A new bike lane running down Cleveland Avenue gives bikers a shortcut across the city but also eliminates a large swath of street parking used by St. Thomas students and community members.

Last year, Parking Services recorded an average of 438 bikes on campus at the peak time. Until about a month ago, however, Cleveland Avenue, a busy road that travels right along the university’s campus and neighboring community, lacked lanes specifically for bikers.

Sophomore Emily Devine bikes to her job on campus using the Cleveland bike lanes each week. Along with being more convenient for bikers, she said the new lanes could benefit our environment by getting people out of their cars.

“I think they’re helpful because it might encourage more people to bike instead of drive,” Devine said.

William Carter III, special projects manager for Public Safety, said the bike lanes span on Cleveland for about two miles, from Interstate 94 to Highland Park. Community members now have a new way to access the city, which Carter said is one of many advantages to the lanes.

“It gets people out of their car to be able to see and experience other parts of the city,” Carter said. “That particular bikeway will connect up with other bikeways leading towards the University of Minnesota, to Como Park, to Minneapolis and its park system and its bike system.”

Because of the new access, Carter said it will benefit St. Thomas students by giving them the opportunity to get off campus and explore their environment.

“It gets them out of the classroom, it gets them out of their residence hall or house, it gets them out meeting different people and seeing different things,” Carter said.

The bike lanes aren’t a positive addition for everyone, however.

Sophomore Sunita Dharod relies on street parking to get to class, but the new bike lanes have reduced the amount of available street parking on Cleveland Avenue. The reduction of parking availability has made it dificult for her to find a spot, she said.

“I actually was thinking about getting a bike because finding parking is so hard,” Dharod said.

Street parking around campus is limited, and in order to park in campus parking lots commuter students must buy a $200 parking permit for the year. Last year, 1,514 students did buy the commuter parking permit, but students like Dharod don’t want to add more to their student expenses.

“I just don’t want to pay for a parking pass,” Dharod said. “I’d rather bike.”

Although there was initial controversy about how the bike lanes would affect parking, the city addressed concerns by holding public forums to involve the entire community’s opinions into the making of the bike lanes, Carter said. All controversy aside, Carter encourages the community to use the bike lanes.

“Especially now with fall colors, using the bike lanes, combined with Metro Transit, can avail people to all kinds of opportunities to see the Twin Cities at one of the most beautiful times of the year,” Carter said.

Kassie Vivant can be reached at viva0001@stthomas.edu