CEDAR HILLS, Utah (ABC 4 News) - Some Cedar Hills parents are demanding a bike lane be re-painted on Harvey Boulevard after the road was re-paved. It's been months, school is now back in session, and still no bike lane.
Cedar Hills officials are standing by their belief that bike paths don't do enough to promote safety for Cedar Hills residents, but after another discussion Wednesday afternoon about the pros and cons with painting the white lines, they're open to listening to concerned residents and possibly re-marking the bike lanes.
Harvey Boulevard is looking good, with fresh pavement, new dividing lines, and bright white crosswalks. But something is missing. Parent Tanya Simpson says, “After school it's pretty scary out here.”
This road leading to Deerfield Elementary School doesn't have bike lanes anymore after it was re-paved. Julie Lewis rides to and from school with her daughter and sees first hand why bike lanes are a must. She says, “I just see little kids who are not with their moms riding to and from school and they're just all over the road.” Lewis adds, “With the white line they seem to stay within the white line so it's definitely a factor and I hope they get it painted soon.”
The Cedar Hills road was re-paved over the summer and the bike lanes are still not there. But just a few blocks down on the very same road in neighboring Pleasant Grove there is a bike lane. Pleasant Grove Councilman Bruce Call says the white lines help to draw drivers' attention, “The main purpose for those bike lanes is to make drivers aware that there's a spot for them and a spot for the bikes.”
So we talked again with Cedar Hills City Manager Konrad Hildebrandt and asked why the bike lanes have been left unpainted for several months. He believes the lanes send the wrong message, “You're saying it's ok to go out in the street because there's a bike lane there and we feel like the streets here in Cedar Hills are for cars.”
As we shared the concerns from parents we talked to Hildebrandt agreed to reconsideration the bike lanes. He says, “If there's a majority of residents that ask for a bike lane I can't see that the city council wouldn't put in a bike lane.”
If you live in that neighborhood and have strong feelings about the bike lanes, make sure you voice your thoughts to your city council members.
A Cedar Hills councilman has already agreed to pay for the cost of the paint if - he says - bike lanes are the best safety option for the residents.
