'Green lanes' mean 'go' for more cities' cyclists

To boost transit options, U.S. cities are revving up plans for something that has long been popular in Europe � bike lanes protected from traffic.

Separated by curbs, planters, posts or parked cars, these "green lanes" are taking off in � among other cities � Austin, Chicago, Memphis, San Francisco, Portland, Ore., and Washington, D.C.

"We are seeing an explosion of interest in making bicycling stress-free on busy city streets," says Martha Roskowski of Bikes Belong Foundation, a non-profit touting the paths via its Green Lane Project.

She says U.S. cities have had standard bike lanes for decades, but many riders don't see them as safe enough.

"We're promoting a more active lifestyle," says Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez, adding that many green lanes are receiving federal funds.

In Chicago on Thursday, he joined officials from several cities to spotlight efforts:

�Texas' Austin, which installed or upgraded 20 to 30 miles of bike lanes in each of the past four years, plans 50 miles this year.

�Memphis, dubbed one of the worst cities for riding by Bicycling magazine in 2008, finished 25 miles of on-street bike trails last year and plans 30 more miles � some of them green lanes � this year.

�Portland, Ore., has built 5 miles of protected bikeways since 2009 and is now working on 4 more miles.

�Chicago, which installed its first protected bike lane last spring on Kinzie Street, has budgeted $40 million to build 100 miles of green lanes by May 2015.

In New York City, some green lanes have drawn opposition because they cut space for driving and parking.

"You have more congestion and frustrated drivers," says Jim Walden, a lawyer with the Gibson Dunn firm who sued against a bike lane on Prospect Park West in Brooklyn that reduced three lanes of traffic to two.

He says contrary to city claims, more crashes and injuries have resulted.

In Washington, D.C., a city survey found bicycling on 15th Street more than doubled since a two-way green lane opened there in 2010. The survey said more cycling crashes occurred, but with ridership up, the accident rate held steady.