Ok, somewhere back in the discussion, and also on our neighborhood listserv - I live in one of the neighborhoods adjoining this path - people have asked, "Why is it needed?" There have also been comments about the lack of crime, so therefore the lights aren't needed. People have also said that the police didn't ask for lights. I feel I have to comment on this. I'm going to be brief, because I'm working and don't have time for a long screed.
1. There may not be a history of crime in this area, but there is a history of people getting mugged on bike/ped paths in general. I guarantee you that the moment a couple of my neighbors get mugged walking or biking on this path at night, people will be screaming, "Why are there no lights on this path? It's so dark and dangerous, and these incidents could have been prevented with more lights!" 2. As a very well lit and accomplished bicyclist who does not scare easily, I am hesitant to ride this path at night, or at least certain parts of it that are more isolated from the neighborhood. There are areas that are sunken and also bounded by the undeveloped and wooded areas of the cemetery. There's no one out there, and the darkness kind of creeps me out. There are also non-human critters that have a tendency to run across the path. I have come close to hitting several, and that would have landed me in a ditch with no one around. 3. The police never ask for lighting, but they are always in favor of it. If they had their preference, every area of the city would be lit by flood lights, and there would be no landscaping where bad elements could hide. They know they aren't going to get that, and that both landscaping and lighting are community decisions, so they let the community discussions and process play out. But they do have their opinions. I have actually spoken to the Captain of the South District, where this part of the city is located. He thinks the path would be considerably safer, and the officers would prefer that the path be lit. You'll never hear that from them, because they will simply say, "It's a community decision." 4. If we want more people to bike and walk, we have to give them safe places to bike and walk. And "safe" is often not simply the absence of crime at any point in history, it is how people feel about the place. I felt very safe in my old neighborhood in Chicago, despite there being quite a few questionable characters on the street, because there was a LOT of activity at all hours of the day and night. Another, much wealthier neighborhood made me feel uneasy because there was hardly anyone out, and there were no stores open as I walked home. I know there are plenty of people, especially women, that will not use that path after dark. Pity, because they want to. In winter, "dark" comes very early and stays very late in the morning, and that means that many people give up bike commuting because there's no "safe route." 5. I am not an owl or wildlife expert, but I can tell you that plenty of wildlife is not bothered by the lighting levels that area planned for this path. There are nesting owls of various types in the adjacent neighborhoods, and those streets and houses have much more lighting. There are coyotes and foxes running around in areas with much higher levels of lighting. OK, back to work. Robbie Webber Transportation Policy Analyst State Smart Transportation Initiative www.ssti.us 608-263-9984 (o) 608-225-0002 (c) [email protected]
_______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
