Currently, most of the Downtown has sidewalks though there are few bike lanes or facilities. Are there any parts of Downtown that need new or improved sidewalks?
Are there other pedestrian features that are needed?
What bicycle facilities are desired by the community?
Can we better connect Downtown destinations?
Give us your thoughts -- click "comments" below:
4 comments:
One of the barriers to bike commuting that a lot of people mention is that they don't want to arrive at work all sweaty and gross. What about having a central bike parking area that has lockers and showers and so on? Maybe even a gym. "Commuter only" memberships could be cheap. Maybe put it in a parking ramp?
Bike lanes! Officers to enforce traffic rules for both bikers and drivers. God bless the Jimmy John's employee who was struck while riding. Today I saw another JJ employee breeze through a three way stop at 2nd and Chestnut. Without a glance in either direction or a tap of his brakes. This is dangerous for everyone! Also it would be great to add some more lighting between 4th street and the arts district since many people walk between the two for the bar scenes on the weekend.
how bout a bike rack somewhere... I only know of a couple in all of downtown!
There are bike advocacy groups, such as the Alliance for Biking and Walking. It would be useful to consult with such groups, whose main goal is to improve the state of biking in communities. Certainly more bike paths, bike trails, and bike racks would help. Remember when bike racks at elementary schools were full? That happens in some cities' business districts; workers ride their bikes, which saves gas, saves money on road construction, reduces traffic congestion, reduces pollution, and is healthy.
Everyone - cyclists, drivers, police - needs to comply with traffic laws. Cycling should be safe for everyone. Cyclists and drivers can coexist peacefully, but it takes everyone working together. We needn't be adversaries. After all, if more people cycled, there would be more room for drivers.
I like the idea of showers and lockers near bike racks. Perhaps the YMCA/YWCA or some other health organization could partner with the city/county to provide this. I think I'd be inclined to pay a small "membership" fee to one of these organizations if it meant convenient parking and showering facilities.
If we want more people to cycle into the city, we need safer routes for them to arrive. People could cycle in from the suburbs if there were bike paths that paralleled the most popular driving routes. Home values increase near bike paths. Many young professionals might jump at the idea of cycling to work.
I know the city or county has a staff member concerned with biking issues. It might be helpful to have some sort of advisory board, including cyclists, drivers, law enforcement, and employers. These people could identify relevant issues and advise local government.
Someone in another stream suggested cobblestones for downtown. That's a good idea, but it's not bike-friendly. Perhaps there could be a smooth lane on such roads for cyclists, joggers, etc.
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