SALISBURY, Md.- Some bikers and pedestrians are voicing their support for a new bike path on Armstrong Parkway in Salisbury. Biker Aurelio Giannitti says biking in Salisbury does not always feel safe and that an added bike path would only benefit the city.
"If you're in the right spots and you've got the bike lane, and you're feeling confident then you're fine… if you're in an area that is maybe a little bit less protected it's a little bit more dicey and I tend to avoid those areas just because I don't feel as comfortable there," said Giannitti. "The Armstrong Parkway just seems like a no-brainer to me."
The city approved the funding for the project last year, but many like Giannitti worry the lack of progress on the pathway since then is waning support from the city.
"It's an equity issue, it's a health issue, it's an environmental issue, and for me it's also just fun using the bikeways as a way to get around town. I find riding my bike to be more interesting and fun than riding in the car," said Giannitti.
Christi Richardson is a community support specialist at the Wicomico County Public Library. She says if the city built the bike path, it would provide more job opportunities for those who do not have cars.
"Specifically this project will open up the availability for them to get down to the north side of town where they can have more job opportunities," said Richardson. "A lot of social services warehouses, they are all down that way and I have patrons in here who can't apply to jobs in that direction simply because they cannot get there. So this would open up a whole new availability for them to have more opportunities."
Patti Stevens is on the Maryland Bike & Pedestrian Advisory Committee. Stevens says this would be a win-win for bike-commuters and employers.
"We have examples of people who said they'd like to apply for jobs in that area at the warehouses at the Coke plants and the Pepsi plant, but the bus route is kind of a round the corner and off the way and they could get there if there was a safe route to travel on," said Stevens.
The project was on the city agenda in early January. According to the city, it was on the agenda to ensure all new council members were familiar with the project. However, the city would not make any comment on the status or if there is any progress on the bike path.