[codeangler]

This article is right for a single scenario: the long straight away in and out of a fair weather, well drained path/road/bikeway

As others have mentioned adding a turn before or after the underpass increases risk. A number of them (person to person, hidden obstruction, unsafe traction spots: ice, damp silt, etc)

A pedestrian bridge has recently been replaced in town (boulder, co) And I miss the bridge each day I commute. The pedestrian underpass has poor visibility (compared to the bridge that was there) and the above stated risks. While snow/ rain/ice would build up at times, it would clear out days sooner than the underpasses along my four mile commute.

But I was shouting to the wind to keep the bridge, as part of the financing for pedestrians underpasses in town is funded by fed/state/local flood mdigiation dollars.