Do bike lanes offer economic impact?

Re: “Inaccuracies, misinformation,” (Herald letters, July 28).

I read with interest Richard Hunt’s comments on the proposed bike lane. Somehow it seems that he has espoused the “build it and they will come” saying from the movie “Field of Dreams.”

Hunt makes it sound as though there will be a plethora of bikes on the road as a result of the bike lane opening Aug. 1. He makes a blanket statement “for those who choose to cycle.”

The question need be asked, “Will there be a gargantuan desire to purchase and ride and will all the local bike shops experience a thunderous upswing in sales?”

I take issue with Hunt’s statement “that over the past two years or so there has been an explosion of new bike riders that is going to continue.” Aren’t subjective opinions wonderful? Where are the new rider numbers? Are the streets teeming with bikes like Amsterdam? By making the statement does it mean that he has concrete, up-to-date numbers to support it?

To compare bike usage in Vancouver to that of Penticton might symbolically be like comparing Okanagan Falls to Los Angeles. His opinions tend to be somewhat subjective in that he uses Vancouver as a bench mark.

No real number evidence is presented, just opinion which anyone can have. Once again, I ask the question, “What economic payback will we see from the spending of millions of taxpayer dollars to placate the whims of a few bike riders?”

Again, I am not anti-cycling in any way. I would like to know what justifies this project from a financial standpoint.

It seems that council has too much money and is looking for ways to spend it. Perhaps more could have been done to address the infrastructural needs of the city instead of on one project that will benefit a select few. Ron Barillaro

Penticton