well just south of me, a 16 year old bike rider was killed by hit and run a few weeks ago. Road he was on has no sidewalks. I would wager a lot of money that more bikers get killed on roads than sidewalks.

And on State Road A1A in north Florida, which doesn't have a sidewalk but does have a bike lane, still has frequent pedestrian and cyclist/vehicle accidents so:

"the Florida Department of Transportation is constructing a paved pathway for cyclists, families, walkers and whoever wants to use it [on a 6 mile section of A1A]."

It will be a "shared use pedestrian and bicycle path".

It will be a 10 foot wide paved path, basically a 'wide' sidewalk. This is what cities should have done a long time ago. Typical sidewalks are too narrow. And the narrow bike path on most roads is for experienced cyclists and not intended for the leisure biker.

Most cities don't know how, or don't bother, to build infrastructure for leisure biking and I believe this 10 foot wide paved pathway is absolute right approach. Everyone is safer.