To the Editor:
I am glad that the Alexandria Gazette Packet is covering the city’s update to its Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan. The draft plan that was recently unveiled has some great recommendations that are based on extensive analysis and public feedback. As a pedestrian and a cyclist, I am excited about how this plan will make the city an even better place to get around by walking and biking.
Unfortunately, the Gazette’s article, “Cycling through Solutions,” chose to focus on a relatively minor issue: conflicts between pedestrians and cyclists. The article strangely portrayed these as two mutually exclusive groups, describing the Sept. 24 public meeting as “… divided between two factions: the spandex wearing cyclists and the pedestrians…,” as if cyclists never walk places and no pedestrians ever ride bikes. However, the real story is that this valuable effort by the city will make the entire city safer, more convenient, and more enjoyable for all. Yes, some motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians behave badly, and there is a need for education and enforcement. But more significantly, many of our streets were designed in the past in ways that cause conflicts among these different modes and put pedestrians and bicyclists at risk of injury or worse by car traffic. The Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan Update will help make the city safer and more pleasant for all.
Bill Pugh
Alexandria