Re: central bike lanes

Frank Krygowski <frkrygow@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

On 1/23/2025 10:17 AM, AMuzi wrote:

On 1/23/2025 8:19 AM, Roger Merriman wrote:

<https://youtu.be/sfflAs-GCVc?si=AHf0WbvpjAHmlDJD>
 
Update on the street in San Francisco by “Rob the road guy” I tend to
agree
that it’s the wrong solution to this location ie how do you stop for a
coffee/cake. So on.
 
I guess that it (having the bike lanes in the middle would work on
locations such as London Embankment where all traffic is moving though
with
controlled junctions, than a shopping street where one of the
advantages of
bike traffic is generally it’s easier to just stop and do some
shopping and
so hence the typical curve where businesses are horrified by the idea of
segregated bike lane but once it’s installed and foot traffic increases
tend to be pro it.
 
Roger Merriman
 
 

 
Meh.
Guerrero Street is parallel. No problem.

And by looks of things quite a bit steeper, 7/9% as Valencia seems to be in
the sweet spot with the various hills and only 1% or so.

Either way been done and tried and failed to convince cyclists that they
should take back streets and be shunted off and take the long way around.

Ie clearly is a reason Guerrero and others are shunned looking at the
heatmap for the area, I’m sure it’s rideable but doesn’t seem to be folks
1st choice.

 
I'd absolutely choose a street without the crazy infrastructure.
 
Before the center bike lane, the average car speed was 24 mph. If there
were no special stripes at all, a cyclist could just ride far enough
leftward to avoid the parked cars' door zone, cars could pass on the
left, bicyclists approaching intersections or driveways wouldn't be
hidden behind parked vehicles, and traffic would flow smoothly.
Especially if the "green wave" traffic light timing were maintained for
cyclist speeds.

Looks like they will do a more conventional design at least I think that’s
what Rob reported, which should allow more foot traffic, as he noted number
of car parking will decline even if put back to as it was, as they don’t
allow parking near the junctions any more!

How that is win beggars belief!

 
And what's with the "parklets"? What's the rationale for letting a
restaurant take over public space on the roads? That seems weird - not
much different than letting a homeless guy set up his tent in that same
space.
 

It’s no more than parking a car, which is what they replace and does allow
more folks to get something from the space, they aren’t without their
issues and so on.

But rolling back kudos for trying something out! I do wonder if in some
locations it would work well, though even there not really sure what
advantages it has over a bidirectional system other than keeping more
parking etc, which i suspect is as ever the root cause of such a
interesting design as ever trying to please everyone.

Roger Merriman