Micah: Noor, the city council votes Tuesday on the protected bike lane for Alder Street. I signed the comment form supporting it.

Noor: The one that takes out the parking in front of the shops? My uncle is against it.

Micah: I know, and that worry is not silly. Losing twenty or so spaces in front of a business is a real cost, and the council should say that plainly instead of pretending nobody loses anything.

Noor: Then why are you for it?

Micah: Because of who is already on that street. Alder is the route most students from the east side ride to school, and there are three schools along it. Right now they ride between moving cars and parked ones. The city's own traffic study counted eleven crashes involving bicycles there in four years.

Noor: Eleven in four years does not sound like very many to me.

Micah: On its own, no. But nine of those eleven happened at the same two intersections, and those are exactly where a curb would separate the lane from traffic. The problem has an address, and the design goes to that address.