Regarding the April 28 cover story, "A better place for bikers," I applaud the county for efforts to make our region more bicycle friendly.
Like Mr. (Chris) Tsien, who was quoted in the article, I am in my 60s and consider myself "fearless" and open to riding without structured courses and connected pathways. I've been an avid adult cyclist since I entered the workforce as an adult. I can't begin to estimate how many thousands of miles I've bicycled on Howard County roads since I moved here in the late 1980s. The pleasant times I had far outweigh any unpleasant experiences.
That said, there is a significant increase in people on bicycles, using them for day-to-day activities. This, coupled with the significant increase in automobiles and trucks on the roadways and the increase in driver distractions, calls out for an increase in infrastructure to accommodate. Addressing this need is forward thinking and will bring about enhanced quality of life for all. It is an enhancement worth paying for.
I would like to draw attention to one section of Columbia that is overlooked, the Columbia Gateway area, surely one of the largest concentrations of employment in the area. It has two points of entry and exit, one off Route 175 and the other on Robert Fulton Drive. I work there on occasion and I bicycle to work and I've used both roads for bicycle access. Neither of these is bicycle friendly in the least.
People who live in Columbia and work at Columbia Gateway would have a very reasonable and safe bicycle commute to their jobs if only there were some friendly way to traverse the final half-mile from the west side of Snowden Parkway to Columbia Gateway Drive.
John Petro
Columbia