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Bicycling group urges reduced speeds, bike lanes if city narrows streets for housing
Summary
The Yuma Region Bicycle Coalition asked the council to pair any street‑narrowing changes with lower speed limits and designated bike lanes to protect cyclists and pedestrians.
Jeff Brand, president of the Yuma Region Bicycle Coalition, spoke at the council’s March 19 public‑comment period and urged the City Council to include speed reductions and bicycle lanes if it pursues street‑narrowing measures tied to housing goals.
Brand said he reviewed studies showing that narrowing streets does not by itself increase cyclist fatalities and emphasized that speed, not lane width, most affects pedestrian survival. “Speed kills,” he said, and urged the council to set the lowest practical speeds for affected street categories. He also asked that any newly created shoulders be designated as bike lanes to provide a safer place for cyclists and people using wheelchairs or skateboards.
Brand said the coalition is not advocating for or against street narrowing; it is requesting safety elements be included if the city adopts such changes. He offered to make himself available to council members for further questions.
