If You Build It (Bike Lanes), They Will Come
Recent improvements to bike infrastructure around Bend have improved safe, accessible, and enjoyable transportation options for community members.
“I would bike, but I don’t feel safe biking here.”
If that resonates with you, you’re not alone. This is a statement we hear versions of in many public forums and discussions. And that’s exactly why LandWatch and local bike advocacy groups have supported the City’s investments in better biking infrastructure. These new bikeways aren’t just nice to have, they’re designed to make biking safer and more accessible for more people. And safety and accessibility is worth it.
Here’s what the data shows:
When we build safer places to ride, more people ride. A recent multi-city study found that protected bike lanes seenearly twice as many riders as standard bike lanes—and more than four times as many as streets with no bike facilities at all.
Protected bike facilities can significantly reduce crashes, and injury and fatality rates. When we build safer places to ride, fewer people get hurt—and more people feel comfortable getting on a bike.
That information is key to know, because people do ask about bike lanes. On social media, we’ve seen several versions of “Why invest in bike lanes? Hardly anyone uses them.”
Safe, connected systems take time to fill in—but when they do, people show up.
Rather than presuming Bend’s bikeways are underused and will stay that way, we have to remember it’s still relatively early—before the network is fully connected, and before more of the “bike-curious” folks (like you?) give it a try.
In Bend, we’re still in that in-between phase. Pieces of the network are coming together, but many are not fully connected yet. At LandWatch, we’re pushing for a complete, route-focused approach to building out the system, and avoiding a piecemeal approach whenever possible.
Each new project is also a chance to learn and improve. On Franklin Avenue, for example, the lack of trees and green space is hard to miss—and in the heat of summer, that will make riding less safe and comfortable than intended. These are important design considerations, and getting them right is part of building a system that truly works for everyone.
You don’t have to go “all-in” to get started—and trust us, you don’t need spandex.
If you’re not already a regular biker, spring is a great time to give Bend’s new bike facilities a try.
While you’re riding, consider what works well for you—and what doesn’t—and bring your input to the next transportation project survey or open house.
You don’t need to bike everywhere. You don’t even need to go far. Try a low-lift trip first by riding your bike to:
Grab a coffee
Meet up with a friend
Head over to the library
Just cruise around for fun
Be a fair-weather biker. Keep it simple.
Need help planning a safe route?
Check out Bend Bikes’ online Bike Map below, and check out some of their Favorite Routes. For more community support and accountability, join one of their Saturday Social Rides.
You may be surprised at how fun it is—feeling the breeze and the sun, hearing the birds, and seeing and greeting your fellow community members on the street. Biking is so much more immersive than speeding through the world sealed off in a dark temperature-controlled metal and glass box.
Biking really shines for short trips, and in Bend, thanks to our Urban Growth Boundary, most places are closer than you think. With the city stretching just a few miles in each direction, many everyday destinations are well within a short bike ride.
We know biking isn’t for everyone, every day, or every trip. But for many of us, it’s an option more often than we realize. And the more people who feel safe and comfortable biking, the more useful and valuable these infrastructure investments become. The goal isn’t to replace all driving—it’s to have choices.
So when you’re headed out-and-about this spring, try asking yourself: how do I want to get there?
