2030 Mobility Plan: Bicycle Network

[Metro Jacksonville]

2030 Mobility Plan: Bicycle Network



As Jacksonville bristles over the city's recent "worst" rank for bicycling, the 2030 Multimodal Transportation Plan intends to dramatically improve the local bicycle network.


Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-apr-2030-mobility-plan-bicycle-network

[Hurricane]

The bike lanes on Kernan are incredible!  I am amazed at the quality of these.  I only wish these were throughout the city...  It would cost a fortune to create a network of biking lanes like Kernan though.  Luckily, all of the land around Kernan was zoned so that Kernan had tons of room to expand and add this bike lane.   

[vicupstate]

It does not cost a fortune to just reduce the traffic lanes to allow a bike lane.  There is no need for additional asphalt in most cases. 

[thelakelander]

In most cases, it won't cost anymore than the city already spends when they resurface roadways (especially in the urban core).  Several streets are more than wide enough to accommodate bicycle lanes.  Here is a good before and after shot of a resurfacing project in New Orleans to give everyone a visual idea.

[dogfood]

The first map shows Beach Blvd and Atlantic Blvd as current Bicycle routes along with several other roads that are not safe to ride?? This map and plan was part of the cities attempt to deceive the League of American Cyclist into giving Jacksonville a Bike friendly status. The fact that the City applied is rotten!! They actually applied for bike friendly status!! It like a child molester applying at a day care center. Their only concern is getting the bike friendly status for marketing. We are ranked one of the 3 worst for a reason, and the city continues to make road improvements and changes without bicycle facilities. The City thinks they can put up a sign that says Share the road and call it a bike route.

[thelakelander]

While I and most people would not ride them, Beach and Atlantic do contain bike lanes, which is why they are listed on the existing bicycle facilities map.  As the city moves forward, more thought and consideration should be given to the proper design of such facilities.  Hopefully, the US DOT's Complete Streets policy will begin to have an immediate influence on future projects.

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-mar-complete-streets-policy-to-impact-jacksonville

[tufsu1]

another point to keep in mind is that methods have been developed for calculating LOS for non-auto modes (bike, ped, transit)....there are very detailed comutations that can be done, but FDOT also has a simplified look-up table....

In regards to bike LOS, the only variables on the simplified table are the presence of a bike lane (or paved shoulder) and what the traffic volume is.

[Bike Jax]

I have to admit I was somewhat a co-conspirator with Jacksonville's recent worst ranking. I was contacted by the publication a few months prior and told what they were planning. I was delighted when I heard that they were considering naming Jax as "worst". We (the editor & I) talked at length of all Jacksonville's positives (the Urban Core) and it's many negatives (Outside of the Urban Core). They had also previously named Miami and Boston among other cites as worst and I have seen what has happened in those cities since. Those cities got their crap together made sure there they were among the leaders nationwide in cycling infrastructure. So far, City leaders here are also responding and projects that have had us at Bike Jax banging our heads on walls are now being welcomed as long lost sons and it appears we may get some things accomplished.

Hurricane (first comment above) stated, "It would cost a fortune to create a network of biking lanes like Kernan though."

No, it wouldn't. The fact is roads could be constructed in away that actually include a big beautiful muilt-use bikeway like on Kernan while also cutting the costs of construction.

As road design currently stands, you have a 14ft lane and to the right of that, a 3ft bikelane, curb, 2 foot landscape strip and ending with 3ft sidewalk. I did a post back in January of last year (http://www.bikejax.org/2009/01/rethinking-how-we-build-our-roads.html) in which I first suggested making a change to way roads are built. I won't go into all the detail of what I have learned since that post on why we don't or can't build roads this way. Let's just leave it with words, "federal funding."

Bike lanes are great. But be honest, how many of you are willing to use them? And it's most likely because you don't feel safe in them despited all the study's and stats that show they do improve your safety. You will never convince the average person that a 4 inch painted white line is a safety barrier to the passing 45 - 60 MPH traffic. But a curb or some other physical barrier along an 6 -10 ft path will provide even the most cautious with the "perceived" safety they need to ride or walk along a roadway.

We at Bike Jax are working our butts off to make Jacksonville a place where bicycles are no longer viewed as toys limited to recreational uses. But as they should be viewed, a viable, sustainable alternative source of transportation.

[thelakelander]

Then you guys should like some of the things shown in the mobility plan. Looking at the map, it includes a number of bike corridors that have the potential to be much more than typical bicycle lanes along major highways.

[Bike Jax]

Lakelander, there are lot of things to like about the mobility plan. We do have problem with the order of the plans priority. Most of items at the top of the list do nothing to improve mobility or connect current infrastructure. We are working to change that.

[thelakelander]

I understand that the mobility plan's intentions are to create an integrated multimodal transportation network that is also interwoven with complementing land uses.  Could you be more specific on specific components that don't improve connectivity to neighborhoods, transit corridors and current bike infrastructure? With our amount of viewership, using this type of media outlet to address and explain your concerns and suggestions for improvements will help spread the message and lead to change.

[Bike Jax]

lake, It's very hard to explain in short. But all funding for any type of transportation infrastructure goes through is prioritized and controlled by the local MPO which cover not just Duval also all the surrounding county's. The MPO has targeted cycling improvements outside Duval (and outside populated areas of adjacent county's) top priority.

You can go here (http://www.bikejax.org/2008/09/mpo-bicycle-pedestrian-workshop-recap.html) for maps. But number one on the list is bike path along A1A from Vilano Bridge to Mickler's Landing. No shopping, no schools, no business, only the homes of the very wealthy. All this path accomplishes is an atta-boy from those on the East Coast Greenway (http://www.greenway.org/). While I am fan of the East Coast Greenway, I don't think we should focusing what very limited available funds we have on projects that only benefit recreational cyclists. They should be using that money on projects that move people from from home, to work, schools and shopping. I firmly believe once that is done and people start using it. MPO's, city and state's leaders will find it much easier to gain support for additional funding for frivolous projects like a path from Vilano Bridge to Mickler's Landing.

I have also recently learned that our own county recreation dept. is planning on spending money that was intended to benefit us to build bike paths in an unpopulated section of a neighboring county. It took every ounce of control I had to not go hulk at that meeting and start gouging eyes out.

[thelakelander]

lake, It's very hard to explain in short. But all funding for any type of transportation infrastructure goes through is prioritized and controlled by the local MPO which cover not just Duval also all the surrounding county's. The MPO has targeted cycling improvements outside Duval (and outside populated areas of adjacent county's) top priority.

The mobility plan and fee will basically replace traffic concurrency.  The TPO will not control the mobility plan and fee funding mechanism.  This is a City of Jacksonville specific project and from my understanding, if council allows it to come into fruition, it will be in addition to whatever the TPO has plans/money for.  However, the projects will be intended to create a variety of usable transportation networks for Jacksonville residents to use for a variety of intended trips (recreational, shopping, work, commuting, etc.). 

I don't think we should focusing what very limited available funds we have on projects that only benefit recreational cyclists. They should be using that money on projects that move people from from home, to work, schools and shopping.

I definately agree 100%!  This is the only way we'll reduce VMTs, greenhouse gas emissions and truly encourage the use of alternative modes of transportation.

[Overstreet]

...............As road design currently stands, you have a 14ft lane and to the right of that, a 3ft bikelane, curb, ......... Bike lanes are great. But be honest, how many of you are willing to use them? ...........You will never convince the average person that a 4 inch painted white line is a safety barrier to the passing 45 - 60 MPH traffic. But a curb or some other physical barrier along an 6 -10 ft path will provide even the most cautious with the "perceived" safety they need to ride or walk along a roadway...................

OK, I guess I'm above average. I use the bike lane cause it provides smooth relatively obstruction free riding.    I want a car to cross into it.......when I'm not there of course........to clean out all of the sharp little rocks and glass things. My tires last longer. 

I also want to be able to use their road. Riding behind a curb on the sidewalk is more dangerous. I've collided with way more cars coming across sidewalks at driveways to make their turns than anything in the street. I've had tree limbs take me off the bike. I've had rims damaged by heaved sidewalk slabs.  I've had near misses by signs and power poles on sidewalks. And worst of all it all the kids and walkers on those bike paths. Mixing 5 mph creapers and 20mph riders is dangerous. You never know what they are going to do. Come up to a runner and say, "on your right" and they turn right into you.  Kids on bikes make unscheduled turns. Cars are more predictable.

[urbanlibertarian]

http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=cincinnati&sParam=33546713.story

Cleveland seeks more bike riders downtown
Posted 5/16/2010 2:00 PM ET    E-mail | Save | Print
CLEVELAND (AP) â€" Cleveland is trying to attract more bike riders.

A new city regulation will require many parking lots and garages to install secure bike racks.

The rule, which takes effect June 16, covers facilities that charge for parking. Parking lots and garages will have to provide one bicycle space with an anchored bike rack or locker for every 20 automobile spaces, with a maximum requirement of 24 spots.

The city doesn't require that the bike spaces be free. But the Cleveland Parking Association doesn't know of any facility planning to charge.

Cleveland is also turning an unused office into a bike parking station that will feature showers, lockers and repair services. The $420,000 project should be finished in late August.

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