Alternative bike route has its auto speed and volume too

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To the Editor:

This letter was written to the Tisbury selectmen.

I see from the article in the Martha’s Vineyard Times (July 22, News in Brief) that you, the Tisbury selectmen, have determined that a better and safer bike route to Edgartown will be along “Lagoon Rd. and Skip Street” (sic). I assume that Lagoon Pond Road and Skiff Avenue are the intended streets.

I certainly have no problem with the proposed route, but as a resident on Skiff Avenue I feel that, in order to provide a safer route than the State Road route, a careful look should be taken at the posted speed limit on Skiff Avenue. I think with the present limit of 30 mph — which is not observed or enforced — there could well be other serious accidents or fatalities on this route also. We have observed one fatal bike accident in front of our house and several serious bike and guardrail mishaps on the sharp curve at Dunham Avenue.

Unfortunately, this proposed route also carries a large amount of heavy and speedy traffic.

Robert D. Woerpel

Vineyard Haven