Bicycle Austin forum

owlman

Member

Registered: 2011-12-16

Posts: 142

Austin striking out with bike lane proposals this year (3 roadways)

As part of regularly scheduled street maintenance, Austin Transportation Department often proposes safety/mobility improvements like new bike lanes.  Since the street will be re-striped anyway these improvements are usually free or very cheap.

Unfortunately, the last three proposals have been significantly scaled back due to drivers' and residents' concerns.

Mesa
Proposed: Restrict parking on one side, separate bike/parking on the other side, so bike lanes will be free from parked cars.
Revised: Widen bike lanes but keep parking on both sides (a la Shoal Creek).  Better bike lane striping at intersections (this is nice)

Santa Cruz
Proposed: Restrict parking on one side, separate bike/parking on the other side, so bike lanes will be free from parked cars.
Revised: Keep parking on both sides, add sharrows to main lanes

Walsh Tarlton
Proposed: Buffer existing bike lane in some parts, add bike lanes near Barton Creek Mall where there are none.
Revised: Nuthin'... keep existing configuration

As an outside observer, I love that ATD is proposing these improvements but it feels kind of futile if they keep getting overturned.

MichaelBluejay

Webmaster

From: Austin, TX

Registered: 2008-05-26

Posts: 1,484

Website

Re: Austin striking out with bike lane proposals this year (3 roadways)

But I thought Austin was a bike-friendly city? <sarcasm>

Really, Austin pays a lot of lip service to being pro-cycling, but when it comes time to actually do something...not so much.