BIKE: S. Congress bike lane plans?

[forjador]

Hi Mike-

Thanks for that information and for your speedy reply (BTW, as a lurker I
have enjoyed and learned much from the back-and-forth on Shoal Creek, light
rail/commuter rail, and other issues that have surfaced on this board). 
So, SoCo on the south side of Ben White/71 is TxDOT turf??? And the City
can't control what gets built or even spend money to improve it, even
though it is entirely within the city limits? How can that possibly be?  Or
am I over-reacting?

Thanks,
Ralph

Original Message:
-----------------
From: Mike Dahmus mdahmus
Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2005 15:59:35 -0600
To: forjador, forum
Subject: Re: BIKE: S. Congress bike lane plans?


forjador wrote:

>Though not ideal, the segment of Congress Ave. between Ben White and Town
>Lake is reasonably decent (by Austin's standards, anyway) for riding in
>both directions.  However, south of Ben White conditions along South
>Congress (which is indicated as a bike route on the city's bike
>map)deteriorate rapidly--lousy, poorly marked, crumbling pavement that
>often drops precipitously off into gravel, mud puddles, and worse; no
>indications of bike lanes; vehicles frequently parked along the shoulder,
>etc.  The city recently spent hundreds of thousands of dollars for the
>short but fancy sidewalk in front of the Texas School for the Deaf and now
>seems poised to spend more on creating a bike lane of questionable utility.
>Why not spread the wealth along Congress a bit more equitably?  Like Jeff
>and Lane, I'd like to know how the plan was hatched and what other
>streets/bike routes, if any, were considered for improvements.
>  
>
That part of South Congress is under the aegis of TXDOT, with which the 
city has had limited success in asking for bike lanes. (The existing 
bike lanes on SoCo near Ben White are one of the few times TXDOT has 
been willing to do them instead of pretending that frontage roads with 
wide curb lanes count as bicycle accomodations; I have no idea how they 
managed it, and the feat has not to my knowledge been repeated anywhere 
else).

Does anybody remember how this amazing feat was accomplished? I think it 
predated my time with the UTC.

- MD

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