Just an FYI that the rebuild of Williamson St will be at the Board of Public Works tonight, in case anyone wants to weigh in on the new design. It looks like the public hearing will start at 6:30 PM, if I am reading the schedule correctly. It is item # 7 on the agenda linked below.
http://legistar.cityofmadison.com/meetings/2010/10/8326_A_BOARD_OF_PUBLIC_WORKS_10-10-20_Agenda.pdf * * *The Board of Public Works meets at the Water Utility Bldg - 119 Olin Ave.* Sorry for the late notice, but this sort of crept up on me, (and I'm no longer a paid bike advocate or alder.) The reason that this particular street rebuild might require extra attention is that the proposal is to NARROW the street, which could have implications for all street users. Right now the curb-to-curb width is 48 feet. The outside lane - shared by parked cars and bicyclists most of the day, and an active car travel lane during rush hour - is 13 feet. The inside lane is 11 feet. The new design would narrow the street to 44 feet, and the current proposal would be 4 lanes, each 11 feet. This will mean that the outside lane will no longer be wide enough for bicyclists and parked cars to safely share. The options for bicyclists on Willy St would be A) get in the active car (inside) lane, or B) ride really close to the parked cars and be passed unsafely by car on the street. The advantage of narrowing the street is that there will be more space for trees and other "street amenities," which Willy St sorely lacks. More space for walking, sidewalk cafes, bike racks, benches, etc. Presumably, the traffic will move more slowly as well. This is a definitely trade-off: worse for bicyclists, but better for the overall look and feel of the street. I am of very mixed feelings about this. Beyond where the curbs are placed, there is the matter of where the lane marking are drawn, which is not being decided tonight. I will be pushing for making the outside lanes 12 feet instead of 11. This would still be a tight squeeze for a parked car-bicyclist to share, but it is an additional foot. Robbie Webber Bike Walk Madison Steering Committee www.bikewalkmadison.org Join our group on Facebook!
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