FrenchFit 

Behold ... what I'm thinking is the dumbest bike infrastructure improvement I've witnessed. So, a protected bike lane down Lincoln where none is necessary, forcing you to make a dangerous right to left transition through traffic in the middle of an intersection going east. Just what kinda crazy was behind this thinking?

So, if we ride Lincoln safely, avoiding this "protected bike lane" for the safer street, do we get a ticket for not riding within this monstrosity?

It's an embarrassment.

Joe Bikerider

I just went there and tried it. I do use that section of Lincoln from the trail to the library. I don’t see the point. It makes people coming in or out of those driveways have to cross four things. The sidewalk, two bike lanes and the parking lane. As demonstrated when I was leaving the library. I was coming out their driveway and wanting to head east. A parking guy wanted to come in. We looked at each other for a while then I waved him on. Clumsy and a waste of paint. That’s what I think.

I did some research and found this on the city’s site:

https://www.walnut-creek.org/departme...lincoln-avenue

Have a look if you are interested. As is usual with bike projects they are touting their outreach in the planning process. There was a meeting last October where this was decided. Never heard about it. Next Thursday is Bike to work day and the city will be hosting a “refreshment station” on the Lincoln ave side of the library from 7-9am. You are invited to provide feedback at that time. Enjoy.

FrenchFit 

Library, fine. It's the intersection at Broadway that's the real problem, (besides limiting cyclists to a <3 foot lane generally). Look at it from the point of view of leaving downtown (east bound) to cross N. Broadway on Lincoln. You are expected to cross in front of oncoming traffic & salmon your way up Lincoln. ?

They have my feedback. I wonder how much they spent on that monstrosity. Frankly, I would rather see 10% of that investment used at the Ygnacio intersection @ Walnut going up to Mt. Diablo.

===== EDIT

The City says the improvement is meant to have cyclists dismount and walk their bikes into and out of downtown.. That's why the lane forces you into a north crosswalk.

cthenn

I'm sure you already know, but heading toward Mt. Diablo, it's much easier to use Homestead. If I have to, I'll ride on the sidewalk where it starts before the new condos across the street, but normally I can stay on the road and then use the sidewalk starting at YV to get to Montego. If you are on Walnut, you have to ride on the sidewalk all the way from there, and cross Homestead (which can be daunting). There's not much that can be done on the roadway to improve safety. The far right lane of YV is bound by the edge of the sidewalk, and there's no way to add in any kind of bicycle safety improvements. Thankfully it's legal to ride on the sidewalk in that area. Coming back from Diablo, now that's another issue!

cthenn

OK, so I saw the concept plan, and I don't really see any issue.


I highlighted two different paths. If you stay on the road (red line) you can continue to legally use the road crossing Broadway on Lincoln. But if you follow the green line, you would already be on that light beige area, the "promenade", and would cross on the north side of the road using the sharrows, and then continue on the "cycle track" on the north side of Lincoln. If you notice, the promenade is a pedestrian-only area, with trees and plantings, and Lincoln is now a one-way street (east). Also, the cycle track east of Broadway on Lincoln is separated by a planted area, which is a physical barrier between bikes and vehicular traffic. The only issue would be the one you describe, where you are on the road west of Broadway, then try and transition to the cycle track on the north side of Lincoln east of the Broadway intersection. Even in that situation, you could turn left from the road through the intersection onto the cycle track at the northeast corner of the intx, but since it's probably an unprotected left, that might be a bit dicey. However, if you are coming from Main St, I would probably just turn onto the promenade on the north side of Lincoln, and ride the whole way following the green line. There's no reason why you'd have to be on the road on Lincoln between Main and Broadway, unless you aren't planning on continuing toward the IHT. Overall, it doesn't appear to be that bad a concept, TBH.

Joe Bikerider

I can’t find it now but I believe this test installation cost about $180,000. Regarding getting to Mt Diablo I’ll tell you how I do it. Take the IHT north over Ygnacio Valley Road on the bridge and then to the canal trail and turn east. At Heather Farm Park cross the bridge south and through the park. Cross Ygnacio onto San Carlos and follow Quiet Place through the neighborhood. Left on Snyder to Walnut Ave and then right up to the roundabout and you are on your way. Simple with very quiet streets. Enjoy!

FrenchFit 

Grrr. There is no promenade as is, its a two way traffic street connecting with Main. You are encouraged to cross traffic in the intersection and run counter to traffic.

It looks like a set design out of the movie Idoicracy.

Enough said.

cthenn

Oh, ok sorry, I haven't seen the completed project. If it is not like the concept plan, then yes, it's not the best design. Perhaps they are doing it in phases? Also, what's wrong with just staying on the road east of the intersection? They can't legally require you to use the cycle track, so you could just stay on the road.

prototoast

I haven't checked out that particular location, but I'm having a hard time seeing any value here. Downtown WC is pretty bad to bike through, but this just seems designed to make it easier for you to get to the parts that are hard to bike through, rather than actually helping to traverse the difficult parts.

cthenn

Seriously, the most useful things I see being done are all by paint. They've reconfigured or re-striped bike lanes in some areas that really help making things safer (Camino Pablo undercrossing at Hwy 24, El Cerro from La Gonda to the 680 undercrossing, San Ramon Rd overcrossing at 580, the green zones all along Sycamore Valley Rd, along with countless other green zones painted in various areas). I'd MUCH rather have this money spent on re-striping intelligent bike lanes, adding green zones and sharrows to existing road infrastructure than wasting so much money on a silly "cycle track" that is probably a quarter mile long or less, just to get from the IHT to the library. It's a much bigger cost investment than some paint, which makes a noticeable safety improvement to some busy roads. And riding in a downtown is not unsafe at all IMO, it just takes being aware of cars and peds around you. I'm much more worried about fast moving traffic on high speed and busy roads than the congested, but MUCH slower downtown roads. I can take the lane in most downtowns without impeding traffic, which gives me a much bigger buffer than some 3' bike lane running along the edge of a 45mph road. Anyone who rides Danville Blvd through the "kill zone" (as I like to call the area by Alamo Plaza shopping center) of a million driveways and insane numbers of cars turning every which way should agree with me. Adding some highly visible bike lanes and green zones would help that area tremendously. And probably cost 10x less than this project!

jade408

Paint offers zero protection from cars. I haven’t spent much time biking in WC - but if the objective is to get new people on bikes, more protected infrastructure is the way to go.

Not more paint for people who are fairly comfortable already.

prototoast

I have mixed feelings about bike lanes that are physically separated. While it's nice to be separated, in practice, too often these end up intersecting with automobile traffic in ways that become more hazardous than just riding along the road with cars the whole time.

FrenchFit 

It seems like my various comments to the City are discounted because I am in the "strong and fearless" category. LOL. I was offered a link to the following page: https://www.portlandoregon.gov/trans...article/158497

VRC

And now it’s gone. I guess the point was just to show what that kind of protected lane looks like. I totally agree that it is/was unneeded at that spot as that street has very little traffic. Bikes can also reach the library /city hall/whatever just as easily by exiting the trail at the park. I agree there needs to be bike lanes in town but this was very lame.