Letter: Let bikers pay for the paths

To the Editor:

This subscriber has never understood why bicyclists are entitled to single-use, 4-foot wide pathways. Let them use paved berms, if available, or rural lanes, yielding to traffic. At present, they use rural lanes and often do not yield to traffic, endangering everyone. They should be licensed and help pay for paved berms when rural road hills and curves obscure oncoming traffic.

The $76,000 contribution for a bike trail to Oswego from Route 47 and 126 alongside five-lane reconstructed Route 71: another 30-foot wide right of way like the paths along Route 47 from Route 71 to the fire house I’ve never seen a cyclist use? I presume this is recreation. If so, why not ride lanes on Van Emmon at Route 47 to Route 71, the berm southwest to Hilltop (or Lyon’s Farm) and/or Hilltop, Reservation to Minkler to Oswego? Better scenery, less traffic and costing nothing. Some multiple, (five or 10 times) maybe, of $76,000 for eight miles of path. How many property owners want to lose even more of their front lawns now to bicyclists? And what numbers of riders are expected? Most farm visitors are families.

As with Pickerill Mansion renovations, forgotten is the widow’s mite. Public money comes from sales taxes; property taxes are paid by tenants. Income taxes discourage investment and work. Let bike enthusiasts pay for these paths – otherwise use roads for free.

The May 13 Record article indicates the Kendall County commissioners voted unanimously to approve my contributing to this project. Consider this voter an ingrate.

Alphonse I. Johnson

Lisbon