Creston bicycle lanes are welcome

The benefits of the bicycle lane on Townline Street will hopefully ride longer than the questions.

With Creston City Council approving the installation of bicycle lanes on a portion of Townline Street, that gives Creston credibility for acknowledging the importance of bicycles as part of residents’ outdoor interests and the town’s transportation options.

Who knows, with gasoline still hovering around the $3 a gallon mark, as oil companies are trying to recover from lost revenue from a year ago because of the pandemic, more people may consider riding a bicycle in town for those easier trips.

The two-wheel transportation devices have been in town for generations and there isn’t a reason why to see them go away. Kids ride bikes to friends, family and fun events. Others ride for exercise purposes or maybe just a hobby. So why not dedicate a portion of any street to bicycles? Bicycle riding can also be a tourist attraction as riders look for new places to ride. With various trails in the area that could be ridden on a bicycle, having Creston show some support for bicycle riders on a city street is appreciated. We can only hope more, fitting places to add bicycle lanes on Creston streets are in the future.

Questions about the popularity of motorists along Townline Street are valid. As a major thoroughfare to the high school, Southwestern Community College and other places, that traffic count won’t go away. But with the addition of bicycle lanes, expected to happen later this summer, let’s be positive that drivers will easily recognize the bicycle lanes and drive accordingly.

Editorials are written by Creston News Advertiser Managing Editor John Van Nostrand