Some Lansing bike advocates are concerned that the city’s redesign of Michigan Avenue could endanger cyclists and pedestrians.
The Capital City is currently resurfacing an Eastside portion of the road. The project will have new sidewalks that include a separate section meant for people on bikes.
Lansing Public Service Director Andy Kilpatrick said the bike lanes were going to be constructed with a different color of concrete, but the city altered the design to reduce costs. Under the current framework, cyclists will ride on a marked section on the leftmost part of the sidewalk.
“Cyclists that are not comfortable riding with traffic will have a facility here,” Kilpatrick said. "I think it's definitely a step forward from what was on Michigan [Avenue] that had no cycle facility in this section."
But some riders, like Carla Ahlschwede, think putting the bike lanes on the sidewalk could make crashes with pedestrians more likely.
“Bicyclists also have to suddenly consider people getting in and out of their cars, and so they'll be dodging people left and right really,” she said.
Ahlschwede said she primarily rides along the Lansing River Trail and through neighborhood streets. She would have preferred a design that kept cars, pedestrians and cyclists physically separated.
"I was really disappointed, because they just seem like another empty olive branch so the city can say, 'Look, we've included bicyclists,' when they truly haven't," she said.
Kilpatrick said Michigan Avenue’s sidewalks will be marked to prevent conflict points to stop collisions between those walking and biking.
"With signage, striping, messaging ... hopefully eventually, both cyclists and pedestrians and other users will figure out where they're supposed to be," he said.
The city is completing sewer maintenance underground and resurfacing the road with one fewer eastbound car lane. Construction began near the Frandor Shopping Center earlier this year and has entered a new phase further west.
Multiple restaurants, book shops and retail stores are located on Michigan Avenue. Business owners say the road closure has been less accessible for visitors.
Kilpatrick said community members should make an effort to shop there during the project.
“We do have access to those businesses, even if it’s maybe a little more difficult right now," he said. "But if you want the businesses to thrive beyond the project, then we need to help out the businesses during the project so they can keep getting customers to them.”
Construction is expected to continue through next year.
