We strongly urge cyclists to attend this meeting regarding the reconstruction of West Flagler St / SW 1st Street. Transit Miami is reporting that FDOT has modified the city's original request for exclusive bike lanes on SW 1st Street, instead opting for sharrows. Show your support for bicycle facilities by attending and/or by contacting FDOT District Six Secretary at (305) 470-5349, demand bike lanes on SW 1st Street.
SW 1st Street (Three lane 1-way road with existing on-street parking)
West Flagler Street / SW 1 Street Projects
Tuesday, January 22nd
6-8pm
Manuel Artime Theater
900 SW 1 Street
Miami, FL 33130
"The proposed work for these projects includes: reconstructing the roadway to extend the life of the road; installing new lighting, signalization and pavement markings; providing additional on-street parking spaces; improving pedestrian facilities including sidewalks and ramps; adding exclusive bike lanes along most of W Flagler Street and SW 1 Street within the project limits, and shared bike lanes on SW 1 Street from SW 17 Avenue to SW 6 Avenue. Construction is expected to begin in January 2016 and last about eighteen months. The estimated total construction cost of the projects is $28.6 million."
Are you suggesting that a "Door Zone Bike Lane" would be appropriate? Judging from the picture, neither of the outside lanes seems to be more than 12 feet wide and thus would meet the one of the exceptions to the "as far to the right (or left) as practicable" part of the statute. Painting a bike lane next to parked cars may provide cyclists with the gross misconception that it's safe to ride there.
ReplyDeleteProperly placed sharrows, on the other hand, when coupled with "Bikes May Use Full Lane" signs may help to educate motorists that cyclists are to be expected (and respected) as part of the normal traffic flow.
What was presented at the last public meeting removed the south side of the street parking for several blocks. The current plan has no bike lane and only sharrows.
ReplyDeleteBike lanes are always safer than sharrows, as a sharrow is a shared bicycle facility, and a bike lane is a dedicated bicycle travel lane.
A bike lane next to on-street parking is 5' wide giving room for cyclists to avoid car doors. It generally also makes motorist more aware of oncoming cyclists than sharrows do.
County Commissioner Barrero had requested that one of the 3 travel lanes be removed to keep on-street parking and a bike lane, that strategy would also be well received. It would be nice to see a seperated bicycle facility, but that has not had much traction with the FDOT.