i've seen a couple postings to my "statement" re bicycle paths, and i feel i
must make a couple corrections and clarify a few thoughts behind my
feelings....
a) i was not advocating combined bicycle/pedestrian paths.
ESPECIALLY for the mountain view project, i would like to see a separate
bicycle path.
the mountain view project will be a connecting link in the linear park
system. if we are to provide a safe cycling environment for children and
families, we should not dump them on to traffic grade for that important
stretch.
b) be careful what you ask for. the desire to place east/west bicycle
lanes on traffic grade along sixth street from downtown to deakin will
result in the demolition of (8) large (nearly 10" caliper) red oak trees on
the south side of sixth. these are the oaks which screen the agricultural
buildings opposite gambinos, las hadas, ambassador auto's used car
"lawn." (see sheets 16 & 17 of the idot plans prepared by jub
engineers.)
in addition, these lanes will be minimal in width (4') and weave around
parked cars and through right turn lanes. (OK... so you got me... if i had
to choose... upon pain of death... i'd take combined pedestrian/bike paths
over painted, on-traffic grade lanes any day.)(especially when the demo
of the combined path in favor of the painted lanes will result in the demo
of oak street trees)
c) i'd be willing to stake a large amount that the number of miles ridden
by under sixteen year old children moving back and forth from the rec
center, soccer fields, lena whitmore, mcdonald, the junior high, mountain
view park, etc in the mountain view corridor will out number "adult
commuter" miles 10 to 1. lets not forget who the clients are.
d) after living four years in spokane, before moving to moscow/pullman,
my job took me to south orange county, california for three years. laguna
hills, laguna niguel, aliso viejo, mission viejo, el toro, foothills ranch,
rancho santa margarita, san juan capistrano, irvine, newport beach,
laguna beach. if you know the area, you know it is prime time bicycle
riding area. rolling hills, scenic terrain, wide roads, most all with painted
bicycle lanes. the 1984 l.a. olympics held the road bicycle competition
events there...
on weekends, it is flooded with riders.
even though there are painted lanes on nearly every street, the riders
nearly always ride ON OR TO THE LEFT OF THE PAINTED LINE. why?
autos sweep gravel, road debris, sand, thorns, glass, etc, etc into the
bike lane. nobody wants to flat. especially the guys (neutral gender
sense) with the high tech, expensive road bikes which come equipped
with those expensive, high speed, low rolling resistance, "insta-flat"
tires. the result is that, even though there are painted lanes, the bicycles
are out in traffic ANYWAY.
in three years there, i saw several shag-nasty bicycle, auto collisions...
mostly "pro" riders with all the gear, moving at near auto speeds, in the
right lane of traffic, who make sudden decisions to swerve around
debris or head across traffic to the left side of auto traffic to make left
turns. (though at near auto speed... they weren't quite "all the way
there.")
it ain't a pretty site.
e) the mpd is very, very aggressive about "getting after" riders on
sidewalks. effectively, riding on sidewalks is not an option.
so... bottom line.... paint the lines when you do not have another option.
but when it is new construction, and you have a design choice, i
strongly encourage separation of bicycles from traffic. ESPECIALLY in a
situation such as the mountain view corridor when you are forming a link
in the linear park chain AND the "tri-state" argument does not hold.
...ray