Alternative outcomes: Improving a street during resurfacing
Posted September 29th, 2008 by Antonio Rosell
glenwood-existing-hires.jpg
Glenwood Avenue, in North Minneapolis, after repaving.
Glenwood Avenue, in North Minneapolis, was repaved and restriped during the summer of 2006. There is no accomodation for bicyclists, even though the street is wide enough for driving lanes, on-street parking, and comfortable biking.
Here's a view of how things could be instead - why can't we mark the edges of driving lanes on every street so that it's safer and more comfortable for bicyclists? (Especially if we are already out there painting lanes for cars). Incidentally, there are no pedestrian crossings marked anywhere on this newly-painted street.
Markings
Actually, there are a number of bicycle advocates who prefer not having that form of striping, and consider a wide-lane configuration to be a form of cyclist accommodation. It's based on a belief that striping can encourage a motorist mentality that cyclists ONLY belong in such lines, and not on all streets. Debris or other objects would cause that cyclist to wish to move into the lane - which is absolutely legal in Minneapolis - but many motorists would perceive this as not-legal because of the striping (and preconceived notions of motorist superiority, yeah).
Another potential issue with your striped zone on Glenwood? It's well within the door-zone for the curb parking. Dooring is a very real threat to cyclists in that kind of road configuration.
My mind's still open on the former, but I can't debate the latter. The door zone is a danger zone!
Julie (http://www.rideboldly.org)
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