Discussion on bike-lane-planning
annalisa144
remember you posting about that, but couldn't find it on the site
today. thanks!
Mark Stosberg
> what's the scoop on Chester Blvd? any chance of bike lanes? i seem to
> remember you posting about that, but couldn't find it on the site
> today. thanks!
The plans for the new Chester were set before I got involved in bike
advocacy, and it appears preliminary construction has already begun
based on them. The Mayor tells me there there are sidewalks in the
plan, but not bike lanes.
One of the factors here is that the possible width of the road here is
limited by the pre-existing buildings on both sides. It's not an easy
place to add extra road width -- bike lanes would add 10 feet.
But there are still a number of reasons and ways to consider getting
involved in process:
- I have a flyer on my desk from Frankfort, Kentucky. Advocates there
intervened at about this phase and got a road redesigned. By
switching from a "rural typical" design to a "urban typical" design
they essentially found space for bike lanes without increasing the
overall width of the right-of-way. I don't think that specific thing
is possible here, but there may be other ways to use the same space a
different way, like the "road diet" concept.
http://delicious.com/markjugg/roaddiet
- I have particular hope for a bikable bridge at the bottom of Chester,
by the Sim Hodgins interaction. While there's not room to make the
road wider, there is room to make the bridge wider. I have on my
"TODO" to call Greg Steins at the city and request to see the current
plans for this bridge design. Perhaps it will already be a big
improvement for bicycling. Anyone want to make that visit with me?
- We can work with the new owners of the "Old Reid" to see about
creating a bike/walk connection through their property to
"Oak Drive". This alternate route may be preferable to bike
lines on Chester anyway. It could be possible to have a bike/ped
bridge from Freeman park to the Old Reid property, and further
avoid 27 here. SPUR mighth be a partner there if that meshes with
their east/west trail projects. I don't have specific next steps
here and wouldn't mind help on how best to approach this.
And for a longer term perspective:
- I heard from a reliable source that INDOT is considering bike lanes
along 40 in front of Earlham. A primary reason to consider them
seemed to be "traffic calming"-- using the bike lanes to slow down
traffic as an alternative to putting in the stop light there that
Earlham wants. I'm not sure that's the route I would support when
Main St is close by and is likely a more friendly bike route.
For the long term, INDOT apparently needs to be better aware that
there is now an active bikes-as-transportation group in Richmond, and
we would like to be involved-- or at least consulted-- when there are
major updates to state-maintained roads here.
That 40 and 27 are getting updated with no open discussion with
local bike/ped interests is troubling to me.
I plan to contact INDOT sometime soon about the 40 project to see if
I can begin to be in the loop there.
Mark
Helmsdini
you Mark. I will go ahead and throw this out there for those of you
wishing to commute to the north end of town via Chester Blvd: I
commute to IU east as Mark and a couple other people have recommended-
by taking the cardinal greenway up to industries and then industries
over through the new hospital. It avoids the mess of chester Blvd and
is a much more peaceful ride.