I live in Porter Square and have been biking along Massachusetts Avenue for a couple of decades. It’s an invigorating and exciting experience in which I feel like I’m going into battle! And in fact some cyclists die in our battle with automobiles.

It shouldn’t be that way.

Children, elderly people and people with mobility issues should be able to bike along Massachusetts Avenue with ease. And I should be able to bike even when I don’t feel like going into battle. I know this is an attainable goal because I see it whenever I visit my relatives in the Netherlands.

Thanks to activists and the City Council, this has improved a huge amount in just a few years: Much of Massachusetts Avenue has safe bike lanes now. Porter Square is an important exception.

I know some people want the council to delay these bike lanes because of parking concerns. If there’s anywhere that parking is not scarce it’s Porter Square: We already have a huge parking lot that I’ve never seen fill up. And studies show places that are walkable and bikeable have greater economic activity.

I hope our city continues to be a leader. We can’t delay with those bike lanes.

Eli Gerzon, Creighton Street