Erasing bike lanes goes the wrong way

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has ludicrously labeled bicycle lanes on public roads as somehow belonging to diversity, equity and inclusion, a phrase constantly despised and derided by the White House.

The Federal Highway Administration in Duffy’s domain has removed bicycle lanes, lower speed limits and measures that protect pedestrians from the list of best safety practices posted on the agency website, as Newsday’s news division reported.

The shaky rationale is that such alleged “DEI pet projects” divert resources from the “backbone” of infrastructure for motorists. This suggests, dubiously, that programs established before President Donald Trump’s current term promote congestion rather than the smart decisions by local governments on the best path to road safety.

For Duffy, sowing division over bike lanes conveniently avoids a lot of difficult governance work for him and his bureaucrats. If current infrastructure planning for bike paths and other safety issues is wrong, he needs to show the public and Congress why and how money for such safety measures in his department’s annual $116.5 billion budget would be redirected.

On Long Island, bike lanes are mostly considered an improvement. Last year, GOP-run Brookhaven developed Long Island’s first “Vision Zero” action plan under Republican leadership with help from bipartisan federal funding. It includes data-driven plans for bike lanes as well as sidewalks, roundabouts, speed limit reductions, brush clearance for visibility and many other measures.

Localities are leading the way, but often rely on federal aid for infrastructure improvements.

Of course, bikes can bring challenges such as limiting road space for autos and trucks, gnarled intersections and aggressive and careless behavior by some bicyclists. But neither the motorist nor the cyclist can be expected to disappear for the convenience of the other. Roads have to be shared.

And we would venture a guess that if Long Island drivers were canvassed about which two-wheelers frustrate them the most, weaving and loud motorcycles would be high on the list.

Conflict over bike lanes between Canada’s Alberta province and its cities Calgary and Edmonton is also ongoing. The government there started a web portal to collect bike-lane complaints such as congestion and lost parking. The province reportedly seeks to stop bike lane projects rather than devise other ways to share the road.

Before his Cabinet job, Duffy was best known for his past in “reality” television. Alas, this is not show biz. He has a serious job now that requires sober-minded analysis and planning. Congress should at least allow an earnest give-and-take on the issue.

Rather than siding with cars or bikes, leaders must balance different — dare we say diverse? — transportation interests across America’s urban, suburban and rural communities. Why can’t there be safe, modern roads for all?