Riding St. Louis’ First Protected Bike Lane [Video]

A couple blocks of a protected bike lane may have flummoxed a motorist or two (and we’re so lucky the local news was there to catch that insightful angle to this story), but it’s a great asset to cyclists in a city just starting to invest in functional bike infrastructure.

The new bicycle infrastructure runs from 20th Street east to 4th Street, with a protected bike lane, buffered bike lane, and other markings at various points. It’s part of the larger Bike St. Louis effort. We took the nextSTL mobile film crew to check out just what it’s like to ride the Chestnut Street protected bike lane:

A few thoughts from the ride:

• The protected bike lane is fantastic, making a huge difference in the feeling of safety when riding downtown
• A west bound protected lane is needed next (Pine, Olive?)
• Bike lanes aren’t much use if they’re littered with glass and debris (Olive, Jefferson)
• A protected bike lane on Chouteau (LOTS of extra room there) would provide a great connection to/from The Arch, Soulard, Lafayette Square, The Gate District, Shaw, The Grove, Forest Park, and connected neighborhoods
• Jefferson Avenue bike lane badly needs repainted – a protected lane would be amazing

{the start of the bike lane at 20th Street}

{signage directs cars for parking and bikes for riding}