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Council OKs 100 miles of bike paths
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
The Columbus City Council approved a plan last night that will add miles of bike lanes along city streets, create dozens of new trails and add racks and a Downtown changing station for people riding on two wheels.
The Bicentennial Bikeways Plan calls for 100 miles of new bike lanes and trails to be built before the city’s 200th birthday in 2012 and a total of 538 miles of lanes and trails over 20 years.
It will cost $20 million for the first goal and $167.6 million for the long-range plan.
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Columbus City Council OKs 100 miles of bike paths
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I think that will be nice. Ive been contemplating getting a bike here for the last few weeks to ride to work and do minor errands.
167 million…..wow. I really need to get a bike, anyone have a decent road bike they’d sell for about 100 bucks?
Beware of politicians bearing gifts…as we get closer to the election, the mayor and council will be dangling a lot of goodies before the voters in an attempt to curry favor for the 2012 bond package. Problem is these are only vague promises, they is no legal obligation, once the bond packages pass, to actually allocate the money to those projects.
I’m glad to see that the plans are getting support at any rate. I really hope that there is some focus on East-West connectors to the different bike paths that already exist.
My wife and I both try to ride to work as much as we can. Even though her commute is longer, she can actually take the trail almost the entire way. I’ve made that commute several times with her, and I can assure you that the ride beats driving any day (ok, maybe not in winter, but I haven’t tried that). My ride is up High Street to just past 270: Not an exchange for the faint-of-heart. Driving there is crazy enough, let alone riding. But, there aren’t too many alternatives for riding over the Interstates around here right now.
For those of you looking to begin commuting: By all means do it. You don’t need a great bike for commuting, just something you can rely on. Buy a bike for $100-$200, take it to a mechanic, and then hit the roads. If you really get into cycling, you can choose to drop the cash on a new bike then.
The thing is, bike paths aren’t convenient for to and pale in comparison to roads. Bike lanes only offer a false sense of security, in fact I can attest to that and now even when a road is rather wide I take the entire lane. It makes me look like an asshole, but I’ve had too many people pass by me about a foot away, even when they have plenty of room, they won’t pass safely unless you are totally obstructing their path. If you think a line on the road is going to change that, just wait till you face those right hooks, which are totally avoided by riding in the middle of the lane. Hell, go to the Morse bike lane and see how safe you feel with cars whizzing around you over 50MPH, especially those in a hurry and taking a fast turn at an intersection where your bike lane is.
If you want a road to be safe for bikes you need to put in things that force traffic to slow down, like medians and speed humps. Sadly, the more I’ve ridden the more I see how much money in the bikeways plan is a waste. And High is only going to be signed for bikes. How about a few speed humps, as it is 25MPH on the SN-OSU stretch and many drivers go faster without them right now. There are measures that could be taken now for very little money, such as changing light patterns, but if the city isn’t going to take the smallest steps now, what makes us think they would take a bigger step later?
Why am I not surprized that bicyclists here have still found something to complain about?
If you want a road to be safe for bikes you need to put in things that force traffic to slow down, like medians and speed humps. Sadly, the more I’ve ridden the more I see how much money in the bikeways plan is a waste. And High is only going to be signed for bikes. How about a few speed humps, as it is 25MPH on the SN-OSU stretch and many drivers go faster without them right now. There are measures that could be taken now for very little money, such as changing light patterns, but if the city isn’t going to take the smallest steps now, what makes us think they would take a bigger step later?
I agree that I’d rather ride on the road as-is than have a bike lane: Unless that bike lane was huge :D However, the bike paths are actually pretty good for commuting for some folks. It is perfect in relation to where we live and my wife works, as well as getting downtown for us. I don’t mind riding the roads, but with the exception of a few congested areas on the trail, it’s a smoother ride (albeit longer) to take the trail downtown for us.
I think the only real thing that will make the roads much safer for bikes is to get more bikes on them. In some of the bigger cycling cities I’ve been to, there aren’t bike lanes; people are just more used to driving with bikes on the road. I’d love to see East-West connectors on roads other than Morse or 161: Something that is a little slower. 40-50 MPH roads are fine to ride when you’re in the country, but I’d prefer a 25-35 MPH road in the city.
please fix.. you need to swap the word “bicyclists” and replace with “Columbusite”
Easy… I don’t think anything I’ve written has a tone of complaining. In fact, I think my posts pretty much reflect the opposite. Let’s not start generalizing…
Well, it could have something to do with the fact that I bike for transportation whereas the vast majority of city council doesn’t, and therefore wouldn’t be qualified to say what “bike-friendly” is. I bike on the roads and, I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but it’s given me a very good sense of what needs to be done to make roads safer for bikes. Very illogical, I know. I really shouldn’t complain though. I mean, pointing out that bike lanes are more likely to result in injuries, that’s just pointless bitching.
$167 million? That’s more expensive than a streetcar line!
If you want a road to be safe for bikes you need to put in things that force traffic to slow down, like medians and speed humps. Sadly, the more I’ve ridden the more I see how much money in the bikeways plan is a waste. And High is only going to be signed for bikes. How about a few speed humps, as it is 25MPH on the SN-OSU stretch and many drivers go faster without them right now. There are measures that could be taken now for very little money, such as changing light patterns, but if the city isn’t going to take the smallest steps now, what makes us think they would take a bigger step later?
Speed humps on High Street? Intentionally increasing delays? These aren’t rational ideas.
You know, I think you and I want much the same things, (bikable and walkable streets for one), but you’ve somehow found a way to even alienate me.
Good job!
I’m happy for the commitment AND I think columbusite makes good points. I know I’ve joined in on some “discussions” out here but why is there always so much hostility around bicycling on this site?
I bicycle for transit and for that reason I totally see what Columbusite is saying. I don’t think speed bumps are the answer, at that point you’ll cause more problems then you’ll solve, but traffic calming is a huge part of it. I think the issue is more one of visibility of bicyclist rights than anything.
For someone like my wife who rides primarily for recreation and some for transit I would say these types of investments make sense.
My problem isn’t the points he’s making.. It’s they way they’re presented to others. As a cyclist who rides for transit and leisure, I’d rather not be associated with mewling and condescending tone.
I just want to ride my bike.. I don’t have to insult anyone to do that.
Oh by the way.. I’m happy to see more money invested in biking weather it’s in Bike Paths or more bike (and pedestrian) friendly streets..
Thank you City Council
please fix.. you need to swap the word “bicyclists” and replace with “Columbusite”
+1
Columbusite is a misanthrope in a city of 700,000+ “anthropes.” Must be a hard life.
Let me clarify by saying that city council means very well, as they did seek out a highly regarded company to make Columbus bike-friendly. Unfortunately, the plan is going to result in bikes being pushed to the edge of our roads (good luck leaving the bike-lane when you need to get over for a left turn) and off of them completely onto bike paths with bike-lanes and paths being the priorities. Bike paths cannot and will not replace roads and bike lanes add dangers to biking on the road.
Try biking as if there were a bike lane vs taking the lane (better to do so mentally). You will find that not only will cars pass uncomfortably close, but by being closer to parked cars other cars at intersections have a harder time seeing you and by passing the intersection closely both you and the car have less time to avoid an accident. Then of course is the right hook, since cars will be whizzing by you sooner or later you’ll be passing an intersection where a car wants to take a right turn when you’re in their blind spot.
http://bicyclesafe.com/images-collisions/right-hook.gif
http://bicyclesafe.com/
This page basically shows the additional dangers added by riding along the curb or in a bike lane.
Lastly, there is a huge difference between speed bumps and speed humps. Bumps are abrupt and could even knock cyclists off their bikes. Bumps are gradual and wide. Go to Duncan or Franklin Park S for a couple of different examples where they simply enforce the 25MPH speed limit. High St from SN-OSU is 25MPH. I don’t see what the problem is to make High safer for pedestrians and cyclists by simply enforcing the current speed limit. Aside from that, the awareness campaign planned for High is going to put share-the-road signs allover. Suggestions like that are easily and commonly ignored. Physical changes in the road that require you to follow the speed limit will do more than any amount of signs.
Try biking as if there were a bike lane vs taking the lane (better to do so mentally). You will find that not only will cars pass uncomfortably close, but by being closer to parked cars other cars at intersections have a harder time seeing you and by passing the intersection closely both you and the car have less time to avoid an accident. Then of course is the right hook, since cars will be whizzing by you sooner or later you’ll be passing an intersection where a car wants to take a right turn when you’re in their blind spot.
The research I have seen indicates that bike lanes improve safety.
There is some research here that shows cars pass closer with bike lanes in place, but I haven’t seen any evidence that this has increased bike-car crashes. This research is the best I’ve seen and it shows a 58% higher crash rate on major streets w/o bike facilities compared to major streets with bike lanes. It does not separate shared lane markings (sharrows) into their own category. I would be interested to see how they compare. There is also evidence that bike lanes discourage wrong-way riding and sidewalk riding, both of which are dangerous. Lastly, it is important to ride at the left edge of a bike lane though to avoid being doored. Dooring is my most serious concern about bike lanes. If you want to make a left, just do it like a car. Look behind you, signal, and merge.
Oh yeah. I thought you wanted a streetcar on High Street? I don’t think streetcars and speed humps would be compatible. I also don’t think buses and speed humps are compatible. Think about the standing passengers on a bus going over humps. It’d be worse than the bus on the cobble-stone road in Puerto Vallarta that I had the pleasure of riding for 40 pesos.
The research I have seen indicates that bike lanes improve safety.
There is some research here that shows cars pass closer with bike lanes in place, but I haven’t seen any evidence that this has increased bike-car crashes. This research is the best I’ve seen and it shows a 58% higher crash rate on major streets w/o bike facilities compared to major streets with bike lanes. It does not separate shared lane markings (sharrows) into their own category. I would be interested to see how they compare. There is also evidence that bike lanes discourage wrong-way riding and sidewalk riding, both of which are dangerous. Lastly, it is important to ride at the left edge of a bike lane though to avoid being doored. Dooring is my most serious concern about bike lanes. If you want to make a left, just do it like a car. Look behind you, signal, and merge.
The research may be correct, and I’m not trying to defend Columbusite, as he his perfectly capable of defending himself. However, I can say that I would personally prefer no bike lanes. It is a dangerous proposition on most roads, in my cycling experience. For example, imagine a bike lane on the right of Morse Road. Here we have essentially a 4-lane highway, seeing as most people go 45-50 mph on that road (nothing I can sustain on a bike). Then couple that with the stop lights with people who turn right at the light (or worse, left on a full green light with no traffic coming, where you are now WAY off to the right of their customary vision looking for oncoming traffic). It is much, much safer to be behind a car, rather than to the right of a car (or worse, a semi or large truck) who may not see you. But, if you decide to get in the car lane at a stop light when you have a bike lane available, now all hell breaks loose with angry drivers. Not to mention the dangers of bike lanes on roads with street parking (which I’ve seen, believe it or not).
Rather, I would like to see ‘bike routes’ shifted to other roads that may go to the same place, even if a less direct route, but is more residential. I try to go those ways most of the time, if I can. I don’t really have a problem on High Street though, besides the usual poor surfaces. But that messes up my car too. I’m not complaining, don’t get me wrong. I’m glad that more awareness is a priority for the current municipal administration. I think a lot of the work needs to be done by cyclists to try to promote getting more people onto the roads, and teaching them how to be defensive, yet confident cyclists. I’ve personally found that learning to ride a straight line, predictably, with confidence, goes a long way toward getting consideration from drivers. There are jerks, and always will be, but they’re probably jerks to other vehicles too. There’s not much you can do to handle that.