New bike lanes open through uptown Charlotte, more miles to come
The first leg of seven miles of planned bicycle lanes in uptown Charlotte is now open.
The new lanes along Fifth and Sixth streets aim to improve safety for cyclists, walkers, joggers and drivers alike, city officials said at an event Saturday celebrating the Uptown CycleLink Program.
.jpg "Uptown CycleLink Ribbon Cutting - Photographer David Flower (7 of 15).jpg")
Phase one of the Fifth and Sixth street lanes opened in April 2019, connecting Little Sugar Creek Greenway to the Rail Trail, according to a city news release.
On Saturday, a ribbon cutting and community bike ride celebrated the completion of phase two, which connects the Rail Trail to Irwin Creek Greenway. The Fifth and Sixth streets segment stretches about 2.5 miles and is for all ages and abilities, city officials said.
The eventual seven miles of lanes will connect to a 40-mile network of bike lanes across Charlotte, officials said.
.jpg "Uptown CycleLink Ribbon Cutting - Photographer David Flower (2 of 15).jpg")
“This is another move forward in our evolution as a city that prioritizes freedom of mobility with increased safety and security of all residents,” Mayor Vi Lyles said in a statement. “The Uptown CycleLink design improves access to the heart of Charlotte, while providing a controlled space for exercise, family fun and biking in for work or recreation.”
In 2016, about 4,000 residents joined the non-profit Sustain Charlotte organization in asking the city to build the uptown bike path, Shannon Binns, Sustain Charlotte founder and executive director, said in Saturday’s release. ”We look forward to working with the city to make more of our streets safe for all users,” he said.
On Twitter Saturday, Charlotte Urbanists posted video of cyclists riding the new stretch.
“Imagine a future where this is an everyday sight on our streets,” the grassroots group said on Twitter. “It’s not impossible, we just need to invest in more human infrastructure that is safe for all ages and abilities!”
Details about the bicycle-lane initiative are available at BikeCharlotte.org.
This story was originally published April 17, 2022 at 10:31 AM.