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Beginning Friday, August 23rd, construction will begin on a detour to the Lance Armstrong Bikeway (LAB) due to construction of the Central Library Project and the 2nd Street Bridge. The portion of the Shoal Creek Trail that connects the LAB from Cesar Chavez to 3rd Street will be closed. Bicyclists are asked to use the detour on Cesar Chavez Street and bicycle lanes on San Antonio Street while the detour is in effect.
Construction of the detour will be completed by Wednesday, August 27th and will be in place for the duration of construction of the Central Library and the 2nd Street Bridge Projects. The Central Library is scheduled to be complete in 2016.
More information here:
http://austintexas.gov/article/lance-ar … ng-detours
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The Shoal Creek trail will be closed for three years! Isn't that a bit, well, excessive?
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Honestly, I thought that stretch of Shoal Creek trail had been closed awhile ago. I switched to the San Antonio detour a year ago and haven't thought much about it since.
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I haven't even been down there in a long time. What do you do if you're going eastbound on the LAB when you get to San Antonio?
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I haven't even been down there in a long time. What do you do if you're going eastbound on the LAB when you get to San Antonio?
I cross Cesar Chavez and enter the hike & bike to continue East. I guess you can go the wrong way up San Antonio and continue east on 4th too.
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Staff might not have posted details on the detour, but there will be a two way separated bikeway on Cesar Chavez to connect to San Antonio (a block or two long).
In fact, it is easier and shorter to go to SA st if you are crossing the city, than the old LAB route with that nearly blind corner.
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The Shoal Creek trail will be closed for three years! Isn't that a bit, well, excessive?
This entire area (including the trail at West ave to 5th st, which is not bikeable, is undergoing a big transformation. When it's all said and done, it should be the continuous trail we've been wanting for years.
Read up on the Seaholm plans. There are suppose to be good bike connections in all directions.
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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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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?
I would like to ride to check this out first hand this eve.....
Can you still take the north curve to the blind corner and MUP bridge across shoal creek ?
Will ride this segment in daylight on friday with camera/vid as well.....
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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.
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Here are some photos of the situation, on Sep 3, 2013.
https://plus.google.com/photos/10869694 … r8n7jZOcGA
And here is a video, really should check this out.
Needs significant improvement.
Last edited by AusTexMurf (2013-09-04 10:16:51)
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Thanks for posting the video and pics.
I think what is there is acceptable. The ramp could have been laid out to allow a bit more speed, but overall I think they did the best with what they could do.
The concrete barriers are great.
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Thanks for posting the video and pics.
I think what is there is acceptable. The ramp could have been laid out to allow a bit more speed, but overall I think they did the best with what they could do.
The concrete barriers are great.
Disagree, with you.
Watched a newbie cyclist, eastbound, get confused and go through the large 15-20m break in the concrete barriers. Into the westbound auto traffic lane of ceasar chavez. When he realized his mistake, there was no way for him to get his bike over the concrete barriers or the high curb on the bridge over shoal creek. It was last friday, just after dark, when I was commuting into work.
Oncoming cars were not able to see him until late, as he had no lights, helmet, etc. He got a big scare.
He made many mistakes.
The facility is also dangerous and confusing to those not in the know.
I have a kiddo at O'Henry who uses that cycle track often.
My opinion is, it sucks.
That is our city's first and most visible cycle track.
Probably the most heavily used, as well.
Last edited by AusTexMurf (2013-09-13 17:39:26)
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Just rode through this detour in the rain. It looks like the city did a fine job accommodating eastbound bikes with concrete barriers and proper signage to boot. Just my opinion, this detour is A-OK with me.
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Maybe they changed it, but I doubt it. I rode EB and can't imagine how a rider would go off track here. Nothing different than staying on a sidewalk as it crosses driveways.
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The new detour with bike lane striping and concrete barriers to San Antonio St is a significant improvement from the original temporary set up.
Thanks !
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