The Olympia Public Works Transportation Group proposed the inclusion of enhanced bike lanes in the Engineering Design and Development Standards or EDDS, tying it to future road works in the city.
Joey Johnson, a project engineer with the Public Works Transportation group, discussed the enhanced bike lanes at the Planning Commission meeting yesterday, August 1.
Johnson said the Public Works has been updating EDDS annually. This year, they are proposing three changes or additions that they wanted to add in the EDDS chapter 4, which discusses transportation:
"We are all used to seeing [traditional] the bike lanes out on the streets - you have your 10- to 11-foot typical travel vehicle travel lane and then a five-foot bike lane right next to that,” Johnson explained. The enhanced bike lane provides additional protection or more separation for cyclists.”
“It just enhances the five-foot lane,” added Johnson.
Why enhanced lanes can be expensive
Johnson cautioned that enhanced bike lanes could be expensive because they take up more space to create separation from the vehicle travel lane.
"We need more physical space, whether the additional right of way or whatnot. This can add a substantial cost. We need to be strategic, and we have to plan them," he said.
Building bike lanes
Johnson said their goal is for the enhanced bike lanes to become part of all arterials and major collectors. Arterial roads are streets with the highest volume of vehicles per day, while major collectors are the next level down with how many cars travel on them daily.
To add an enhanced bike lane, Johnson said there might be a need to widen the road itself and reconstruction. "When we have major road reconstruction projects, we could add enhanced bike lane at that time."
He also anticipated segments of enhanced bike lanes through frontage improvements in the development, whether commercial or residential.
New cost for real estate developers
The city would require developers to incorporate enhanced bike lanes on over 300 feet of frontage improvement.
The committee is currently looking at building enhanced bike lanes for the upcoming major street reconstructions at Fones Road, Mottman Road, Wiggins Road, and Martin Way.
Proposed designs
Johnson presented five proposed bike lanes drawings they plan to include in the EDDS. He said it would be the standard for these projects and private developments:
"You need some sort of delineation where the bike lane is and where the sidewalk is to avoid conflicts between pedestrians and bicyclists," Johnson said, adding that his particular design is what they are looking at for Fones Road, Johnson noted.
Johnson added that the shared-used path should be used in an area with fewer bike and pedestrian volumes.
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Honestyandrealityguy
So many cities have compromised vehicles, 99% of transportation and made the streets so dangerous. Hope that is taken into consideration.
Tuesday, August 2 Report this
Miller19
For what bikers?
Tuesday, August 2 Report this
WilliamPorter
I am a daily bike commuter (14 miles round-trip, four days a week, up and down Harrison Avenue and State Avenue from the Safeway on the Westside to Tanglewilde Lumber on the Eastside) and I rarely feel safe on the streets. Beyond just the usual drunk and high drivers making me feel unsafe, I have had people in cars seem to target me with their vehicles while I'm riding. I've had people speed past me, slam on the brakes, and get out of their cars to harangue me for 'taking too much road.' I know several people who would prefer a bike ride in the morning (burns fat instead of money) instead of a car commute, but won't risk injury and death for it. For the folks who love their cars, and don't care about the environment or their own health... would you like a stent with those knee replacements? They'll give you a great deal - just another mortgage to pay the insurance adjusters!
Wednesday, August 3 Report this
Miller19
Catering to an extreme minority (bike commuters) is not a good policy. To the bike riders out there, some of us have places we need to be.
Friday, August 5 Report this