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I have had a different experience. In my commute from South Austin to downtown, I exercise additional caution and watchfulness in areas with more low-income housing. Any harassment I've experienced has come from run-down vehicles. I actually think that in broad stretches of the Austin population - the generally progressive, affluent, urban population that exists in much of 78704 - there is broad consensus that cycling for transportation is a good thing. But outside of that bubble - in the difficult-and-getting-harder Austin of day laborers, landscapers, and cleaners - that concept is totally alien. You're not even seen.
Yesterday evening I was commuting home, southbound, in the bike lane on Bannister Lane. I was halfway up the hill when I heard a car slow down, move to the right, and drive right behind me in the bike lane - I could hear its tires crunching in the broken glass that always seems to be along the bike lane on that street. As I moved even further towards the curb, the car gunned it around me, and as it passed, the right rear passenger threw a tennis racket at me. I was able to duck and dodge it, but in the ruckus I was unable to get a license number. The car turned to the right on Southridge. The car is a small light brown sedan. Four young men were in it. I reported it to the police this morning, and though I don't expect much to come of it, I wanted it on file in case someone in the neighborhood has it out for cyclists, or least finds harassing us fun. Be careful out there.
The portion of South 5th (in South Austin) stretching about 200 yards north of Oltorf has become untenable lately. Is it just me, or is the South 5th corridor becoming more congested in general? I suspect as residents move in to the Denizen complex on South Fifth and Cumberland the car traffic into downtown will increase substantially, and South 5th doesn't seem cut out for that. That particular stretch just north of Oltorf is particularly bad - cars stack up at the light heading northbound, and then just after Oltorf on-street parking begins. In the mornings car commuters frequently are getting into their cars, effectively narrowing the lane even further. When I finally turn right onto Live Oak to head north on Bouldin, it's sweet relief. Looking at a map, I really don't see a good way to avoid this intersection. I wish the city would ban on-street parking there, but I know that's not likely. As it stands, it feels like a very constrained kill zone. No real item here, just a place to vent.
As of yesterday that switchback up to the wooden bridge was still open, but clearly the city is preparing for its closure by getting the LAB detour on Ceasar Chavez set up.
While I agree that the Seaholm area plan is an exciting one for bike commuters, the detour that is currently in progress could use some work. This morning I was routed onto Ceasar Chavez (in a lane separated from traffic by big concrete blocks) via a hastily poured ramp off the LAB that appears to be nothing more than a tamped-down wheelbarrow full of asphalt. Before getting there, though, the route was blocked by a huge 18-wheeler waiting to deliver some rebar to the Seaholm site. Along with two other cyclists, we had to get off the LAB - into oncoming traffic - before being able to get on the temporary lane behind the concrete blocks. I had my air horn blowing the whole time.
I really do appreciate what the city is trying to do in that part of downtown, and I will certainly be a heavy user of the bike facilities that will be part of the plan. But I must say that the detour that is developing sure doesn't look like a 3-year solution. Why not real curb cuts onto the improvised bike lane, for example?
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