Voice Your Support for Bike Lanes in Greenville

How many times have you ridden down a road and thought "This would be perfect if there was a bike lane?" It's tough to get bicycle facilities added to roads after the fact, but keeping an eye on road projects and getting involved in the planning stages can be much more effective in meeting bicyclists' needs.

There is one such opportunity right now in Greenville. Portions of Pelham and Roper Mountain Roads are scheduled to be resurfaced over the summer, and bike lanes on these roads would be a great step toward connecting the central business district with the suburbs and other parts of the county, allowing residents to safety travel the area by bike. These roads are already part of the Greenville Bicycle Master Plan, making the resurfacing a good chance to take a step forward towards the city's goals.

The proposed bike lanes are not without support. The county's Transportation Planning Manager, the Greenville Spinners and many employees in the area (and let's not forget the PCC!) are all in favor of adding bike lanes to these roads. Also, the Greenville Complete Streets Resolution and SCDOT's Bicycle Accommodation Policy advocate for roads that new roads and improvement projects should include facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians as well as cars. However, policies alone cannot get the job done.

In the city's quest to upgrade its ranking and become South Carolina's second silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community, Greenville needs vocal support to complete its goals for bicycle infrastructure. Contact your city council representative to show you support bike lanes and further efforts to make Greenville more bicycle friendly. Through active and respectful participation in the planning process, we can have a real impact on the design of Greenville's roads.