Bike Lanes

Transportation topics in KC
Post Reply
User avatar
grovester
Oak Tower
Oak Tower
Posts: 4560
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2008 7:30 pm
Location: KC Metro

Re: Bike Lanes

Post by grovester »

DaveKCMO wrote: but you'd be arguing it alone.
User avatar
Midtownkid
Broadway Square
Broadway Square
Posts: 2991
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2002 4:27 pm
Location: Roanoke, KCMO

Re: Bike Lanes

Post by Midtownkid »

nerd war
pash
Bryant Building
Bryant Building
Posts: 3800
Joined: Sun Feb 20, 2011 2:47 am

Re: Bike Lanes

Post by pash »

.
Last edited by pash on Tue Feb 14, 2017 8:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
flyingember
Mark Twain Tower
Mark Twain Tower
Posts: 9862
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2012 7:54 am

Re: Bike Lanes

Post by flyingember »

I found the memo around MUTCD bike signals
http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/int ... /index.htm

First thing, notice MUTCD effectively says part of that NACTO article linked is wrong. A bike signal should not go on a hybrid beacon. If they're wrong about that they can be wrong about other things.

And here it is. MUTCD says the bike shaped signal is optional. A green circle can be used for a dedicated bike signal.

Coupled with the existing MUTCD statement that a bike signal is any signal meant to improve bike safety and a bike signal can be on a shared use trail the Trolly Track Trail signal to stop cars counts.

The dedicated bike shaped signal is less than two years old. So there's going to be bike signals that don't use the bike shape nationwide yet. It takes time to change out signals and many places won't do it because of budgetary constraints.

The part I find the interesting is the lane must go all the way to the intersection (same stop line as cars) to get a bike signal. If it stops and becomes a sharrows before the light one can't be added.
flyingember
Mark Twain Tower
Mark Twain Tower
Posts: 9862
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2012 7:54 am

Re: Bike Lanes

Post by flyingember »

Here's a Minnesota guide for trail crossings (and only trail crossings)
http://www.dot.state.mn.us/research/TS/2013/201323.pdf

they use "Bicycle Signal Actuation" as valid sign for use on trail crossings. In ground detectors and the same sign is used for bike lanes normally.
So it shows the same standards around a bike lane can be used on trails too.

So a bike signal head can be used on trails. We just don't have one on the Trolley Track Trail for bikes when crossing the street because it predates them. Bike riders have to pay attention to the car traffic signals, which MUTCD accounts for and allows.
flyingember
Mark Twain Tower
Mark Twain Tower
Posts: 9862
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2012 7:54 am

Re: Bike Lanes

Post by flyingember »

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/co ... 13028.html
The council voted to continue to marking bike lanes or shared lanes for about 30 miles of streets in northern Overland Park next year. The projects include the downtown area plus some other roads planned for chip-sealing.

Next year’s projects will use about $325,000, with $240,000 from federal air quality money and $85,000 from the city and state. The city’s portion would be about $60,000. However some council members objected because future maintenance of the lane stripes and bike symbols would be the responsibility of the city budget. The striping costs about $10,000 per mile.

Goodman said that is too much money to spend on something where the environmental impact and lessening of traffic congestion is negligible. “Very, very, very seldom do I see someone using a bike lane,” since they’ve been installed, he said.

Others asked whether automobile drivers would be ticketed if they drove in the lane when no bicyclists were present. The lanes reduce the width of pavement available to cars, said council member Dan Stock, who worried that drivers would be forced into the bike lanes when streets were narrow and then would get tickets.

“It’s a different experience,” Stock said. “It’s not as convenient for automobiles with bike lanes on the side of the road.”

The council voted 9-3 to continue the striping program next year, with Goodman, David White and Dave Janson voting against it.

As part of the master plan, the council got a report on bike usage and safety. A bike counting system was used for the first time last year. Counts taken at 25 locations put the first year total weekly bicycle usage at 3,040. The city will continue to count bike riders to see how the bike lanes might be affecting ridership in the city.
User avatar
KCPowercat
Ambassador
Posts: 33837
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 12:49 pm
Location: Quality Hill
Contact:

Re: Bike Lanes

Post by KCPowercat »

Lol
User avatar
smh
Supporter
Posts: 4306
Joined: Tue Jun 08, 2010 10:40 pm
Location: Central Loop

Re: Bike Lanes

Post by smh »

BikeWalkKC recently completed a Bike Demand Analysis for KCMO. It is very nicely done and makes for compelling reading. I'd encourage you to take a look and then contact your council rep to express support for a better bike network/plan in KC.

http://bikewalkkc.org/about/consulting/ ... -analysis/
User avatar
DaveKCMO
Ambassador
Posts: 20042
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2005 6:22 pm
Location: Crossroads
Contact:

Re: Bike Lanes

Post by DaveKCMO »

city manager has acknowledged that relying solely on federal funds for bike lanes was a bad idea. good opportunity to look at a protected lane, since one was already built into the west edge of the new grand bridge over 670.
User avatar
KCPowercat
Ambassador
Posts: 33837
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 12:49 pm
Location: Quality Hill
Contact:

Re: Bike Lanes

Post by KCPowercat »

We should rely solely on federal funds for any new car lanes.
User avatar
DaveKCMO
Ambassador
Posts: 20042
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2005 6:22 pm
Location: Crossroads
Contact:

Re: Bike Lanes

Post by DaveKCMO »

http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics ... 75934.html
“Since 2012, $1.6 million in federal grants have been obligated towards four on-street bike projects in the city’s core,” the report said. “None of the projects have been completed and some have faced additional costs. Federal funding obligated towards a project that has not made reasonable progress in the fiscal year it is programmed is at risk of being reallocated or forfeited.”

As an example, the report cited a plan to install dedicated bikes lanes on Armour Boulevard, from Broadway to the Paseo. After four years of planning and neighborhood involvement, Armour still has no bike lanes.

City Manager Troy Schulte agreed with the report’s conclusions and called for a complete rewrite of the city’s 2002 bicycle transportation plan, which Schulte called an anachronism.
longviewmo
Alameda Tower
Alameda Tower
Posts: 1008
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 12:58 am
Location: Manhattan, Kansas
Contact:

Re: Bike Lanes

Post by longviewmo »

Bike lanes here are a joke. Wichita is more rideable. Wichita.
earthling
Mark Twain Tower
Mark Twain Tower
Posts: 8519
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2011 2:27 pm
Location: milky way, orion arm

Re: Bike Lanes

Post by earthling »

I never understood the obsession for bike lanes on urban roads as they just provide a false sense of security. I ride often and like off road paths but otherwise don't care for lanes. Can ride just as well on secondary roads and probably more safely than a busy road with bike lane.
User avatar
taxi
Penntower
Penntower
Posts: 2081
Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2007 12:32 am
Location: North End
Contact:

Re: Bike Lanes

Post by taxi »

earthling wrote:I never understood the obsession for bike lanes on urban roads as they just provide a false sense of security. I ride often and like off road paths but otherwise don't care for lanes. Can ride just as well on secondary roads and probably more safely than a busy road with bike lane.
Swift in NKC is an excellent example of this. Super unsafe with angled parking and roads on either side that have almost zero traffic.
flyingember
Mark Twain Tower
Mark Twain Tower
Posts: 9862
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2012 7:54 am

Re: Bike Lanes

Post by flyingember »

Swift is two segments

10th to 23rd is as described. 23rd to 32nd it's parallel parking with the grassy median.

In most of it the road is wide enough there could be center running bike lanes.
flyingember
Mark Twain Tower
Mark Twain Tower
Posts: 9862
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2012 7:54 am

Re: Bike Lanes

Post by flyingember »

User avatar
DaveKCMO
Ambassador
Posts: 20042
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2005 6:22 pm
Location: Crossroads
Contact:

Re: Bike Lanes

Post by DaveKCMO »

earthling wrote:I never understood the obsession for bike lanes on urban roads as they just provide a false sense of security. I ride often and like off road paths but otherwise don't care for lanes. Can ride just as well on secondary roads and probably more safely than a busy road with bike lane.
There are lots of preferences. Don't let your own prevent progress for the preferences of others.
earthling
Mark Twain Tower
Mark Twain Tower
Posts: 8519
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2011 2:27 pm
Location: milky way, orion arm

Re: Bike Lanes

Post by earthling »

Yeah, no desire to prevent lanes but I'd bet statistically that biking a secondary road with little car traffic and no bike lane is safer than busy roads with bike lanes. My point is that it's easy to bike city core of KC w/out bike lanes, it's not like lanes will clearly make it better unless they are off road lanes or protected lanes. KC needs to do it right, not just rack up miles of lanes to score well on bike friendly lists - it's already easy because the city is a grid with long secondary roads. The "lists" don't factor that.
User avatar
taxi
Penntower
Penntower
Posts: 2081
Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2007 12:32 am
Location: North End
Contact:

Re: Bike Lanes

Post by taxi »

Some main roads make sense for bike lanes, like SW Blvd. But other bike lanes should always be on secondary roads, when possible. It is common sense and does not impede the progress of others, unless they have other motivations. Bike safety should always be the priority.
User avatar
grovester
Oak Tower
Oak Tower
Posts: 4560
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2008 7:30 pm
Location: KC Metro

Re: Bike Lanes

Post by grovester »

I agree with that to a point, though Grand is so over-built it should accommodate bike lanes, protected ones at that.
Post Reply