Formerlyjerseyjack said:

Does Parker already have a bike lane? Is one being proposed?

What are the objections to bike lanes? N.I.M.B.Y?

Parker does not already have a bike lane. There is one proposed but there are quite a few families opposed to it from all the signs I see along Parker Avene

alha said:

Formerlyjerseyjack said:

Does Parker already have a bike lane? Is one being proposed?

What are the objections to bike lanes? N.I.M.B.Y?

Parker does not already have a bike lane. There is one proposed but there are quite a few families opposed to it from all the signs I see along Parker Avene

If the bike lanes are approved there will be no parking allowed on Parker, except for deliveries and emergencies. I think that's the main objection.

The way people race on Parker it’s no wonder more lawn signs are popping up against the bike lanes. It’s dangerous riding a bike on Parker. Elmwood might be a better choice. Fugget Tuscan!! 

Installation of bike lanes on Parker Avenue is on the agenda for this evening's township committee meeting.  You can attend in person or via zoom (request zoom link on town website) to hear all the issues.  There have already been three public meetings on the subject and modifications to the original proposal have been made as a result of comments received.  This remains a controversial issue.  If you have a position for or against the proposal, speaking out this evening during the public portion of the meeting is a good opportunity to make your argument before the township committee makes their determination later in the meeting.

Many Parker residents like us are for the bike lane proposal as a way to make Parker safer. Currently unsafe parking by trucks is allowed and not even a shoulder line is painted, encouraging cars to speed and causing crashes and pedestrians and students biking to CHS getting hit. The nimby signs are ugly and disappointing. Most of us never park on Parker.

I walk my dog often crossing Parker as I live in the neighborhood. The street is very unsafe with cars speeding, failing to yield to pedestrians etc. If the bike lanes come with traffic calming measures I am all for it.
But if all we are doing is risking getting creamed by a cyclist rather than a car ... no. Cyclists need to be at least as aware of pedestrians as drivers are, as it is harder to judge how close they are or how fast they can stop.

Agree.  Few bike riders in my experience adhere to the rules of the road.  Most I have seen ignore stop signs and traffic lights, fail to yield to pedestrians at intersections, travel in the wrong direction on one way streets (especially Dunnell by the train station), ride on the sidewalk, and don't always travel in the same direction as vehicular traffic.

In theory, having dedicated bike lanes should reduce the instance of cyclists using the sidewalk. If there is a safe lane in which they can travel, I think that would reduce the temptation to ride on the sidewalk.

I don’t see a lot of people writing human powered bicycles as much anymore. I see a lot of people on electric motorized bikes, scooters, and unicycles zipping around the space that used to be occupied by regular cyclists. I think a dedicated bike lane would very quickly be taken over by people using these motor vehicles. 

And I agree with Joan. It seems like most cyclists in my experience pretty much make up their own rules for safety. I have seen that behavior with the electric transportation users as well.

You can be killed if you’re hit by an electric bike while crossing the street. Anyone in favor of a bike lane on Irvington Avenue? How about south orange avenue? It’s not even safe to ride a bike on busy streets anymore. 
years ago we used to have cyclists riding all over town, even with their little kids on bicycles in front of them. I’m scared to see little kids riding their bicycle on some of the narrower streets. People drive way too fast these days. Why do you guys think there’s now a four way stop on Parker at burr rd? 

joan_crystal said:

Agree.  Few bike riders in my experience adhere to the rules of the road.  Most I have seen ignore stop signs and traffic lights, fail to yield to pedestrians at intersections, travel in the wrong direction on one way streets (especially Dunnell by the train station), ride on the sidewalk, and don't always travel in the same direction as vehicular traffic.

My experience is that cyclists have zero tolerance or respect for pedestrians. Drivers not much either, but I actually do see drivers stopping to let me and my dog cross the road on occasion. Cyclists, never. I want to love them for environmental reasons but they sure don't love me back.

What did the town council decide?

Formerlyjerseyjack said:

What did the town council decide?

Nothing yet.  This was a discussion item.  

From the Village Green (April 18, 2025):  https://villagegreennj.com/police-and-fire/battle-of-the-bike-lanes-residents-speak-for-against-dedicated-bike-lanes-on-parker-ave/

Residents Speak For & Against Dedicated Bike Lanes on Parker Ave

“I think overall, based on the conversations we had in the Engineering, Public Works and Planning committee, there is favorability on the part of the Township Committee to work something out, to create some bike lanes on Parker. How we do that and how we deal with all these issues that came up, we’re going to have to balance all of it.” — Maplewood TC member Vic DeLuca

“We’re going to have to go back out to the community and fine tune this,” said Township Committee member Victor DeLuca after more than 90 minutes of public comments on proposed dedicated bike lanes on Parker Avenue at the April 15 Township Committee meeting. “We’re going to have to balance all of it.”

But DeLuca and the four other members of the Township Committee reiterated their commitment to creating a network of dedicated bike lanes across the town in an effort to work toward the state’s “Vision Zero” campaign for traffic calming, multi-modal transportation and ending pedestrian fatalities on New Jersey’s roads.

DeLuca noted that across three town halls and several Engineering and Public Works Committee meetings, the town’s consultant Dynamic Traffic had presented a plan for Parker Avenue bike lanes and collected feedback from residents — with a particular focus on those living on or near Parker Avenue.

DeLuca reported that, across the three town halls, 27 people or 55% of comments were in support of the bike lanes, 17 residents spoke against the lanes, and five didn’t express a preference. 65% of commenters who identified themselves as living on Parker were against the lanes. 84% of those not living on Parker supported the lanes.

“I love bike lanes, however…” was a frequent refrain from several Parker Avenue residents who took to the microphone at the April 15 TC meeting to ask that the town not move forward with dedicated bike lanes along the length of Parker Avenue — or that the plan be amended.

RELATED: Maplewood Seeks Input on Proposed Parker Avenue Bike Lanes

A number of Parker residents asked the TC to look at other streets such as Elmwood. They lamented the loss of on-street parking in front of their houses. Several mentioned over the course of numerous public meetings that the bike lanes would lower the value of their homes and make the town more like a city and less like a suburb. One resident spoke about the loss of access to on-street parking for those who have physical disabilities.

“Parker Avenue is just too narrow a street for this project,” said one resident.

“I’m afraid when you open this up, you’ll get bicyclists who are not as skilled, not as experienced. … A pedestrian can hear a car coming. They cannot hear a bike coming,” said another.

“I probably would not have bought my house if I knew there were going to be bike lanes installed with bollards,” said yet another Parker Avenue resident.

However, many residents at the April 15 meeting spoke in support of lanes, saying they would help to calm traffic and promote safe means for students and families to bike to school and work or for recreation.

“We are very much in support of the bike lanes on Parker,” said Meghan Gosselink who said she lives a few houses off Parker and has three teens who bike to CHS. “Having bike lanes creates the sense of community that I think we all say we are looking for in this town. … We care about a community being accessible and safe for everyone. I hope the conversation can be focused on ceding Parker to bikes and pedestrians and safety and not ceding it to the needs of cars and driveways.”

Longtime Maplewood resident Rich Wenner called in to comment that he was involved in bike lane planning in the township 30 years ago and said the sticking point has always been concerns about loss of parking — “leaving us only with shared lanes which are not sufficient for making Maplewood really bike accessible.”

“I live near Parker,” said Wenner. “I understand their concerns [but] this plan needs to happen for the community to make Maplewood a really accessible biking place.”

Watch the public comments here: https://villagegreennj.com/police-and-fire/battle-of-the-bike-lanes-residents-speak-for-against-dedicated-bike-lanes-on-parker-ave/

We now have bike lanes.  I'm fairly neutral on this mainly because I hardly see bikes on Parker and I hardly see cars parked on Parker.  I think there are more delivery drivers on electric bike these days.  Is Parker the only street with these lanes and are others planned in the near future?

Will bollards be installed on Parker?

The bike lanes on Parker should be a positive addition. The Township chickened out and watered down the original plan, but at least it’s progress.

Maplewood and South Orange need to be much more friendly to bikes and pedestrians.

I am seeing more adults  bicycle riding on the sidewalk, and on foot paths in Memorial Park, than in the street these days. I also see those biking on the street frequently disregarding rules of the road such as riding the wrong way on one way streets and not stopping for stop signs or pedestrians in crosswalks. I am not sure dedicated bike lanes would solve this trend that is definitely making it less safe for pedestrians.  We do need improved education and enforcement to correct this growing trend. 

joan_crystal said:

I am seeing more adults  bicycle riding on the sidewalk, and on foot paths in Memorial Park, than in the street these days. I also see those biking on the street frequently disregarding rules of the road such as riding the wrong way on one way streets and not stopping for stop signs or pedestrians in crosswalks. I am not sure dedicated bike lanes would solve this trend that is definitely making it less safe for pedestrians.  We do need improved education and enforcement to correct this growing trend. 

agreed. I am a lot more afraid of cyclists than cars when I am out walking. I am very pro-cycling in general but the cyclists around here are rude and do not follow the rules of the road. I have never, ever seen a bike stop for a pedestrian ... cars do about half the time (still not enough but better than the cyclists). It is especially concerning as bikes are harder to see from a distance or for pedestrians to gauge how fast they are going. I cross Parker frequently and am worried about an uptick in cyclists. Now that the bike lanes are here there should be a police presence for a while and they should aggressively ticket, especially at crosswalks.

It seems to me that the majority of cyclists I’m seeing now are riding e-bikes. So they’re on a motorized vehicle that’s pretending to be a bicycle. I observe lots of disregard for the rules of the road. 

The way people drive around here I understand that it’s sometimes terrifying riding a bike, but ignoring the rules of the road like riding on the sidewalk doesn’t make things any safer. I am happy to see any kind of effort that makes cycling safer.   I wish automobile operators were more conscious of cyclists and gave them more respect and space. 

joan_crystal said:

I am seeing more adults  bicycle riding on the sidewalk, and on foot paths in Memorial Park, than in the street these days. I also see those biking on the street frequently disregarding rules of the road such as riding the wrong way on one way streets and not stopping for stop signs or pedestrians in crosswalks. I am not sure dedicated bike lanes would solve this trend that is definitely making it less safe for pedestrians.  We do need improved education and enforcement to correct this growing trend. 

This attitude is very anti-cyclist. Cars are far more dangerous for pedestrians than bicycles. Perhaps we should be lobbying for more traffic enforcement for dangerous drivers. I see far more motor vehicle violations every day than violations by cyclists. 

yahooyahoo said:

This attitude is very anti-cyclist. Cars are far more dangerous for pedestrians than bicycles. Perhaps we should be lobbying for more traffic enforcement for dangerous drivers. I see far more motor vehicle violations every day than violations by cyclists. 

Attitude is anti dangerous behavior displayed by some cyclists.  I would hope not all are ignoring the rules of the road or traveling on sidewalks and park paths intended for pedestrians.  Bicycles being driven at speed can still injure a pedestrian.   

joan_crystal said:

yahooyahoo said:

This attitude is very anti-cyclist. Cars are far more dangerous for pedestrians than bicycles. Perhaps we should be lobbying for more traffic enforcement for dangerous drivers. I see far more motor vehicle violations every day than violations by cyclists. 

Attitude is anti dangerous behavior displayed by some cyclists.  I would hope not all are ignoring the rules of the road or traveling on sidewalks and park paths intended for pedestrians.  Bicycles being driven at speed can still injure a pedestrian.   

Are you concerned about cars, or just bikes?  Let’s consider why bikes might ride on sidewalks and paths in parks. It’s because there is no biking infrastructure in Maplewood and the roads are very dangerous, because of CARS. Cyclists don’t feel safe on the roads. Maplewood Township continues to ignore unsafe driving. It’s a policy choice.

FWIW, I was almost bowled over this morning, by a cyclist on an e-bike cycling at speed on the sidewalk. 
My blood pressure drops when I get out of a car (which I’d just done), so I wasn’t yet walking in a straight line. I had absolutely no idea anyone was behind me, I couldn’t hear his wheels at all. I stepped carefully from the path back to lean on a tree for a minute - and the cyclist sped past, not acknowledging me in any way not even ringing a bell. 
Very very scary!

yahooyahoo said:

Cyclists don’t feel safe on the roads.

Pedestrians don’t feel safe on the sidewalks and paths. The difference is, pedestrians are where they’re supposed to be.

When cars threaten their safety, like at crosswalks, I’ve seen and heard them express concerns about cars, too.

joanne said:

FWIW, I was almost bowled over this morning, by a cyclist on an e-bike cycling at speed on the sidewalk.

It’s worth much relief that you’re OK. E-bikes add to the issues.

I think Joan would agree, possibly the worst hazard of e-bikes and e-scooters is just how silent they are.  And they’re so light, often you won’t even hear their tyres (tires?) on the paths and sidewalks.  Meanwhile, that lightness of construction strongly tempts young riders to perform all kinds of tricks as they travel, making sidewalks and paths even more hazardous for pedestrians. 
Cyclists, please stick to cycle lanes and cycle paths; use a bell or your voice to let us know you’re moving; and please save trick riding for skate parks. 

DaveSchmidt said:

It’s worth much relief that you’re OK. E-bikes add to the issues.

A e-bike may be light in comparison to a motorcycle but the batteries they use make them considerably more heavy than a regular bicycle. Electric cars are very quiet too. I can barely hear them in my peripherals when riding. 

yahooyahoo said:

Are you concerned about cars, or just bikes?  Let’s consider why bikes might ride on sidewalks and paths in parks. It’s because there is no biking infrastructure in Maplewood and the roads are very dangerous, because of CARS. Cyclists don’t feel safe on the roads. Maplewood Township continues to ignore unsafe driving. It’s a policy choice.

This thread started out being about bike lanes, thus the emphasis on that mode of transportation.  To answer your question, I am concerned about cars, bikes, pedestrians, and any other form of transportation that uses our infrastructure. I am strongly in favor of complete streets that provide safe space for all modes of transportation.  While some bicycle riders may feel endangered riding on the roadways in our community, they do not have the right to spread the pain by endangering those of us who rely on  walking on sidewalks and park paths as our sole means of transportation.  Those on the sidewalk are often older adults, people pushing strollers occupied by very young children, and dog walkers stopping to let their canine companions sniff about. These are the least able amongst us to dodge bicycles and the most likely to be serious injured by one.  

I agree with Joan. Streets need to be safer for bicycles, but cyclists also need to obey the rules of the road.  Bicycles should not be ridden on the sidewalk. As she says, those are supposed to be a safe place for pedestrians.

joan_crystal said:

This thread started out being about bike lanes, thus the emphasis on that mode of transportation.  To answer your question, I am concerned about cars, bikes, pedestrians, and any other form of transportation that uses our infrastructure. I am strongly in favor of complete streets that provide safe space for all modes of transportation.  While some bicycle riders may feel endangered riding on the roadways in our community, they do not have the right to spread the pain by endangering those of us who rely on  walking on sidewalks and park paths as our sole means of transportation.  Those on the sidewalk are often older adults, people pushing strollers occupied by very young children, and dog walkers stopping to let their canine companions sniff about. These are the least able amongst us to dodge bicycles and the most likely to be serious injured by one.  

Joan - you wrote you are strongly in favor of complete streets but all of your comments on this thread are decidedly against bicycles. You even stated that you weren't sure dedicated bike lanes would solve the issue of cyclists not obeying traffic laws.

If you truly are in favor of complete streets, you should support the continued development of bike lanes and infrastructure. You should also support increase traffic calming measures for cars and traffic violation enforcement for cars and bikes.

How does not wanting bicycle riders to ride on sidewalks and on foot paths in the park (both of which are presently against the law) translate as not being in favor of complete streets? Complete streets have dedicated lanes for pedestrians.  How does advocating for bike riders to observe rules of the road translate as being anti-cyclists or as favoring motor vehicles over bicycles? Motor vehicles exceeding the speed limit, not stopping for pedestrians in the crosswalk, passing vehicles that do stop for pedestrians, parking in locations that block line of sight for pedestrians and other motorists are all issues that need to be addressed and enforced .  Our streets and roadways would be far safer for all of us if motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians all followed the law.   Dedicated bike lanes won't prevent cyclists from not stopping for pedestrians in the crosswalk or riding the wrong way on one way streets. These are separate through related issues.