I'm not a recreational rider and I don't ride for fitness. Heck, I smoke and drink coffee while riding and then have SPAM and rice for lunch. My bike gets me to work and back, (45-50 miles, round trip). My weekend rides consist of runs to the grocery store and tooling around the neighborhood with my daughters.
I rode the Mockingbird bridge back when there was a bike lane and continue to this day. I'm not usually riding the WR MUP--Mockingbird is simply a way to get from one side of the lake to the other. As a vehicular cyclist, the lack of a bike lane has had no effect on my commute. In fact, there were times, when the bike lane was still there that drivers were confused with my going straight to get up the hill.
However, I can see how an inexperienced cyclist could find some comfort in having a lane "all to themselves." This might be a false sense of security, but it at least shows an attempt on the city's part to accommodate and encourage cycling.
I guess my point is that I can really see both sides of this issue. I wouldn't go as far as some cycling advocates that say bike lanes are just one more step toward getting bicycles off the streets. At the same time, I don't see them as the be-all, end-all in making cyclists safer on our car-crowded roads.