### Problem >Bikes are cheap, healthy, and good for the environment; but the environment is not designed for them. Bikes on roads are threatened by cars; bikes on paths threaten pedestrians. ### Solution >Build a system of paths designated as bike paths, with the following special properties: the bike paths are marked clearly with a special, easily recognizable surface (for example, a red asphalt surface). As far as possible they run along local roads, or major pedestrian paths. Where a bike path runs along a local road, its surface may be level with the road—if possible, on the sunny side; where a bike path runs along a pedestrian path, keep it separate from that path and a few inches below it. Bring the system of bike paths to within 100 feet of every building, and give every building a bike rack near its main entrance. ### Related Patterns ... within a [[Local Transport Areas (11)]] there is a heavy concentration of small vehicles like bikes, electric carts, perhaps even horses, which need a system of bike paths. The bike paths will play a very large role in helping to create the local transport areas, and may also help to modify [[Looped Local Roads (49)]] and [[Network of Paths and Cars (52)]]. Build the racks for bikes to one side of the main entrance, so that the bikes don't interfere with people's natural movement in and out -- [[Main Entrance (110)]], and give it some shelter, with the path from the racks to the entrance also under shelter -- [[Arcades (119)]]; keep the bikes out of quiet walks and quiet gardens -- [[Quiet Backs (59)]], [[Garden Wall (173)]] ... --- > [!cite]- Alexander, Christopher. _A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction_. Oxford University Press, 1977, p. 289. > #APL/confidence/medium > > #APL/Town-Patterns/Local-Networking