Signage? Great idea! How 'bout a sign that says "BIKE LANE"? Along with the proper barrier-age (is that a word?) that makes sure motorists use only the left lane, and of course, diamonds on the pavement. In other words, a continuation of the existing bike lane, without closing traffic to either bicyclists or motorists.
It's interesting that the for a project (on-ramp to the beltline) that only benefits motor vehicle users, the bulk of the negative impact is borne by those who will not benefit from its outcome (general hint: when the costs/impacts and benefits of _any_ enterprise are not borne the same person/party, watch out). Wouldn't it make more ***SENSE*** that those who will ultimately benefit, namely motorists, bear the impact of the process by closing that right-most lane to motor traffic and making it the bike lane for that stretch of what is, after all, a map-marked designated bicycle route? I'm trying to think of a time when any car traffic lane of any thoroughfare has been effectively closed for the sole purpose of constructing any item of bicycle traffic infrastructure. Hmm, puzzle, puzzle..... From: Robbie Webber <[email protected]> > Message below from our friends in Fitchburg. If you bike Fish Hatchery > Row over the Beltline, you will want to read it. > > Robbie Webber > Bike Walk Madison Steering Committee > www.bikewalkmadison.org > Join our group on Facebook! > > > > > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Steve Arnold <[email protected]> > Date: Wed, Aug 19, 2009 at 10:59 AM > Subject: [Fitchburg Biking] Danger on Fish Hatchery Road at the Beltline > To: [email protected] > Cc: Jeff Gust WisDOT Project Development Supervisor 246-3884 > <[email protected]>, Fitchburg Transportation and Transit > Commission <[email protected]> > > > If you use the Fish Hatchery Road (FHR) overpass over the Beltline, > please be aware that construction has started on the rearrangement of > ramps (more at > http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/beltlineimprovements/index.htm), and > a dangerous situation has developed. The transit/bike lane between the > northbound > FHR-eastbound Beltline ramp and the eastbound Beltline-northbound FHR ramp is > completely > blocked by concrete "Jersey barriers" to protect construction workers. The > location is > shown here: > http://maps.google.com/maps/mm?hl=en&q=post+road,+fitchburg+wi&ie=UTF8&split=0&gl=us&ei=oh > 6MSobEFIPANcGX3cUP&ll=43.033372,-89.409603&spn=0.001451,0.010868&z=17&layer=c&cbll=43.0328 > 68,-89.407933&panoid=YHhjJS1q91zU_2wU74oZow&cbp=11,43.74,,0,5 > > After crossing the NB to EB ramp, cyclists using the road need to move > to the center lane to bypass this structure. The safest way to > negotiate this narrow point may be to aggressively take the entire > lane, and make motorists wait for you. Signal and make eye contact > before moving into the center lane. > > Changing your route to avoid this problem area may not be feasible, as > the next Beltline crossing to the west is Seminole Highway, and the > next crossing to the east is the Badger Road bike-ped overpass east of > US Highway 14. > > I discussed this situation with Jeff Gust, of the DOT (Cc'd). The > only thing we thought of so far to mitigate the situation is some > warning signage, like "Bikes use center lane" and "Share the road". I > hope he will let me know if anything is done. I'll pass any news > along to this list. > > Be careful out there! > > Regards, > Steve Arnold, Fitchburg Alder, District 4, Seat 7 > 2530 Targhee Street, Fitchburg, Wisconsin 53711-5491 > Telephone +1 608 278 7700 · Facsimile +1 608 278 7701 > [email protected] · http://www.Arnold.US > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org --------------------- Paul T. O'Leary Desktop Insurgent Madison WI USA
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