BIKE: Re: North Loop to the Capitol

[Lauren Strickler]

For speedway through campus, if you are commuting before 8 a.m. or after 5 p.m. it is not necessary to dismount in the pedestrian mall at 23rd Street now.  You only are supposed to dismount between 8 and 5 Monday through Friday.

However, at Jester Circle they have now closed Speedway to make that area a pedestrian mall.  Not sure about the current status as it is under construction (i.e. if you can ride or walk your bike through it right now) but I believe the goal is to do the same or similar to other areas of Speedway to that area between Jester Circle and MLK.

Lauren Strickler
512-567-9171
lauren 

----------------------------------------
 From: Librik or Babich <mlibrik>
Sent: Friday, January 28, 2005 8:04 AM
To: bike <forum>
Subject: BIKE: Re: North Loop to the Capitol 

Becky none wrote:

> Anyway, from North Loop & Burnet, I plan to ride
> over to Guadalupe,

Note that you can turn right off North Loop immediately after Lamar, and
pick up Guad. right before 51st.

> past the IM fields, & jag over to
> Speedway.

Presumably on 46th. I tend to cross 45th at Ave. G and use Ave. H as a
main N-S path. The crossing of 38th is uncontrolled at H whereas there
is a light at Speedway. You can decide which you prefer. I will admit
that I tend to avoid roads with bike lanes since they have more traffic,
and I take smaller roads if they are available, though you will likely
make better time on the bigger roads, at a cost of more stress. If you
can go faster, then they can go faster, whereas on highly controlled
streets with many stops and constrictions due to parked cars, it is much
easier for the bicycle to hold influence over the behavior of other
traffic (should the rider know how to exert this influence - if not,
seek training).

> I used to ride Speedway through campus - but
> apparently I can't any more? (is this just not allowed
> or physically impossible?)

It is not physically impossible to ride Speedway through campus, and you
are better off doing that then attempting to use the inner campus drive
or the malls. San Jac. is a poor choice due to hills and traffic. The
lane width is just wide enough to encourage inexperienced cyclists to
attempt to share the lane, though the lane is not really wide enough to
safely share.

Approach 26th on Speedway and take the left hand lane at the light.
Begin a left turn onto 26th, but as you do so, signal right and make a
right up the curb cut and onto the sidewalk in front of Robt. Lee Moore
hall. Dismount as pedestrian traffic requires, or if you see police
present.

You can pick up Speedway shortly south of 26th (only about 30 feet of
sidewalk must be covered), and ride it as far as the pedestrian mall at
about 23rd. Again, if you see police or a UTPD vehicle in the area,
pedestrianize your bike. Usually you will see swarms of UT bikers riding
through ahead of you. Be wary at the beginning of the semester, since
UTPD does more stings around then. Always treat peds. in these area with
courtesy, such as by not coming within 6 feet of them and by laying off
the pedaling in circumstances where the bike is pointed directly at a
crossing ped. Then you are through, and you ride past Jester into the
Capitol complex.

--
Mike Librik, LCI #929
Easy Street Recumbents
512-453-0438
45th and Red River St., thereabouts
Central Austin
info
www.easystreetrecumbents.com
www.urbancycling.com

"Is it about a bicycle?"

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