Fast Streets W/Bike Lane or Side Streets?

[Catrin]

Mr B. is in southern Indiana, though he can be in Indy in about an hour. Indianapolis has arterials, of course, but not many like he described in Sarasota. Generally speaking they are two lanes (each direction)'with lots of lights. There are a few with three lanes each way but typically anything more is one of our four interstates. I can only think of a few exceptions in the city - I build travel model simulations of the area in my job.

My trainer has been riding all of his life and couldn't be bolder on road or mountain bike, and has told me that urban riding in Indianapolis isn't like other places he has lived - he thinks the lanes tend to be more narrow. We do have bike lanes, but few outside downtown and most roads don't have a shoulder, not a real one, and often are filled with cr*p though I imagine that is the case in most areas. Thankfully the Mayor just announced plans to really increase the number of bike lanes in the city this year - by next spring we will have quite a few more miles of lanes

Hmmm, no wonder I prefer my country roads!