Sharrows Can Make Jacksonville Safer for Cyclists

[Dashing Dan]

From our friends at BikeJax, here is a basic introduction to the topic of sharrows.  This is great stuff!

This month the FDOT placed a new lane marking on Riverside Ave. as a test project. These new markings are called Sharrows and since these new markings aren't exactly intuitive as to their meaning or purpose for either cyclist or driver, here's a quick little guide on what they are, where they come from and how to use them.

What is a Sharrow?

A Sharrow is a shared lane marking consisting of a bicycle symbol with two chevron markings above the bicycle.

What Does it Mean?

A sharrow is used indicate a cyclist's lateral position on lanes of substandard width that will not allow an automobile and bicycle to safely travel within the same lane and also have a maximum speed limits of 35 MPH.



Note: Florida Law already gives a cyclist the rights to control the lane of substandard width. Unfortunately most cyclists and virtually no drivers are aware of this. This is the real benefit of a Sharrow.

Where Are These New Sharrows Going to Be?

FDOT has placed the new Shared lane markings On Riverside Ave. from Gilmore St. to Post St. It's a short test area yes, but it helps cyclists on that narrow section of Riverside Ave. in front of the Cummer Museum and Riverside Arts Market.

FDOT is also placing sharrows on the Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine.

There is a likelihood that sharrows will also be placed on other streets in Jacksonville where the speed limit is 35 mph or less, such as

• where existing bike lanes are directly alongside parked cars where doors may open suddenly in front of cyclists,  or
  
  where narrow lanes or shoulders make it impossible for bicyclists to travel outside of a normal travel lane.
  

Please share the link to this and lets get the word out on these new markings to as many cyclists and drivers as possible.

http://www.bikejax.org/2012/02/new-lane-markings-sharrows-down-dirty.html

[Dashing Dan]

In San Marco, what about taking out the bike lanes on Hendricks north of Atlantic, and replacing them with sharrows?

[tufsu1]

sharrows are generally meant for streets that aren't wide enough for bike lanes...Hendricks wouldn't apply (yes I know there's also that parking clause)....but the rebuilt San Marco Blvd might

[Ocklawaha]

I still think this is insane, maybe some sort of improvement, but insane nonetheless.

EXAMPLE

One Ford F-150, pickup truck, speed 30 mph, 180 pound driver, standard equipment

One Santa Cruz Highball AL, bicycle, speed 12 mph, 180 pound rider, standard equipment

One female pedestrian, sidewalk, walking speed, 115 pounds, standard equipment (Okay, so that's funny)

In scenario one the pickup truck drives head-on into the bike rider, fully surprised there is no brake application until after impact.

In scenario two the bike rider drives head-on into the woman pedestrian, fully surprised there is no brake application.

Which accident does the obvious victim live through? If you had to choose, which accident would you 'want' to be involved in?

MY POINT?

Where ever possible, get the bikes off the roads and onto sidewalks and bike trails. Certainly there are area's where no bike should be - namely store fronts with glass doors that open into the sidewalk. Other then that, we have miles of decent sidewalks that would serve the purpose of safety first. This is upside down throughout the country and I'd like to see it change. Be nice if we could effect this change in Jacksonville.

Which should be immediately followed by skateboards and skates on the river walks, with rules posted and enforced.

OCKLAWAHA

[deathstar]

Ock, I respectfully disagree. Sharrows will surely start to pop up more around Jacksonville faster than you'll ever see Rail Car transportation in this "upside down" city we live in. And quite honestly, if a biker does end up in an accident, there's no right or wrong, it's both parties not paying attention. Whenever I'm out jogging or running, I usually have my headphones on. Whenever I come to a stop sign, I look both ways, and even behind me to make sure nobody is going to make a surprise turn. When I'm out biking, and I come to a stop sign or a traffic light, I observe all cars in turning lanes first, ahead, left, right, and behind me, to make double sure I allow them to go first even if I have the pass. It's a biker's responsibility to pay attention to the road just as much as motorists do. I see people on bikes hauling ass through Riverside without nearly a care in the world, and why I'll never catch up to them, I surely know my whereabouts on the roadways and what's going on more than they do. Bicyclists DO belong on the roads, NOT on the sidewalks. Especially through Avondale & Riverside, where the majority of morning runners occupy.

If I ever encounter an "idiot" yelling anything obscene to me and not paying attention to the road, and they end up in an accident, you bet your ass I'll grab my iPhone off the bike mount, take picture, video, call the local news stations and make the biggest damn deal out of it you'll ever see.

I took the liberty of posting the Sharrow poster in 2's on Instagram, an app for the iPhone.

[Dashing Dan]

Sidewalks are NOT safe for cyclists.  If cyclists are on sidewalks, then pedestrians are also in jeopardy.

[dougskiles]

sharrows are generally meant for streets that aren't wide enough for bike lanes...Hendricks wouldn't apply (yes I know there's also that parking clause)....but the rebuilt San Marco Blvd might

What is the parking clause?

I agree, the newly constructed portion of San Marco Blvd would be a good choice.  If the road is 2-lane, is there a minimum lane width required for sharrows?

[Dashing Dan]

My understanding is that unless there is parallel parking, you shouldn't use a sharrow on a lane that is 14' wide or wider.

Below is the section about sharrows from the 2009 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices  I've highlighted in red the parts of this section that are about lane widths and parallel parking.

Section 9C.07 Shared Lane Marking
Option:
01 The Shared Lane Marking shown in Figure 9C-9 may be used to:
A. Assist bicyclists with lateral positioning in a shared lane with on-street parallel parking in order to reduce
the chance of a bicyclist’s impacting the open door of a parked vehicle,
B. Assist bicyclists with lateral positioning in lanes that are too narrow for a motor vehicle and a bicycle to
travel side by side within the same traffic lane,

C. Alert road users of the lateral location bicyclists are likely to occupy within the traveled way,
D. Encourage safe passing of bicyclists by motorists, and
E. Reduce the incidence of wrong-way bicycling.
Guidance:
02 The Shared Lane Marking should not be placed on roadways that have a speed limit above 35 mph.
Standard:
03 Shared Lane Markings shall not be used on shoulders or in designated bicycle lanes.

Guidance:
04 If used in a shared lane with on-street parallel parking, Shared Lane Markings should be placed so that the
centers of the markings are at least 11 feet from the face of the curb, or from the edge of the pavement where there is no curb.
05 If used on a street without on-street parking that has an outside travel lane that is less than 14 feet wide, the
centers of the Shared Lane Markings should be at least 4 feet from the face of the curb, or from the edge of the
pavement where there is no curb.

06 If used, the Shared Lane Marking should be placed immediately after an intersection and spaced at intervals
not greater than 250 feet thereafter.
Option:
07 Section 9B.06 describes a Bicycles May Use Full Lane sign that may be used in addition to or instead of the
Shared Lane Marking to inform road users that bicyclists might occupy the travel lane.

[deathstar]

@Dashing Dan Think I'm gonna start carrying the Laws & Statutes booklet for Bicyclists on me from here on out, atleast that way I'll be able to educate anyone who questions why I ride mostly on the roads.

[Dashing Dan]

Keep it with your spare tire, etc.  It should fit in easily.

[Ocklawaha]

Sidewalks are NOT safe for cyclists.  If cyclists are on sidewalks, then pedestrians are also in jeopardy.

As I said,

Certainly there are area's where no bike should be - namely along store fronts with glass doors that open into the sidewalk. Other then that, we have miles of decent sidewalks that would serve the purpose of safety first.

You could exclude narrow pedestrian walks, but there are miles of sidewalks that could be easily converted for mixed use. I'd call it 'just like bike trails - only cheaper.' I feel 100% safer when I ride  and there is a curb between me and the road.

Floridians in general don't have a thought about reckless driving around pedestrians or bicycles. Way out here in St. Johns County there is a country highway intersection called Molasses Junction, surrounded by miles of potato and cabbage fields. A car might pass every half hour or so - but somehow, some idiot, probably in a truck, managed to mow down and kill a lonely bicyclist. What were the chances of that bike rider even meeting a car on that highway? The single car managed to wipe out the single bike, so now St. Johns is vigorously creating a mixed use trail.

OCKLAWAHA