The proposal to implement a shared use path on Lakeside Avenue from Wentworth Ave to Fairway Ave poses significant safety risks to all road users, especially bicyclists. While the intention to increase safety for cyclists is commendable, the shared use path will have the opposite effect. The choice of Lakeside Avenue from Wentworth to Fairway for this development is deeply concerning due to the infrastructure and traffic conditions present from Fairway to Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. 

Lakeside Avenue from Fairway Avenue to Lewis Ginter is not equipped to safely handle the increased presence of bicycles sharing the road with motor vehicles. The road is narrow and lacks essential protective features, such as dedicated bike lanes or barriers that could ensure the safety of cyclists. Introducing a shared use path will only encourage more bicyclists to use an area that is inherently unsafe for such activities, increasing the likelihood of accidents and injuries.

The curves on Lakeside Avenue located between the bridge and Lewis Ginter pose a particular safety hazard for motorists and cyclists alike. There are a couple of houses right against the street on one side of the road, and a deep ravine or gulley runs along the other side. It would be very costly to make this stretch of Lakeside Ave safe for bicyclists, if it was possible to do it at all.

The shared use path on Lakeside Avenue will only stretch for two blocks. When the path ends at Fairway Avenue, it is unlikely that cyclists will turn around and go back to Brook Road. Instead, it is likely that they will continue to the curves on Lakeside Avenue, where they could be hit by a car and knocked into the ravine. This proposed path effectively leads cyclists to the most dangerous stretch of Lakeside Avenue.

Also, building a shared use path that only stretches for two blocks is not a good use of taxpayer money. The existing sidewalks on Lakeside Avenue are in good condition. Tearing them up and replacing them with an asphalt shared use path is not a good use of taxpayer money. 

The community proposes the following:  Either build a shared use path or bike lane all at once that runs from Lewis Ginter to Brook Road, or don’t do it at all. At the very least, if the project must be done piece by piece, build the bike lane in the curves from the bridge to Lewis Ginter first.

Again, we believe it is dangerous to have a 2-block path from Wentworth to Fairway that will give cyclists the illusion that the rest of the road is safe for them when it is not. We object to a path that spits cyclists onto the bridge then into the curves, the most dangerous part of Lakeside Avenue, when there are no barriers or bike lanes to protect them.

We urge the Henrico Department of Public Works to reconsider and halt the current plan for a shared use path on Lakeside Avenue from Wentworth to Fairway Avenue. Immediate action is crucial to prevent potential harm and prioritize safety.

Sign this petition to ensure that shared use paths are implemented in areas where they can foster safety, accessibility, and a positive impact on our community's transportation network.