Bicyclists, motorists in Akron area still learning to share the road | Akron Beacon Journal

Morgan Loesch heads west on West Exchange Street on his daily 14-mile round trip commute from his Highland Square home to his job in Akron. (Michael Chritton/Akron Beacon Journal)

It’s a battle between two groups that has been waged since the early part of the 20th century.

If they were gangs they would be the Fearsome Fours vs. the Terrible Twos and their battleground is the streets of Akron and Summit County where the fight takes place every single day.

Cars may rule the roads, but bicycles are an increasingly common sight on the streets. Both clans seem to want the other to get out of their respective way, while Akron officials would like for everyone to just get along.

During the past decade or so, the city has worked with bicycle advocates and groups such as the University of Akron-sponsored How We Roll Akron to make Akron more accommodating to cyclists. According to the Akron Metropolitan Transportation Study, there are 13 miles of off-road trails in the city, nearly 10 miles of conventional bike lanes and nearly 13 miles of shared lanes. Despite the fact many motorists own bikes and many cyclists own cars, the groups often antagonize each other.

[Keep reading at Akron Beacon Journal]