I've been on the bike advisory cmtee in my town for years. It is just the public process - have to be transparent and every municipality has to have the public input. After all, it is government and they represent the people - at least in the US!

We do not usually have much opposition to bike lanes because we have a very pro bike town - with miles of FUTS trails, bike lanes, etc. People seem to have embraced that bike trails and lanes are beneficial to the town and the quality of life. But, of course, this is a small mountain town where a lot of people move here for outdoor activities.