BIKE: Shoal Creek Boulevard Transportation Project [look before you jump!]

[Eric Anderson]

Hello bike folks and Patrick:
 
I have been quiet on this issue for several months, short of attending the City's community meeting in January. Risking being flamed again on this (okay, go ahead), or to see yet another series of SCB histories or revised histories (we have heard them both), I will would like to propose these four thoughts and five questions:
 
1) Before we propose any rash program of actions (removal of SCB "horizontal traffic calming"), with probable and unforeseen consequences, I would instead propose that we for the moment live with the current "improvements" (arguable, granted), and accept a 3-6 month monitoring and analysis BEFORE we resort to a lynch-mob.
 
We should expect the City of Austin to document conditions over the next three to six months, including traffic counts (cyclists, pedestrians and motorists); measurements of average, mean and peak speeds of motor vehicle traffic; analysis of behaviors (motorist, cyclist and overtaking vehicles, both car and truck); and a comparison of the above to previous data collected.
 
2) We should offer (again) to the City of Austin the resources of interested bike organizations toward educating both cyclists and motor-vehicle drivers some agreed safe-use etiquette for use on Shoal Creek Boulevard (no more than a variation of standard effective cycling theology).
 
3) We should above all acknowledge that in all corners of Austin, traffic calming measures have been implemented, some revised, most embraced, after street users became familiar and comfortable with them. Given the assumption that traffic calming measures generically MUST be a compromise to the greatest degree between different users: cyclists, pedestrians, motor vehicles, delivery trucks, fire/police/EMS, and the debatable use of streets for on-street parking, no group can expect that any particular street meet their entire list of demands and wishes.
 
4) Though the current SCB "horizontal traffic calming" has met with vociferous denunciation by some quarters in our community (you know who you are), plus some folks antagonistic to bike lanes generally (a segment of Effective Cycling adherents), the current SCB solution WAS a result of extensive and expensive deliberation carried out by the City of Austin, conceived by nationally renowned bike-planner Charlie Gandy, driven certainly by neighborhood interests, but also endorsed by The Urban Transportation Commission, City Council, adjacent neighborhood groups, Austin Cycling Association, myself, Preston Tyree, Stuart Werbner, Tommy Eden, and at least for a time, now-critic Lane Wimberley.
 
Looking forward, we should all take a deep breath and before we ask for blood-sacrifice (of Mr. Gandy, myself and the City of Austin), and ask ourselves these questions:
 
1) Does SCB "horizontal traffic calming" in fact result in decreased speeding, decreased cut-through and rush-hour motor-vehicle traffic, theoretically resulting in less quantifiable but still decipherable increased level of comfort and bike-pedestrian friendliness of Shoal Creek Boulevard? (All the above describe original "neighborhood" goals dating back 10 years for traffic calming on SCB).
 
2) Does SCB "horizontal traffic calming" instead in fact result in greater statistical and anecdotal incidence of "dooring", inadequate passing berths, accidents, injuries, or conflicts (physical or otherwise), with no decipherable difference in speeding, cut-through and rush-hour motor-vehicle traffic?
 
3) Short of arguing for the removal of the SCB "improvements", what additional traffic calming measures could enhance the current solution (independent of 3-6 month review of current SCB "horizontal traffic calming"), such as frequently cited traffic circles, a lower speed limit (not possible according to current statutes), raised crosswalks, or other signage, pavement markings, etc.?
 
4) What would be the political fallout of a major course correction? What collateral damage might occur over the course of a SCB debate sequel? Would the likely perception of squandered City funds (if in fact a proposed removal of curb-extensions comes to fruition) hurt or help our endeavors toward seeing current (delayed) bike lane projects (ie. Pleasant Valley phase I and II), continued planning and build-out of additional bike-lane mileage, big ticket items like the Lance Armstrong Bikeway and Pfluger Bridge Extension Project, or the far reaching Rails-with-Trails initiative?
 
5) Most importantly, how might our cycling community better organize itself to deliberate these and other questions so as to be regarded as nearer one voice, and less the cacophony of shrill screams that is the current perception amongst some within the walls of City Hall?
 
Look before you jump,
 
Eric Anderson
(512) 476-7304

Patrick Goetz <pgoetz> wrote:
This meeting needs to include a strong showing by bicyclists, so I urge 
everyone to attend. SBC is on the May Urban Transportation Commission 
agenda, too -- I urge as many people as can make it to attend this 
meeting too. My strong opinion is that the city needs to take out the 
bicycle barriers and return the road to its original configuration, 
possibly with some traffic circles at certain intersections. If there 
is any way possible, residents of SBC should be made to shoulder most or 
all of the cost of this, since they're directly responsible for this 
debacle.

Some brief thoughts:
1. If you want to slow down car traffic, you put up a barrier IN THE 
MIDDLE OF THE STREET (like a traffic circle). This will slow them down. 
Putting a barrier in the bike lane is an Imbeciles of America 
solution: it doesn't slow down cars at all, but it does present a 
significant hazard to cyclists.
2. The new barriers create parking lanes. Period. It has become quite 
dangerous to bike on SBC, a street which by all rights should be one of 
the city's primary bicycle arterials, because of the additional cars 
parked on the street, the narrower through traffic lanes, and the fact 
that bicyclists are channeled into these lanes by the bicycle barriers.
3. Dangerous, hideous mistakes need to be corrected. Never mind that 
$300,000 were spent on this. If this cost isn't covered by SBC 
residents, then they need to go to the end of the list for future 
enhancements and city services for at least the next 20 years.

4. If nothing is done, a mechanism needs to be found which will allow 
SBC residents to be held liable for any accidents on SBC resulting from 
the bicycle barriers. This would go a long way towards slapping the 
smug attitude off their faces, as they've accomplished the goal of 
getting bicyclists off the street while enjoying 3 or 4 new 
semi-private, secure car parking spaces per resident courtesy of the 
city; i.e. we the taxpayers. Talk about middle class welfare!



-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Invitation to Public Meeting - Shoal Creek Boulevard
Transportati on Project
Date: Mon, 25 Apr 2005 09:14:04 -0500
From: Keri.Juarez

Dear Resident and/or User of Shoal Creek Boulevard:

The City of Austin Public Works Department invites you to attend a
Public Meeting about the Shoal Creek Boulevard Transportation Project:

Date: May 11, 2005

Time: 7:00 pm

Location: Gullett Elementary School Cafeteria, 6310 Treadwell 
Blvd.


This Public Meeting will also be advertised through posted signs and
hand-delivered flyers in the coming weeks. Please feel free to forward
this invitation to anyone who might be interested in attending. If you
have any questions, please contact me at 974-7298 or
keri.juarez. Please join us for the meeting!

Sincerely,

Keri R. Burchard-Juarez, PE
City of Austin
Project Management Division
Public Works Department
phone: 974-7298
fax: 974-7203




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Eric Anderson <bikeeric>
(512) 476-7304
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