Thoughts about the relationships between transport and the urban area it serves
Bike Lane Built for Two, originally uploaded by Fußgänger.
New York City’s new, physically-separated 9th Avenue Bicycle Lane safely and comfortably accommodates two cyclists side by side. If drivers can have a conversation between the driver’s seat and the passenger seat, why can’t two cyclists enjoy the same pleasure – rather than yelling at each other in single file in a narrow, 5-foot wide bike lane?
I am a recusant transportation economist and regional planner, displaced from England by the abolition of the Greater London Council and a dislike of Thatcherism. Until March of 2004 I worked for the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority on wide variety of policy issues. None of these have been solved since I left, and the region now seems to be likely to abandon its long established growth strategy altogether, as the province is determined to expand its major freeway. I have long advocated more sensible policies to better integrate transport and land use. And this blog is a way to keep up the pressure! It also allows me to vent a bit on related issues.
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Vancouver is getting left behind in cycling infrastructure. Most of the easy stuff has been done. Now politicians are going to make the hard decisions and remove travel lanes for SOV’s instead not just a few parking spaces here and there.
Sungsu
March 27, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Oh you mean like Burrard Bridge?
Stephen Rees
March 27, 2008 at 3:16 pm
2-person bike lanes would be awesome. I often cycle with other people, but moving in single-file isn’t the most sociable experience.
Chris
March 27, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Not to mention problems with safety when passing for example.
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RossK
March 27, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Note the cyclist-specific traffic light.
FTafryn Palecloud posted some pics of the slightly elevated bike lane on No. 3 Rd. – I think I’d prefer a lane at grade.
http://canadalinephotos.blogspot.com/2008/03/2008-03-24-aberdeen-station.html
Ron C.
March 27, 2008 at 9:15 pm
How do I trackback, Stephen? I linked to you in a post, but I can’t find the trackback button.
Raul
March 27, 2008 at 11:21 pm
speaking of NYC bike lanes. Here is a truer look at the problems with the current implementation, and the argument for seperated bike lanes:
http://tinyurl.com/25cpjx
s.
March 28, 2008 at 7:05 am
Raul
I do not know but I have inserted your URL into the comment header, so it may work automatically
S
That is a great video, thanks for the link. Sadly I cannot embed that type into a blog post of its own. Most of Vancouver’s signed bike routes do not even have painted lanes – just a bike symbol painted on the road at random places. But at least in a grid system a route away from main traffic arteries can be laid out. Something impossible in most suburbs with their winding, dendritic distributor street system
All
And then there is this system in Milton Keynes
Stephen Rees
March 28, 2008 at 8:18 am