I think that taking out bike…

I think that taking out bike lanes that are used by many cyclists will have detrimental effects on traffic, business, and road safety. I do not think that removing bike lanes or returning them to traffic or parking will have as big an effect on gridlock as you hope.

I would ask that you look at how many cyclists use a bike lane, and model what would happen if all those cyclists were driving single occupancy cars on the same stretch of road. If a bike lane appears to be underused then consider investigating why.

Consider that if there is sufficient bike infrastructure and public transit then road users making local trips would be able to use transit or bikes for many trips, and this would leave more space on the existing car lanes for people who need to use cars and trucks. I live downtown, and most of my travel is by foot, bike, or public transit. This means I'm not taking up road capacity for people who do need to use cars or trucks. By making cycling and public transit a reliable and easy option you are freeing up existing capacity. With the new electrically assisted bikes I feel that I could cycle longer distances and do even more of my trips by bike.

Bikes take up less parking space than a car, how much road space would be freed if there were half as many cars using on-street parking in the city?

I have attached links showing that bike lanes are seen to have a positive effect on businesses.

Cycling is a healthy activity. Drivers hitting cyclists with their cars not so much. Having protected bike lanes improves safety for cyclists, and has incidental safety benefits for pedestrians and drivers. See attached link.

I think having safe, affordable, and reliable options for all types of road users encourages people who don't need to use cars to use an alternative, and that frees up road capacity for those who need or want to use a car for a trip.

Bike lanes help both cyclists and drivers, and removing well used bike lanes will not improve congestion.