Re: DOT equals dept of transporation right? Then why always highways?

On Feb 8, 3:14 pm, John Lansford <jlnsf...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Larry G <gross.la...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
just FYI -

" one UK study estimated that cycle path users are seven times more
likely to get punctures than are road cyclists.[76] Both sides of the
argument acknowledge that many cyclists will simply refuse to use
poorly maintained facilities. Cycle facilities skeptics go further and
argue that there is no point funding new cycle facilities unless there
is a simultaneous commitment of increased funds to maintenance and
sweeping afterwards."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bikeway#Rural_.2F_Arterial_roads

Uhh, Larry, maybe you should reread what you just posted.  It points
out that PATH cyclists risk puncturing their tires much more often
than ROAD cyclists.  As I have said REPEATEDLY, the reason why wider
lanes are more useful in urban areas is not only are they safer than
dedicated bike lanes, they are less likely to get debris on them due
to the dual use function of the wider lane.

the issues I have brought up are long-standing ... community issues -
not just my opinion....

but I take your comments to heart with respect to the difficulties
associated with trying to back-fit into an existing decades-old road
network.

but I'd actually argue that putting bike lanes on new/improved roads
everywhere that ends up with just more disconnected segments is
ineffective and wasteful to a certain degree.

So the answer is to do...what?  If I have a project that improves an
existing road by adding lanes, and it connects on either end to a road
system that doesn't have bicycle facilities, should I not add those
facilities because "those other roads aren't set up for bicycles"?

That's a recipe for doing NOTHING.  Now, just haphazardly adding
dedicated bike lanes does create a problem for cyclists, but because
motorists start thinking "they've got their own lane over here, so why
are they in MY lane right HERE?".  IOW, unconnected bike lanes tends
to create both confusion with cyclists and an unfounded entitlement
attitude with motorists, which is why unless a city has an ACTIVE bike
lane program (IOW, they are adding them on their own projects, and
request them for all state funded projects with a plan to connect the
segments), the default is to add wider outside lanes.

I've seen more than a few "stranded" bike lanes.. that really don't go
anywhere and probably never will...

What I'd like to see is a bike network plan - where the priorities are
to identify where connecting facilities are needed and then prioritize
them with the limited funding... as opposed to just splatting out more
and more disconnected (and expensive) segments.

Many cities here in NC have that.  They have bicycle offices and plans
to add bicycle facilities on their streets.  

http://www.durhamnc.gov/departments/works/bike_plan.cfmhttp://www.greenways.com/raleighbike.htmlhttp://www.wilmapco.org/BikeWilmington/Wilmington%20Bicycle%20Plan%20...http://www.abptaskforce.org/

Those links took less than a minute to find.  Are you trying to tell
me that Virginia cities don't have similar offices and plans?

Oh, and here's the NCDOT Bicycle website:

http://www.ncdot.org/transit/bicycle/

we have LOTS of plans for bike lanes but virtually no plans for Bike
Transportation Networks where the plan involves WHERE lanes are needed
for connectivity as part of a network that can be used for actual
transportation between origins and destinations.

with disconnected segments, we have similar issues with the rules
requiring sidewalks that end at the property line and no plans for the
adjacent property to add sidewalks. The folks being forced to pay for
the sidewalks are asking why they have to build the sidewalk if it
does not go anywhere.

Now.. the county has asked that new development contribute to a
sidewalk fund where the county would use the money to prioritize where
they want to connect sidewalks but the property owners are having none
of that.

And that's a similar problem with bike lanes. If you only put them
where you can - and there is no plan to ultimately link them up into a
connected network - then when will there be a viable transportation
network?

You guys won't build a road unless it has logical termini - right?



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Relevant Pages

  • Re: bike lane flame bait and going right
    ... Not being limited to the cyclist inferiority ghetto of lanes and paths. ... Real choice is having multiple options, facilities and plain roads. ... Newbies prefer segregated facilities because that is what they have been told is better. ... More experienced cyclists generally learn to understand the superiority of vehicular cycling and the downside of being confined to a lesser facility. ...
    (rec.bicycles.misc)
  • Re: bike lane flame bait and going right
    ... Not being limited to the cyclist inferiority ghetto of lanes and paths. ... Real choice is having multiple options, facilities and plain roads. ... Newbies prefer segregated facilities because that is what they have been told is better. ... More experienced cyclists generally learn to understand the superiority of vehicular cycling and the downside of being confined to a lesser facility. ...
    (rec.bicycles.misc)
  • Re: DOT equals dept of transporation right? Then why always highways?
    ... There are folks - like myself - that would ride a bike to the post ... providing separate lanes is potentially a "good" thing if a way ... And yet most experienced cyclists say that the debris issue is not ... necessarily a deterrent to them using the facilities. ...
    (misc.transport.road)
  • Re: bike lane flame bait and going right
    ... Not being limited to the cyclist inferiority ghetto of lanes and paths. ... Real choice is having multiple options, facilities and plain roads. ... Newbies prefer segregated facilities because that is what they have been told is better. ... More experienced cyclists generally learn to understand the superiority of vehicular cycling and the downside of being confined to a lesser facility. ...
    (rec.bicycles.misc)
  • Re: bikelane flamebait and going right
    ... Is it really good policy to tell potential cyclists they need stripes to be safe, ... lanes as a safety feature. ... Bicycle helmet use should be strongly encouraged and mandated where required by law. ... specifically because they thought the bike lane made them safe. ...
    (rec.bicycles.misc)