Thanks to all for some really good points! When I think of the
European "side paths" that Robbie writes of, I think of the curbed
lane on University near campus. Although building curbed lanes may a
be an example of spending transportation dollars to work around bad
behavior that Darin is against, they offer a safer feeling, always
visible to cars (even when no bikes on on them, because of the curb),
"go where roads go" appeal. On the other hand, as people have
mentioned, it means we breathe in exhaust fumes during out workout.
What do other folks think of these types of lanes, as compared to
those designated only by paint and/or signs? Personally, I think our
transportation dollars are sometimes best spent when they work around
people's behaviors -- good or bad (vs. against them).
I thought I'd share my commuting story to give a more rounded view of
the struggle I'm having. These curbed lanes , or side paths, might
alleviate most of the issues I see on my commute:
I bike year round to the downtown-side of the university from either
the Bram neighborhood (where I live) or Verona Road Home Depot
neighborhood. From Bram I can either take the really nice path by
Quann Park to the residential street/path around Monona bay to the
Missing Link trail (or when I work near the square, take the John
Nolen path), or head to South Park street and take the bike/parking
lanes. Either option is pretty easy most of the year. I use much more
caution on Park, but haven't had any incidents yet because (I think) I
stay very visible and people are surprised to see a biker on Park, so
steer clear. Plus, I've had that (now disappearing) "restricted lane"
that's on and off block by block (and I think cars are just confused
by that as well.) But after a heavy snowfall, the bike lane gets
filled with snow and slush, and freezes; and cars park farther and
farther from the snow-pile/curb. So there were a few times last winter
that I had to actually take the car lane (I think one of the days I
may have been in front of a former mayor...). On those days, even with
studded tires, I'm really scared. Because although I'm taking the
safest practical bike route, my tires get slushed by passing cars and
trucks (and buses), they often don't see me because they haven't
cleaned their windows and I'm not as big as a car. And if I go down,
I'm dead.
To contrast, the divided lane on University (near campus) seems like a
fairly safe compromise. It's a separate, curbed, lane with no parking
(except liquor truck double parking). The sprayed slush from cars is
somewhat minimized by the curb and snowbank over the curb, and it
seems regularly cleared except in the big storms.
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