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mcar91 t1_iupi09b wrote

This was a short experiment. They were temporary lanes. I’m not quite sure what ~3 days of having a 2-block bike lane is going prove as an experiment, though. I only know this cuz I chatted with some bike activists who were gathered around there over the weekend.

I live on this block and barely saw it used.

As much as I want cyclists off the sidewalk and I want it to be safer to get around the Heights on a bike, I really don’t want a bike lane for the whole length of Palisade.

I rather see raised crosswalks to prevent speeding and make crossing safer while preserving parking. It’s already difficult to park near my house and paid off-street parking is really difficult to find. When I said this on Twitter, I was immediately yelled at to pay for parking. I have to assume by someone who never tried to find parking to rent in the Heights cuz they’d know it’s pretty damn hard to accomplish.

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cb2-0-0 OP t1_iuqnw8y wrote

I'm just one person, but I did use the lane as I bike on Palisade every day. I know it wasn't there long, but I did use it. I will admit that bike lanes for such a short stretch didn't make much sense, but I will take something over nothing. Just my two cents.

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jgweiss t1_iuqxl6l wrote

make that two. I used it at least 3 times on Saturday (did not know if it was up yet on Friday, and I left for a vacation on sunday) to get to bread and salt + modcup. it wasn't much but shows that we can get around safely in the heights, if the right people just allowed us to.

tbh to me the answer is bike lanes on the sidewalk, next to the curbside parking, grade-separated from cars. extend the sidewalk 3 feet and built a 5 foot painted lane with a small curb..parking stays, cyclists can't cross the curb onto the sidewalk, and I don't have to get buzzed by SUVs on my bike all day.

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cb2-0-0 OP t1_iuqxxs5 wrote

Palisade is such a dangerous road for bicyclists/pedestrians and something has to be done to make it safer. I say that as a daily bike rider and pedestrian on the stretch of Palisade from 139 up to Riverview Park.

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mcar91 t1_iur4sd0 wrote

I love this plan.

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jgweiss t1_iur6s9a wrote

every time I pass the new courthouse under construction I get mad that they are building this huge front yard and sidewalk on central ave, with 0 provision to consider cyclists when there is ample room to show off how good grade-separated lanes can be. that is, if I'm not getting honked at or cut off by some construction worker from the suburbs taking his f150 to the courthouse jobsite (anecdotal, but a true story nonetheless).

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mcar91 t1_iur9gsc wrote

Totally. I would happily make smaller sidewalks if it meant giving cyclists ample space and maintains road space for parking.

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DSMK2 t1_iut931a wrote

I feel like there's barely enough casual bike culture in JC for any bike lanes to show results. People need to get themselves bikes first too, against pressure from a car-centric environment (and having little experience biking in the first place). I don't know if Citi Bikes do much for that.

Biking on the road feels unsafe (sharrows and signage don't really help), and consistently seeing bikers on the sidewalk reinforces the idea that "oh it's fine to bike on the sidewalk"... Despite me consistently experiencing a lot of them coming from behind without warning.

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[deleted] t1_iupst4r wrote

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cb2-0-0 OP t1_iuqo2dq wrote

Not to be that person but why should parking be the priority anyway? People have cars as a matter of fact, sure, but does that make the needs of people who don't have cars less worthy/valuable?

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hxc-ufoz t1_iur8tu1 wrote

It goes both ways. The needs of cyclists are not necessarily more important than those of car owners, especially if they are in the minority.

No need for abstractions about who gets what and how. It should be voted on by the community, as well as allowing us the option to propose a better solution

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[deleted] t1_ius1bi4 wrote

[deleted]

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cb2-0-0 OP t1_ius1yxs wrote

Nah, I wasn't coming at you. Just thinking out loud, asking questions for everyone on the thread in general.

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go-for-Banjo t1_iusbuxa wrote

Well I don’t have kids, but my taxes still go to funding “your” child’s public education. See how easy it is to twist your argument?

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mcar91 t1_iupv1kb wrote

I like the idea of raising the price of a parking permit and using that money for transit and infrastructure.

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