A bike path and walkway along the Veterans Memorial Bridge across Chautauqua Lake would be a nice addition – but only if it was part of the current construction project.

We’re a little surprised a bike path and pedestrian walkway wasn’t part of the current $472 million bridge repair project given the way the state is incorporating biking and pedestrian access into most other projects it pursues.

Let’s not forget the state wanted to make major changes to Second Street as part of an upcoming road reconstruction even though eliminating parking along Second Street would have made life more difficult for dozens of people who live or own businesses in the area. Projects on Washington Street and Forest Avenue have also featured money spent on pedestrians and bicyclists.

So yes, it’s a bit of a surprise that the current Veterans Memorial Bridge project doesn’t include cyclists and pedestrians.

Bemus Point Village Board members are supporting Mayor Jeff Molnar’s desire to apply for federal funding to add a bike path or pedestrian walkway across the bridge. County Executive PJ Wendel also supports the mayor’s action.

It’s not a bad effort, but that’s only if funding can be secured so that bike paths and a pedestrian walkway can be added during the current construction project. That last thing anyone wants is to wade through three years of construction only to have more traffic limitations on the bridge because we have added on to an already lengthy and expensive project.

There are a lot of unknowns before people can truly support this project – no one knows how much it will cost, if it can be added onto the existing bridge project or even if there is a real public appetite to walk and bike across the bridge. Bemus Point officials will have to work quickly to answer those questions – because in our view once the last construction crew leaves the bridge, the time for this sort of project will have passed.