Tuesday night, the Arlington City Council voted to move forward with a plan to create new bike lanes in the city. In the past few weeks I've written about new bike lanes coming to downtown Fort Worth, but this is the first I've heard of the issue in Arlington. The City Council passed the proposal that calls for creates 16 miles of new bike lines, as well as 43 new miles of designated bicycle routes.
In my opinion, bike lanes like the ones proposed in Arlington benefit everybody. As a personal injury lawyer in Fort Worth, over the years I've had several clients hurt in bicycle accidents that could've been prevented if the road they were riding in had bike lanes. Not only do bike lanes give cyclists somewhere to ride, but force car drivers to anticipate the fact that a bike rider is sharing the road with them. So many pedestrian and bicycle accidents happen because automobile drivers aren't looking out for walkers or cyclists. With bike lanes, drivers will know exactly where to look for cyclists while driving.
Of course not everyone shares my opinion on bike lanes, at Arlington's City Council meeting on Tuesday, critics of the approved bike lanes said they will lower property values and cause more traffic. I don't really see how that's possible-more traffic because of bikes? Please. If anything, it could cause less traffic and less car accidents in Arlington.
While I may not be riding to work anytime soon, I'd like to know that bike lanes are there for me to use if I choose. What's your opinion on bike lanes? Think they are worth the money? I'll keep you posted on what happens in Arlington. If you ever are hurt in a bicycle accident in Arlington or Fort Worth, give my injury law firm a call at 817-294-1900.
