The city of St. George now offers a new bike lane to help residents and students get around parts of the city with ease.
The new lane was constructed on the east side of 700 East between 600 South and St. George Blvd., directly by Utah Tech University. This goes from Greater Zion Stadium to the Dolores Doré Eccles Fine Arts Center and into the city.
St. George News released an article in July where they said the idea came from a cycling event that the city hosted in 2021, when they turned the road on 700 East into a two-lane bike trail.
After seeing how the road would look with a bike lane, the city council ended up approving the estimated $1.45 million project on a 3-2 vote in May, which shows there were some doubts about the construction of this lane.
The article expressed the concerns that 50 parking spots will be replaced in the use of this new lane along 700 East. However, the city plans to create more parking spaces in the future.
In response to that, Cameron Cutler, public works director for the city of St. George, said they are adding angle parking by the cemetery, on Tabernacle Street.
Students and faculty have started using this lane and they each have their opinions about it.
Nathan Snow, associate professor of media studies, rides his bike to the university, and he used to struggle feeling safe with his space on the road.
”I don’t feel comfortable riding on the sidewalks because I think that they should be for pedestrians, but I also want to be considerate of the cars because I don’t want to ride in the middle of the street,” Snow said.
The goal of this new bike lane is to help the people who use this method of transport to have their dedicated space and ensure the safety of pedestrians, bikers and drivers.
“[The bike lane] is a safe place that is on the road, but I also don’t have to worry about cars that blow past me,” Snow said.
When asked if he believes this addition will encourage faculty and students to bike more frequently, he said an increase in biking is unlikely.
“If somebody isn’t biking already, I don’t know if the addition of one bike lane is going to get them. Because it’s a lot to ask somebody to consistently bike,” Snow said.
Christopher Uyleman, a sophomore general studies major from Orem, is not satisfied with the new addition.
“I’m all for bike infrastructure, but with the cost and the placement of the lane, I just think it’s not worth it,” Uyleman said. “If it was more focused towards students and it affected the in-campus commute then it would be a better investment.”
Sean Flint, a sophomore information systems and analytics major from Las Vegas, said the new trail can be useful for students who bike on their way to the university. Yet, he said he feels residents would benefit more if the bike lane had been promoted on a larger scale, like through an email to students or flyers around campus.
