All - A little bird told me that at last night's (City of Madison) Board of Estimates meeting, this was added/moved up in time:
*Amendment 3 – Capital Square Pavement Replacement* Verveer – $0 – This amendment provides clarifying language regarding the timing of the Capitol Square Repavement project. Construction completed in 2016 will include North Pinckney Street, East and West Mifflin Street, and North Carroll Street. In 2017 construction will include South Carroll Street, East and West Main Street and South Pinckney Street. What does this mean? Starting next year, the pavement will be replaced on those streets. That's the cracked, pitted, and sometimes-paint-faded pavement that we all ride around on the Square. *This is possibly the best opportunity we will have in our lifetimes to make these lanes and the whole street better for bicyclists and everyone. * We all know that motorists ignore the signs that say "Bikes, Buses, and Right Turns only." They don't SEE the signs because they are way up high, away from their gaze when driving. We all know that riding in front of buses is uncomfortable, but riding on the far right of that lane puts you in a position to be hooked by right-turning motorists or squeezed as bus drivers move to the curb to stop. It feels a bit like the wild west while biking, but at some part of the loop is used by bicyclists thousands of times per day. We could also possibly put in a counterflow lane on some or all block to keep people from riding on the sidewalk. (I think we all know that people ride on the sidewalk -- either on the inside/state or the outside/city sidewalk -- when they are going clockwise for a couple of blocks.) riding on the sidewalk is illegal on both sides and scares and irritates pedestrians and shoppers. Counterflow lanes would probably eliminate 90 percent of this behavior. We could also incorporate better pavement markings and reallocate space to make it more pleasant for bicyclists. But we need to make sure all this is done now, well before the plans are completed. By next spring, it will probably be too late. For those not aware, the inside pavement -- and I'm not sure exactly how far out from the inside curb -- is state-controlled. That's why they get to decide about parking on that inner piece. But the majority of the Capital Square pavement is under the jurisdiction of the city. What are the plans? When are the meetings to review them? Who's leading the charge? Who's keeping track of what's being done? (I am off Ped/Bike?MV Commission, and I have a feeling those plans aren't coming to that committee anyway.) Robbie Webber Transportation Policy Analyst 608-263-9984 (o) 608-225-0002 (c) [email protected] All opinions expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer or any other group with which I am affiliated.
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