a national award for bike friendliness in 2013 and leads the county in the percentage of people who bike to work, according to census data. In a grant application last year, the city reported that 70 percent of its students walk or bike to school.

Cycling was supposed to get even easier as the city rolled out its 2011 Bike Master Plan, which calls for 12 more miles of bike paths.

Then at a City Council meeting last week, residents started putting on the brakes. Although the proposed bike markings would not eliminate parking spaces or driving lanes, they still had complaints. They did not like how the bike lanes would look.

“You are covering Coronado with paint stripe pollution,” said resident Gerry Lounsbury.

“The graffiti on the streets does not help our property values,” declared Aileen Oya.

The lanes “bring to mind a visual cacophony that if you look there long enough it will induce a dizzying type of vertigo,” said Carolyn Rogerson.

Gerry MacCartee asked if the community couldn't think of a better option than “these black streets with these brilliant white lines everywhere because believe me, it takes away from your home, from your outlook on life.”

And Darby Monger crafted an analogy to describe the addition of bike lanes to her beloved city.

“It’s very similar to personally taking all three of my daughters to a tattoo parlor and having them completely body tattooed,” she said.

After public comment, the City Council voted to suspend all new proposed bike lanes.