The issue with bike path safety is a complex one, given the commingling of walkers, bikers and now e-bikers. The single biggest safety issue is a failure of some pedestrians and bikers to maintain lane discipline, as in groups spilling over the full width of the path and many users failing to stay on the right half of the path.

There is only one solution to this that will likely make a meaningful difference: mark all the bike paths with lane striping, and put up signs that say “keep right of centerline except when passing.” I’ve been advocating for this for decades, and I was very heartened when one segment of the West Bank Path near River Road did receive just such striping (no signs, though). That striping has made it feel relatively safer to bike there, as users intuitively tend to stay on their side of the path. And in the event of a collision, it would be easier to assign responsibility.

Imagine how chaotic and unsafe our streets and highways would be without lane striping and laws requiring motorists to stay on the right side of the centerline except when passing. Bike paths deserve no less, and I consider it borderline negligent for the city not to stripe the rest of the paths. 

Paul Niedermeyer
Eugene