Submitted by Affectionate-Memory4 t3_z0nenf in Pennsylvania
I've lived in PA my whole life, and I bike everywhere. I literally haven't driven anywhere in over a year. Every PA city I visit is honestly depressing. Harrisburg at least has a street with a divided bike lane on front street and the greenway along the river, but those only get you so far.
I stayed in Harrisburg for a while and I wanted to find a place to eat with my gf. There was a pizza place less than a mile from us, so we decided to go there. She's legally blind, so can't ride a bike, so we decided to walk. Holy mother of god that was awful. I genuinely think my and our way of life would be impossible there just because of how bad it is to walk or bike anywhere.
Bike lanes are sporadic and too-often are blocked by parked cars. The "share the road" thing is kinda OK in low-speed roads, but it is still much more dangerous than keeping cyclists and cars apart. Ideally a full barrier along major roads would actually make cyclists feel safe enough to actually bike anywhere.
Public transit is abysmal. I don't even think I need to elaborate here. We've all seen the (lack of) bus travel and the condition the whole system is in. If you've ever taken a bus in a PA city, you'll know what I mean.
We NEED to do better. People are healthier when they can walk or bike to meet their needs. Traffic for those who still drive is reduced as more people opt to take the bike lane, freeing up road space. The air is cleaner in the city as less cars dump exhaust into the atmosphere. More people stop and shop at the small businesses when they are on foot instead of driving by.
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Quick Edit: For those interested in this issue and want to look at what the rest of the world has to offer in terms of alternative ideas, have a look at these videos below, and others on these channels.
What Happened When They Banned Cars - City Beautiful
The Great Places Erased by Suburbia (the Third Place) - Not Just Bikes
Suburbia is Subsidized: Here's the Math [ST07] - Not Just Bikes (Honestly the whole Strong Towns playlist is great.)
Why Many Cities Suck (but Dutch Cities Don't) - Not Just Bikes
The Car-Replacement Bicycle (the bakfiets) - Not Just Bikes
The Hidden Street Playgrounds of Amsterdam - Not Just Bikes
17 Things to Know about Cargo Bikes - Propel
Why most people don’t bike! - Propel