Campus needs to construct bike lanes in commuter areas

The recently constructed bike lane on University Avenue from Genesee Street to Waverly Avenue is exciting for biking enthusiasts in the area. As a way to connect the university and city communities, the bike lane is a step in the right direction.

But the new bike lane is not beneficial in terms of accommodating Syracuse University students and faculty who live in the East neighborhood. People living in the East neighborhood may not feel inclined to ride their bikes to University Avenue if there is no safe or convenient way to do so.

The majority of those who come to Main Campus from other locations are traveling from the East neighborhood streets or South Campus. If these people want to take their bikes to campus, to them, the new bike lane on University Avenue is worthless.

Constructing one bike lane is not enough if university officials want to create a bike-friendly community. The university should begin planning and coordinating with the city to improve the bike lanes on the main streets surrounding campus. This area would include Euclid and Comstock avenues, where most people would be traveling.

The parking on Euclid, the winter weather in Syracuse, and the width and condition of the roads would obviously need to be taken into consideration before moving forward with this plan.

Encouraging biking on campus is a commendable cause, but long-term plans need to be developed to encourage a university-wide biking system that would benefit other areas surrounding the campus.