I've never really understood the appeal of major roads for bicyclsts. I enjoy the calm of side streets, but any route that is low in traffic is frequently (may

I've never really understood the appeal of major roads for bicyclsts. I enjoy the calm of side streets, but any route that is low in traffic is frequently (maybe even axiomatically) much longer or full of stop signs, both of which can be rather burdensome to a cyclist. E.g. I can bike to work 5 miles down the main road, or I can avoid cars almost entirely but it's 9 miles. In my town, a six-lane arterial [...] turned it into a two lane road with center turn lane, bicycle lanes, and parking A 40mph+ thoroughfare with parking added on both sides? That's so crazy I feel like we're missing something here. Does this road go right through the heart of downtown? High speeds are not really compatible with a downtown replete with bars, shopping, nightlife, & pedestrians.