Yesterday, Cascade Bicycle Club policy director David Hiller presented Mayor Mike McGinn with a petition signed by 961 people who support the city's plan to put NE 125th street on a road diet by cutting the four-lane road down to two flanked by bike lanes and a center turn lane—a week after opponents of the plan submitted a petition of their own, signed by roughly 150 people.

At that meeting, McGinn reportedly told opponents that he was leaning toward approving the project, in which case, this latest round of petitions will surely make him lean harder.

"Normally we wouldn't do a petition," explains CBC spokesman Chris Rule, who launched the petition on Tuesday. "But we wanted to give voice to all the people out there and why they support the project. Now people can look at what their neighbors think and what their experiences have been."

Here's what supporters are saying:

"It is not a 'road diet'—it is a balanced meal, a 'road smorgasbord'," writes Don Brubeck on CBC's petition.

"I attend church on 125th and like to ride my bike to church. I'm hoping that you can add a bike lane and make my ride safer," writes Anne Symonds.

"I am a bicyclist and also a driver who uses this section of 125th approximately 2 times per month," writes Linda Versage." Sometimes on my bike, sometimes in my car. When I have bicycled on this street I have felt completely unsafe and vulnerable. I have had to ride on the sidewalks which are unsafe as there are overhanging branches, roots in the sidewalk, side streets to cross while on a fairly steep grade. In addition, I myself drive too fast on this roadway! I'm 55 years old and have been driving since I was 16. The only speeding ticket I have ever received was on this stretch of road for going over 40 miles per hour. The proposal to slow down cars and make this section of roadway safer for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians is sound and should move forward quickly."

SDOT recommended changing the road to improve safety, after noting that the street sees higher collision rates than other arterials in the city, and drivers speed, on average, 10 miles over the posted limit.

Road diets are nothing new to the city. However, this particular stretch of street has been particularly contentious. Neighbors opposing the changes—which amount to little more than a paint job—have lobbied city officials for months to get the project killed. The NE 125th road diet would go into effect between Roosevelt Way NE and 28th Ave NE.