I keep seeing joggers in my area choosing the bike lane over the sidewalk, presumably because asphalt is softer than concrete sidewalks. If paving a ped lane next to the bike lane is what it takes to isolate these wrong-way bike-lane-jogging scufflaws, then let's just do it and be done with it. We can cannibalize a car lane to make it happen. >:-)
Sidewalks in car-brained areas are super dangerous to jog on. People backing out of their driveway or turning across the road at 10-20km/h without looking. Trip hazards. Ankle destroying driveway cutouts or curved surfsces. Uneven grading.
I'm a bit late to reply, but this is a great explanation. I always assumed it was just the softness of asphalt vs concrete on the knees, but there is absolutely a case to be made for visibility. It's unexpected as a cyclist, but I am 100% empathetic to the struggles of anyone not in a car, more specifically one of those Dodge Ram 3500s with smokestacks and truck nuts on the bumper that seem to be so popular right now. :-)