Raleigh aims to be bike-friendly

Dedicated bike lanes were added to Avent Ferry Road during a recent resurfacing project as part of the first phase of a plan the city adopted last year.

"I think that's good, because that is for my safety," North Carolina State University graduate student Menglong Hu said.

Hu said that he makes about 20 trips to and from N.C. State on a bike each week.

"It's green, it's healthy, and the main idea is that I still don't have enough money to buy my car," he said.

The city of Raleigh has dedicated $500,000 and secured a $1 million federal grant toward the initiative to make the capital city safer for bicyclists.

The goal is to "promote and accommodate cycling as an alternative form of transportation," said Eric Lamb, Raleigh's manager of transportation services.

The city has identified 400 miles of city streets for bicycle-friendly improvements. In the first phase, bike lanes are being added in conjunction with re-surfacing projects.

"N.C. State is seen as an important area, because you have a high concentration of folks who don't always have cars and use bikes as an alternative," Lamb said.

The city will also focus on downtown Raleigh and routes from Raleigh to downtown.

"Hopefully, folks will feel more comfortable getting out on their bikes," Lamb said.