Recently, the Seattle Times published an article, “Bellevue makes way for bikes,” where about 200 miles of bike lanes, sidewalks, and trail improvements are planned for bicyclists (plus bike racks, maps, signs, safety fairs and advertising). However, the article noted, Bellevue…” must still find the money to pay for it.”

Here is a novel idea – an annual registration fee for bicycles using public thoroughfares to cover the costs of having expensive facilities built and dedicated for them. Even high mpg cars and hybrid vehicles pay annual registration fees. It is merely a law of urban physics that what must be built and maintained should be paid for by those that benefit from them.

When I was a kid 50 years ago, our state required an annual fee of around $3 to $5 and we received a very small license plate for placing under the back of our bike seat. There should also be tickets for those that use the public facilities without proper licensing or irresponsibly violate safe driving principles.

Is that too logical for some of the politically correct, haughty bicyclists (a minority) that think they own the roads to understand?

Harvey Gillis, Bellevue