Marin County Bicycle Coalition: US 101 closed to cyclists

[Bob Shanteau]

From today's MCBC Newsletter. From this description, it appears that Caltrans is closing US 101 to bicyclists while leaving it open for access to driveways and through intersections. According to Section 888 of the Streets and Highways Code, Caltrans can close a freeway to bicycles only AFTER an alternate route is in place.
<http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=shc&group=00001-01000&file=887-888.8>

And Caltrans may only close a limited access freeway to bicycles, meaning that the freeway does not have driveways or intersections.
<http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21960.htm>

Bob Shanteau

===
<http://www.marinbike.org/News/Bulletin/20130522.shtml#H101>
Beginning last month, construction began on several portions of the Marin-Sonoma Narrows freeway project between Novato and Petaluma. The project will ultimately provide three automobile travel lanes between northern Novato and Petaluma. The project will include bike paths, lanes, and routes allowing cyclists to travel safely along the Highway 101 corridor. Because this area is not an official freeway (there are surface roads and private driveways that access Highway 101), cyclists are allowed to ride along the Highway 101 shoulder. When this project is completed cyclists will be able to ride on bike paths and frontage roads containing few cars.

Last month's start of construction included the placement of barriers along the sides of the highway, eliminating the shoulder in many areas of this route. As a result, Caltrans has closed Highway 101 to cyclists between the Atherton Avenue/San Marin Drive overcrossing in Novato and Petaluma Boulevard. With the support of the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM), Caltrans has implemented an extensive signing plan that directs cyclist to use alternative routes. The closed parallel route is Point Reyes Petaluma Road/D Street to the west of Highway 101.

MCBC believes Caltrans has done an excellent job with this signage regime. Should you find any missing or problematic signs regarding this project, please contact an...@marinbike.org. Cyclists will not be able to use this Highway 101 route for up to a year. MCBC will keep you posted as the project progresses.
===

[Richard Masoner]

I measure 14 miles between those two exits. The bike detour adds 7 miles for 21 miles through rolling hills  on narrow country lanes.

Richard

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[MaggieO]

So, how many CABOforum members are going to contact Caltrans District 4 to tell them to stop this illegal closure and implement one of the permissible temporary traffic control plans for bike traffic shown in the California MUTCD?

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From: Bob Shanteau <rms...@gmail.com>
To: CABO...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Wed, May 22, 2013 1:47:49 PM
Subject: [CABOforum] Marin County Bicycle Coalition: US 101 closed to cyclists

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