Ralph MacDonald
In a continuing effort to make Memphis an attractive “city of choice,” Mayor A.C. Wharton announced Friday that the city would be adding bicycle lanes to 55 miles of city streets. The Mayor, accompanied by Councilman Harold Collins, held an impromptu town hall gathering, where he announced his plans for the new project in front of the media and several dozen cyclists who rode up to the shadow of City Hall to show their support.
The new cycling lanes are a part of Mayor Wharton’s attempt to elevate the standard of living in Memphis. The city is a notoriously poor environment for cycling enthusiasts, as evidenced by this year’s Bicycling Magazine ranking Memphis as one of the three worst cities bike-friendly cities. Furthermore, Men’s Fitness Magazine gave Memphis’ “Parks and Open Areas” a “D-“ on the city’s way to being named the country’s “18th Fattest City.”
However, cyclists appear to have a staunch ally in the Mayor, who has claimed that he wants 500 miles of cycling lanes for the city (http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-memphis-city-hall-shakeup,0,5785828.story). Wharton, in his quest to “make Memphis green,” has already managed to help the cycling project grow, finding funds to expand this project from 20 to 55 miles.
Councilman Collins, who also serves on the Board of Directors at Memphis Athletic Ministries, described the project as “part of a strategy” to improve the people of Memphis’ health, stating his concern over the city’s high instances of high blood pressure and diabetes. Safer roads for bikers will not only give enthusiasts piece of mind, but it will also hopefully create a safe environment that encourages youth to begin the healthy practice of bicycle transportation.
The cycling enthusiasts present applauded Wharton’s remarks and seemed hopeful that the project would be a positive first step in making Memphis completely bicycle-friendly. Members of Terrapin Racing, a local triathlon team that competes regionally, arrived in their racing uniforms to show support for the project. According to team member Lindsay Reed, cycling lanes will make a large difference in the safety and peace of mind of the team’s racers: “We’re out on the street for the three to six hours every Saturday, that means we get passed by a lot of cars.” Local cyclist Annabeth Novitzki was also excited about the enthusiasm Mayor Wharton was bringing to the creation of bicycle lanes: “I’ve actually turned in my car for a bike full-time for three straight summers, but the city’s cycling infrastructure was too weak to make it a permanent arrangement…I have faith in Wharton’s plans. He put himself out there as a major supporter of this movement and I wanted to show my support for him and this initiative.”
To read more about the biking lanes, please read:
http://mayoracwharton.wordpress.com/2010/07/15/giving-memphis-the-bike-friendly-city-you-deserve/
