Bike lanes on Mclean still a pain

Parking a problem

A group of people who live along McLean gathered Tuesday night to voice concerns over the bike lanes that have been added to the Midtown street.

Approximately 35 people gathered in a homeowner’s yard for about an hour, most of them opposed to the lanes. Although several elected officials were invited to the neighborhood meeting, none showed, although a City Council staffer came and took notes.

The street was restriped in May to add a bike lane going each direction between Poplar and North Parkway. But to add those lanes on the narrow street, the city had to remove the existing street parking, an action that angered many who live in that area.

“It’s just poor judgment,” resident Teresa Potter said. “I don’t think the residents of McLean should have to suffer for the city’s poor judgment.”

Resident Leone Cross was one of the first people to be ticketed for parking on the street after the lanes were added.

“I’m not against bicycles. It’s just that we can’t park anywhere. It’s a right that was taken away from us,” she said.

In an effort to strike a compromise between cyclists and homeowners in that area, the city recently amended its rules so that people can park on the street from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

While neighbors said that compromise has helped somewhat, it’s also created its own set of problems. While it’s great for people who want to entertain, giving their guests a place to park, it’s a hassle for those who park their own cars on the street, they said.

“If you come home at 5, you can’t park. And if you do park, you have to get up early (to move your car),” said Jody Hopkins, who hosted the gathering.

Neighbors were also angered that they had little say in the decision to add the lanes. While the city got the approval of the Evergreen Historic District, which includes that stretch of McLean, homeowners said they received no advance notice that the lanes would be added. For many, the first they knew of it was when they saw crews re-striping the road.

“That was what I objected to the most, that we had no voice in this situation,” Cross said.

Not everyone who came Tuesday night was necessarily opposed to the lanes, as a couple of people spoke out in favor of them.

But even for avid cyclist Richard Patterson, the bike lanes are still something of a blessing and a curse.

“I’m for the bike lanes because I’m a cyclist. But I’m also very frustrated with the parking situation,” said Patterson, who was also miffed that residents weren’t better informed that the lanes were coming.