So, what does everyone think about this new bike lane on 10th street? [MRG] - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

shermanator · 10-07-2011, 08:42 AM

Not sure if this is being discussed in another thread, but city road crews decided to reduce 10th Street into downtown from 2 lanes to 1 lane, to add a dedicated bike lane in. Apparently the mayor didn't even know about this plan, and it's obviously caused some traffic issues...

Quote:

The new bike lanes that appeared without warning last weekend on 10th Street N.W. caught cyclists, motorists — and the mayor — off guard.

Drivers fumed over traffic delays, and incomplete line markings confused some cyclists.

In a statement Thursday, Nenshi said he hadn’t heard about the pilot project until the lines were already on the road.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/travel/...193/story.html

There's also some Calgary Sun articles on the issue, but I'd rather spare everyone from reading them.

Bigtime · 10-07-2011, 08:51 AM

From what I have heard the traffic problems caused by this are non-existent. Bottlenecks at 10th street and 16th avenue are no worse than before.

nik- · 10-07-2011, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigtime

From what I have heard the traffic problems caused by this are non-existent. Bottlenecks at 10th street and 16th avenue are no worse than before.

Did you try to take 10th from 2nd Ave yesterday by chance?

I don't know about 10th and 16th, but 10th and 2nd made me go up to 16th to head east as opposed to using Memorial. It seems kind of silly to have that stretch one lane and then switch over to 3 lane usage in Kensington.

troutman · 10-07-2011, 09:00 AM

No one is really using the bike lane, so what is the point?

Bigtime · 10-07-2011, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nik-

Did you try to take 10th from 2nd Ave yesterday by chance?

I don't know about 10th and 16th, but 10th and 2nd made me go up to 16th to head east as opposed to using Memorial. It seems kind of silly to have that stretch one lane and then switch over to 3 lane usage in Kensington.

No I haven't, my commute (either by bike or car) take me nowhere near this area. I was simply repeating what I had read from others on the traffic situation that were watching the area looking for this supposed "traffic chaos" that the bike lane was the sole cause of.

Jackpot_Smooth · 10-07-2011, 09:03 AM

I think it's a horrible idea, especially if parks dept are building a new cycle path a few meters away. I'm suprised i haven't read anything from druh farrel about this.

I didn't know the traffic impact has been negligible though as someone posted above.

Bigtime · 10-07-2011, 09:07 AM

Love the thread tags.

WilsonFourTwo · 10-07-2011, 09:09 AM

I think it's foolish to judge the outcome for at least a couple/few weeks. It'll take that long for people to adjust to the new arrangement.

While I don't use the affected route (and don't anticipate ever needing to) I generally support anything that makes the city more accessible to bike/foot traffic. It will be interesting to see how this particular experiment ends up, but I'll give the city a few points just for trying.

The only thing that I don't understand......why do this in October instead of April?

woob · 10-07-2011, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackpot_Smooth

I think it's a horrible idea, especially if parks dept are building a new cycle path a few meters away. I'm suprised i haven't read anything from druh farrel about this.

I didn't know the traffic impact has been negligible though as someone posted above.

She was on CBC radio the other day talking about the new lane. I've never heard her talk before, but wow does she sound a bit loopy.

Bigtime · 10-07-2011, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WilsonFourTwo

The only thing that I don't understand......why do this in October instead of April?

Apparently it was done in conjunction with paving work on 10th street, making the cost pretty much nothing to put the new lane markings in. As opposed to stripping and re-painting lanes.

Jimmy Stang · 10-07-2011, 09:13 AM

On one hand, I like the idea of more bike lanes and feel that "if you build it, they will come". On the other hand, the timing seems off as we are on the verge of winter, communication was obviously poor, and launching an unfinished bike lane isn't doing anyone any good. Poorly executed decisions like this are easy pickings for opponents of these new ideas.

I would rather see cycling infrastructure complimenting automobile infrastructure, instead of competing with it. Commuters who cycle benefit everyone (including motorists who have one less car in front of them), but polarizing the two modes of transportation isn't helpful.

Tron_fdc · 10-07-2011, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troutman

No one is really using the bike lane, so what is the point?

I think that is the point......gigantic line of traffic vs an open, free sailing lane for cyclists. I don't use that road, but if I did I would be pretty tempted to bike to work.

They should open it to motorcycles too.

shermanator · 10-07-2011, 09:22 AM

I like the idea of dedicated bike lanes in the inner city. That being said, sacrificing one of the few roads into downtown to put a bike lane in doesn't make a tonne of sense.

CrunchBite · 10-07-2011, 10:18 AM

The fact that we can talk about poor timing with winter coming for the opening of a bike lane is proof that we shouldn't have bike lanes in a city with winter 7+ months of the year.

(yes,yes studded tires on bikes blah blah)

You Need a Thneed · 10-07-2011, 10:19 AM

If there's cleared bike lanes, people will bike in the winter.

bizaro86 · 10-07-2011, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

Commuters who cycle benefit everyone (including motorists who have one less car in front of them),

I bet those who drive would benefit more from the extra lane they just lost than from losing the traffic of a few people may bike this winter that wouldn't have otherwise...

Jimmy Stang · 10-07-2011, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizaro86

I bet those who drive would benefit more from the extra lane they just lost than from losing the traffic of a few people may bike this winter that wouldn't have otherwise...

I don't disagree. That's why I feel that it should be more thought out than simply taking one lane from cars and giving it to bikes. That particular road could probably be widened a tad and could have the bike lanes without taking a lane from cars, particularly down the hill alongside SAIT.

A spring launch would have given local cycling groups a nice opportunity to publicize the event and have a steady stream of bikes flowing down there. It would help the perception of the changeover instead of the media showing the lane as underused while motorists fume. or do it in the summer when traffic volumes are lighter, which would give motorists and cyclists a better time to adapt to the change.

MelBridgeman · 10-07-2011, 11:26 AM

Why don't we focus on things that work? What is the point of the bike lane that will serve very few people? You are going to create traffic issues either here or elsewhere...how does that help your carbon footprint? IT doesn't, it means more cars setting around in traffic idling. I am all for bike lanes and greener modes of transportation ect...but a lot of ideas aren't solutions and sometimes just plain stupid.

Burn13 · 10-07-2011, 11:44 AM

Worst idea ever, I commute that way and traffic is already backed up between 20th Ave and 16th Ave on clear driving days. Wait until winter hits its going to be ridiculous. This is not a city for a year round bike lane.

Imagine: One lane from 20ave into Kensington; 2 foot snow dump; 3 river crossings into downtown.

OffsideSpecialist · 10-07-2011, 11:50 AM

Haha, we had a similar controversial bike lane put on a busy street in Ottawa this summer. Motorists were apparently most concerned about not being able to turn right on a red. It even has a counter that says how many people have used the bike lane since it was put in.