Erie Canal Trail Count -1
The “Man”
Erie Canal Trail Count -2
- Erie Canal Trail Count -3
- Great ridin’ . . .
Through the park . . .
Gotta helmet, gotta bike . . .
Around the Pond . . .
Future Advocates
Great Weather for Riding in Albany
Filed under Activisim, City Review, Riding in Albany
Don’t Confuse Me With the Facts
Upon first coming across the re-paved section of Myrtle Ave. from S. Main to Partridge, one might well wonder “with all this width, why didn’t they put in a real bicycle lane instead of these Shared Lanes?” Myrtle is a nice ride from Marion Ave. to S. Swan and a good way to escape the craziness of Madison Ave. or other routes to downtown.
So what gives?
Appearances can be deceiving – what looks like a vast expanse of available macadam is actually much narrower than it looks. Myrtle is 28 feet wide curb-to-curb from Allen St. to Delaware Ave. If one applies NACTO’s standard*, the space needed for a motor vehicle parking lane and a bicycle lane is 14.5 feet (or a minimum of 12.0 feet, also the AASHTO* guideline).
With a minimal 7-foot parking lane, this results in a 7.5-foot (or 5-foot) bicycle lane (including 6-8 inch traffic-side white line and a 4-inch solid line adjacent to the parked cars. Allowing 7 feet for the north side parking lane, leaves 6.5 feet for a travel lane – no way. (For reference, the can in the photo is 14.5 feet from the southerly curb looking toward downtown with the tip of the Shard Lane making showing.)
Myrtle Ave Toward Downtown
Therefore, until Madison Ave. has Protected Bicycle Lanes installed, Myrtle Ave. will remain a good – but shared – bicycle route to downtown.
In the meantime, why not get out there with your Lufkin and find some streets that are wide enough for bicycle lanes? Then start pushing for them.
* NACTO – “When placed adjacent to a parking lane, the desirable reach from the curb face to the edge of the bike lane (including the parking lane, bike lane, and optional buffer between them) is 14.5 feet; the absolute minimum reach is 12 feet. A bike lane next to a parking lane shall be at least 5 feet wide, unless there is a marked buffer between them. Wherever possible, minimize parking lane width in favor of increased bike lane width.”
AASHTO – The AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities: “If parking is permitted, the bike lane should be placed between the parking area and the travel lane and have a minimum width of 1.5 m (5 feet). Where parking is permitted but a parking stripe or stalls are not utilized, the shared area [parking plus bike lane] should be a minimum of 3.3 m (11 feet) without a curb face and 3.6 m (12 feet) adjacent to a curb face.
Filed under Activisim, City Review
Riding In Albany – 1st Friday
Brick’s Barber Shop
Pushin’ PBLs with Mirim Going to Portland ME
Cruisn’
Through the Park
Mom
On Patrol
Great Day
Safer on the Sidewalk
Back pack
Cruising in the Park
Sidewalk Rider
Nice Day
Secured at Healthy on Lark
Too Young for the Street?
Dad
Filed under Activisim, Riding in Albany
As Ye Sow, So Shall Ye Reap
The Albany Times Union delivered a frequently heard complaint about the behavior of people on bicycles with respect to “rules of the road” (or, put more simply, using common courtesy and common sense).
In a Letter to the Editor that seems supportive of cyclists’ concerns and of redesigning roads with their safety in mind, the author calls out cyclists for ignoring the traffic law
The next time you are riding in the presence of people in cars or on foot, why not stop for the red lights and stop signs, ride on the right with traffic and the correct direction on one-way streets, and use your bright cloths, lights and hand signals?
If we expect those with no interest in riding a bicycle to be supportive of proper facilities for people on bicycles, we need to be good ambassadors for the cause.
++++++TEXT OF LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ++++++
Cyclists Must Also Obey Traffic Laws
Letters to the editor – September 2, 2015
I’m sorry that Benjamin Wells and his brother “don’t feel safe biking around Albany” (Aug.18 and I can understand the position of the advocates for dedicated bicycle lanes on Madison Avenue. However, I would like to remind bicyclists that they are supposed to follow the rules of the road.
We have seen many bicyclists fail to stop for stop signs and red lights. Others don’t use hand signals and therefore make unexpected turns. Although it is contrary to the law in New York, as we were driving on Sand Creek Road on Aug. 24, a man was riding his bicycle facing traffic, instead of with the flow of traffic.
I hope that if bicycle lanes are constructed on Madison Avenue or elsewhere, bicyclists who are using them understand that they, too, must take responsibility for their personal safety by obeying the traffic laws.
Judy Madnick, Albany
Filed under Activisim, Comings and Goings
