Cleveland Magazine Names Lakewood Top Suburb For Biking

Lakewood residents already know it, but it’s nice to get some attention from the regional media.

In its June issue, Cleveland Magazine rated the best Cleveland suburbs and — no big surprise here — Lakewood was named the Bike Authority.

The magazine had plenty of reasons, starting with “abundant sidewalks, wide boulevards near the lake and a compact layout that makes for an easy ride between residential areas, schools, parks and businesses such as (the) .” 

But there’s been more activity lately.

Earlier this month, more than a — and — started popping up on Detroit Avenue.

That was one of the result of the city’s comprehensive and progressive , an idea to make Lakewood .

During the past year, the city hosted community workshops, conducted surveys and carried out bike traffic counts. City officials have spent the past couple months talking to business leaders and schools officials.

The studies outlined what city officials already suspected: biking in Lakewood isn’t an alternative form of transportation.

It’s a main form of transportation.

 A recent traffic count at the intersection of Detroit and Andrews avenues saw an “astronomical” number of pedestrians and cyclists.

During one six-hour period, there were — count ‘em — 1,100 pedestrians and about 300 bikes at that intersection.

Not really much of a surprise for a city that ranked No. 1 in the state for bikeability, according to the American Community Survey.

And that’s not all.

Plans are in the works to expand the city’s Bike Plan to Madison Avenue.

Stay tuned.