Wednesday, January 17, 2001

Thanks so much for your forward-looking article on bike lanes. Statistics say that almost every home in the state has a bicycle stored away; people are afraid to ride on the roads with cars, and rightly so.

It will take articles such as this one to bring the need for bike lanes to the attention of our local governmental officials. Without such public scrutiny, nothing will be done.

It might interest you to know that bicycling as an alternative form of transportation is encouraged by GRTA. More federal monies will be released if Atlanta cleans up its act, environmentally. So one would think that legislators would be seeking out alternative transportation, and encouraging its use.

However, the city of Fayetteville has been dragging its feet over the right of way for the bike trail which is supposed to run down Redwine Road, which is why the trail is not even begun. It was supposed to be finished by this month!

Evidence supports the massive use of trails and safe bike lanes, once in place. If you would like to see a wonderful example of trail use, go to www.silvercomet.tripod.com. If Cobb and Paulding counties can do this, why can't Fayette be as forward looking?

Answer: We could, if local governments would recognize the desire and need of citizens for safe biking trails, bike lanes and any other way to safely blend bicycles and cars.

Thanks for your efforts to bring this issue to the attention of the general public and our local officials. Those of us who ride bicycles (life in our hands) fervently thank you!

Merle Crowe

[Crowe works for the Fayette County Health Department in Fayetteville.]

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