Bicycle Austin forum

MichaelBluejay

Webmaster

From: Austin, TX

Registered: 2008-05-26

Posts: 1,466

Website

Is this an anti-ped facility change?

I'm having a hard time following this article.  Is this a case of making things worse for peds to make things better for cars?  Seems like it.

https://www.austinmonitor.com/stories/2 … -projects/

Darron

Member

Registered: 2014-05-22

Posts: 131

Re: Is this an anti-ped facility change?

I don't think so, looks like a benefit for both cars and peds.  This is giving auto traffic a second way to go south on Lamar from the Highland area, currently most cars go down to W St Johns and turn left there.  This proposal would help reduce the left tuning traffic at W St Johns which I bet has more ped traffic.  I'm also never a fan or having to cross a slip lane like they have a Morrow and Lamar, cars almost always blow right through the cross walk at higher than normal right turn speeds.  Removing this slip lane/ped island and replacing with a right turn lane should help reduce vehicle speeds and the chance of a negative auto/ped interaction.

Plus the proposal includes building a sidewalk along the north side of Morrow St so another win for peds.

ggw

Member

From: Austin, TX

Registered: 2008-05-27

Posts: 35

Website

Re: Is this an anti-ped facility change?

Thank you, Darron.

I have done exactly as you have said for some years now .. south to St. Johns, east to Lamar and take it from there.
I had to read the Monitor article to get a better sense of the issue, but after that, re reading your reply to Michael made great sense.

I realize some of my puzzlement is due to being unfamiliar with the terminology. Can you recommend a reference that could help me appreciate more of what I gloss over, hoping it'll make more sense in later context of a read (.. but doesn't)? A title from the library would be great, but .. I'll take what you can mention.

George Wyche

Darron

Member

Registered: 2014-05-22

Posts: 131

Re: Is this an anti-ped facility change?

I agree that Austin Monitor article is difficult to follow.  I actually had to read the city document and look at the intersection on google earth to understand what they were talking about.  One thing I don't really understand is they say the ped island will be removed when they put in the smart right turn lane but these typically have an island as well.  Maybe they are going to use a different barrier for the right turn lane like flexible bollards or something to minimize spaces needed.

Regarding resources, there is not any single one I could point out as I've always been interested in civil infrastructure so I get a lot of info from various places including city codes, TXDOT, FHWA, etc.

One place that I've seen a lot more approachable information is on citylab.com.  Lots of good article and videos there:
https://www.citylab.com/transportation/ … es/593320/

If you want something a bit more technical you could spend a lot of time reading documents from the FHSA: https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/tools/