[SBC] FW: contra-flow bike lanes

[walker2468 at earthlink.net]

One critical thing is missing in this case study: that of parked cars on the street.

On Scott Street (at Beacon St./Park St. in Somerville), the contra-flow bike lane is placed *next* to motor vehicles parked facing the direction of traffic flow. Cyclists are riding next to cars facing the opposite direction, increasing the risk of head-on collisions between cars and bikes when those cars pull out into the street- passing through the contra-flow lane. Despite bike lane paint and lines, drivers parked on the *left* side of a one way street have a blind spot: their right-hand side rearview mirror will *not* allow them to see a cyclist riding in the contra-flow lane! Cambridge should have moved the parking to the right-hand side of Scott Street- ironically there is no parking on the right-hand side! 

This is a critical safety issue.

I also found it telling to read this in the Cambridge case study:


<Evaluation and Results 
<No formal evaluations have been done for these streets. City staff <have observed the locations, Cambridge Bicycle Committee members, <and members of the traveling public have offered comments.... 

Draw your own conclusions on that....

-Greg


-----Original Message-----
>From: Alan Moore <alanjane at highstream.net>
>Sent: Jan 24, 2007 2:37 AM
>To: Sbc at lists.bostoncoop.net
>Subject: [SBC] FW: contra-flow bike lanes
>
>
>
>A question came up at the last monthly meeting on whether Cambridge had done
>any studies on their contra-flow bike streets.
>
>Here's what I found out. I haven't read it yet.
>
>Alan
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Seiderman, Cara [mailto:cseiderman at CambridgeMA.GOV] 
>Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 1:31 PM
>To: alanjane at highstream.net
>Subject: RE: contra-flow bike lanes
>
>Hi Alan,
>
>I am sure I mentioned the bicyclinginfo.org website to you -- it's always
>the best place to start whenever you have a question like this. It is also
>likely to provide a broader range of information from a wider variety of
>places.
>
>That being said, I did do a write up on contraflow lanes for the BikeSafe
>case study system: (look for #18)
>
>http://www.bicyclinginfo.org/bikesafe/case_studies.cfm
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: alanjane at highstream.net [mailto:alanjane at highstream.net]
>Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2007 10:24 AM
>To: Seiderman, Cara
>Subject: contra-flow bike lanes
>
>
>Cara:
>
>Do you have any data/study.
>etc. on the 2 (more?) contra-flow bike lanes in Cambridge?
>
>Alan
>
>
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