BIKE: Bike Lanes versus Wide Curb Lanes - some of the Bike Lane side

[Thorne]

Does that mean we should add "increased impervious cover" to the downside of
designing for bike lanes?  (Tongue enters cheek ever so slightly-- and I never
said there weren't upsides.)

Jeb's point is well-taken and brings us a bit more to consider when thinking
about whether and how we should have a given roadway striped.  I wish I knew
more about the current AASHTO guidelines--can we say they provide the right
approach to cycling facilities?  Those guidelines match the result of the
restriping of Western Trails in S. Austin behind West Gate shopping
center--bike lanes were planned (changing from two lanes each way to one way
each way with a center turn lane and a bike lane each way at the curbs), but
the plan was scuttled when it turned out the road wasn't wide enough for the
plan (restriping went for one wide lane each way with a center turn lane). 
Riding on WT was fine before and it's fine now, but I was pretty sure that a
bike lane at the parking lot curb cuts would increase the danger from
right-turning traffic--maybe only marginally.  As it is, cars tend to stay
behind before turning or pull ahead and then move right before turning.  In
the S. Congress bike lanes, it seems that the tendency is to turn right from
left of the bike lane, regardless of how close I, the cyclist, am.  I know
that S. Congress and WT is an apple and an orange, of course.

Jeff

------ Original Message ------
Received: Mon, 04 Apr 2005 11:54:55 AM CDT
From: "Jeb Boyt" <jeboyt>
* * * 
I am surprised that roadway width is not included in any of your 
criteria.  My understanding is that under the current AASHTO guidelines, 
wide curb lanes are favored where there is insufficient space for bike 
lanes.  Now, while the space configurations are dependent on AASHTO's 
assumptions of highway speeds, it is my understanding that the analytical 
method used by traffic engineers is first to see if there is space for a 
bike lane.  If there is not space for a bike lane, then whether a wide curb
lane can safely be designated as a bike route.  If a wide curb lane is not
available or cannot be safely designated, then an alternative route should be
provided.

Jeb