I have heard a lot about the plan to make a third lane on Metacom Avenue in Bristol, and I am worried about the unintentional side effects of this idea.

The third lane would reduce the size of the shoulder dramatically.

I come from a family that bikes a lot, and we commonly use the shoulder to ride on, because it allows us to stay out of the way of both pedestrians and cars. However, if the shoulder is removed, it might force bikers to ride in the road or the sidewalk.

This road was already a dangerous section for biking, and this will just make it worse.

Another issue is more serious. There are a number of sections of Bristol where the sidewalks are unfit for wheelchairs. I know have 

seen several cases in which wheelchair-bound people have been forced to leave the sidewalk because of poor conditions.

Normally there is room on the shoulder to get past the section, but if there is no shoulder, it would be very dangerous for a person to avoid these sections. Also there is no room for an undriveable car to pull off, which could result in an accident in a high-traffic situation.

Nathan Dieterich

Bristol