Snow-Covered Bike Lanes Causing Problems For City Cyclists
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The recent snow and ice has caused problems for every type of commuter, including bicyclists.
Cyclists in Pittsburgh described their Tuesday commute as treacherous because some bike lanes were not plowed.
"I mean, it's just like the car lanes. They should certainly be out here getting them cleaned up. It's public safety one way or another. If it's not a bike, it's a pedestrian like myself," Bob Taylor said.
Taylor said he just watched a cyclist wreck and fall.
"I ran right over to him to see if he was alright and he said he was, but you could tell it was one of those pride things where…he hit pretty hard," Taylor said.
That's why he was not taking any chances and strapped Yaktrax to his boots.
"Some stainless steel coils fit on the bottom of your shoe and kind of keep you from slipping on ice," he said.
When the downtown Pittsburgh bike paths aren't cleared, cyclists like C.J. Engel find themselves in a predicament
"You just go really slow and try to stay on a straight line," Engel said.
Pittsburgh Public Works Director Mike Gable said bikers just need to be patient.
"We've been out, we put smaller equipment on some of the bike lanes, it was yesterday, smaller tractors and brushes," he said.
Engel plans to do his best and said anything is better than paying for city parking.
"The bikers will do the best we can to make sure we're careful watching out for the pedestrians and cars and stuff like that," he said.
Meanwhile, people in Greenfield said their bike lanes have been cleared, while the roads are still snow-covered.
