Carmel legislators are currently reviewing city plans on the placement and construction for new bike paths. City council member Luci Snyder said via email the Land Use committee members are currently working on a revision for the Carmel Comprehensive Plan, which would result place restrictions for new bike lanes.

According to Snyder, property rights and the financial costs of building new bike lanes are the primary factors involved in discussions.

“The issue before the four Council members on this committee is what is a want and what is a need,” she said. “Some of the roads designated are currently only two lanes and any additional width would come at the expense of current homeowners and their yards.”

Snyder also said bike lanes are expensive to construct and maintain with costs as high as $66,000 a mile. Additionally, the city would have to purchase land in order to build new paths, the most expensive step of the construction process.

Sophomore Diana Gorin said bike lanes are good for the city, and she would like there to be more bike lanes.

“I think the city has enough (money) for more bike lanes,” she said. In spite of her opinion, Gorin is happy with the city’s current bike routes and bike land infrastructure. “I think Carmel does a really good job with bike lanes. When you go to Westfield, there aren’t as many.”

Snyder said via email the review would call for roads 120 to 150 feet wide to have bike lanes on both sides, but the situation would be more complicated for narrower two-lane roads. Building bike lanes on these roads could violate property rights and disgruntle homeowners. She said the city is currently trying to balance conflicting aspects, and the current negotiations are aimed at providing a solution.

“Government must always balance income vs. expenditures and the want vs. the need,” Snyder said via email.