Rochester City Council Members Request Removal of Bike Lanes
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - Several members of the Rochester City Council are requesting the removal of bike lanes from a portion of downtown Rochester.
Council Member Shaun Palmer is bringing forward a "Council Initiated Action" for consideration during Monday's meeting of the Rochester City Council. The agenda item also indicates his proposal is supported by fellow Council Members Mark Bransford and Kelly Kirkpatrick.
Specifically, Palmer is asking the City Council to direct city staff to prioritize and use city resources to look into whether the bike lanes that have been installed on Center Street in the downtown business district should be removed. In making the proposal, Palmer and the two other council members contend the removal of the bike lanes and restoring on-street parking would help support the city's small business community.
The document also lists information presented at a meeting of the Rochester-Olmsted Council of Governments (ROCOG) last month concerning work/mode of transportation from 2015-2021. It found there had been a decrease in bicycle use, while walking increased, with biking listed as the mode of transportation for fewer than 1% of the commuters.
Palmer's request for the City Council's consideration also notes that from 2010-2021 the percentage of commuters walking to their jobs increased from 3% to 5%, driving alone decreased from 77% to 65%, while working from home grew from 6% to 13%. The information provided indicates biking was still listed by less than 1%.
