As a student at Syracuse that will be living on Euclid Avenue during the next school year, the article on possible bike lanes on Euclid Avenue caught my attention. The use of bike lanes is a hot topic in Syracuse with the recent changes to Comstock Avenue and Waverley Avenue. I am currently doing a research for my WRT205 class about snow removal in the city of Syracuse and how this affects the residents and students of Syracuse. Upon reading the article concerning the possible new bike lanes, I became curious how the heaps of snow Syracuse gets every winter would affect the bike lanes and other travel on Euclid Avenue. Will the addition of bike lanes make clearing snow off of the sidewalks of Euclid more of a challenge, especially if they are bike lanes in the same fashion as the ones of Comstock and Waverley?

Another issue in this article that caught my attention was the claim that it has been difficult to get things done in the city administratively. It seems like legislation and ideas do not pass through city hall frequently and that local politicians find it hard to change policy. This is an issue I have encountered in my research about snow removal. The emergence of bike lanes in the city of Syracuse and the policy change that goes along with this further proves that making meaningful changes in Syracuse is more difficult than one may realize.

My thoughts on the bike lanes on Euclid Avenue have been somewhat conflicted given the different side of the story and the different circumstances. I believe that that city of Syracuse should be committed to the safety and well being of its residents yet it seems like it can’t enact the appropriate policy to achieve this. The addition of bike lanes would most certainly increase the safety of Syracuse residents who utilize bikes in the warmer months, yet I believe that snow removal is a pressing safety issue that the city also desperately needs to address. Every winter, the snow forces residents and student alike into the streets when walking on their way to work or to class. I believe that this is an issue that needs to come to light and be given the proper attention by the city and its residents.

Sincerely,

Alex Fissler ‘17