[ebbc-talk] San Francisco Shared Lane Pavement Marking Report

[Robert Raburn]

Michael:
Providing room for bicyclists to share on the road is always preferable
to merely indicating that bicyclists may share a narrow lane.

In Oakland, an appropriate application of a sharrow (shared lane arrow)
exists on a one-block section of Grand Avenue between Broadway and
Webster. It completes what would otherwise be a gap in the Grand Ave
bikeway. This section of Grand Ave remains an on-street bike route,
marked with sharrows and "Share the Road" signs, as it is too narrow to
include the bike lanes that were installed on the remainder of Grand.

I think we can all support the revision of California's signage
guidelines to allow sharrow use on such shared bike routes (also called
Class III routes). In essence, signs and pavement markings are the only
changes that take place on such routes. The sharrows convey a "bikes
belong" message to motorists and give the bicyclists guidance to avoid
the door zone or stay off the sidewalk. On bike route proposals, the
EBBC also typically calls for widening of the curb lane to provide
bicyclists with more room. 

The California Highway Design Manual, Chapter 1000 notes that "Class III
bikeways (bike routes) are intended to provide continuity to the bikeway
system... to connect discontinuous segments of bikeway (normally bike
lanes)." This is exactly the case illustrated by the above Grand Ave
example. The SF study does not refute this, but focuses on the style of
sharrow that is most effective.

Where I differ with you, is your implied suggestion that we cast aside
efforts to increase the room for bicyclists on main-line segments of
arterial streets and substitute mere bike-route markings. A bike route
is a compromise, whereas generous width for bicyclists is our goal.
Please don't offer spineless traffic engineers and politicians with
support that they can address bike access and safety by merely
installing signs. 

When I ride on the certain major high-speed arterials in Sunnyvale that
have been marked with "share the road" signs for several years, I can't
help but think that the engineers have copped out where they should have
provided room on the road (either wide curb lanes or preferably marked
bike lanes). On such arterials, where the speed differential between
bicyclists and vehicles is 15 mph, 20mph or even 25mph or more, there is
little opportunity for bicyclists to safely negotiate with other
drivers. Such bike routes are a joke to both passing motorists and the
lonely bicyclists that have little option but to use them.

I wonder how many riders would like Oakland to remove the bike lanes on
Grand Ave and return to narrow curb lanes but add a few sharrows?

The EBBC's Cycle Skills class promotes "taking the lane" as does our
t-shirt design. It is an essential skill for on-road bicyclists. But we
also prefer properly engineered roadways that remove the need for
bicyclists to take the lane for mile after mile.

We can support BOTH improved markings of bike routes to encourage
continuity and lane positioning outside of the door zone, along with the
expansion of a network of bike lanes. Together they are tools that
promote real bicycle-friendly communities using the street network.

 -Robert Raburn, Executive Director
********************************************
 East Bay Bicycle Coalition   www.ebbc.org
 PO Box 1736             msg:(510)433-RIDE
 Oakland, CA  94604      tel:(510)530-3444
********************************************
"To promote bicycling as an everyday means
of transportation and recreation"


> -----Original Message-----
> From: ebbc-talk-ebbc.org-bounces at lists.ebbc.org 
> [mailto:ebbc-talk-ebbc.org-bounces at lists.ebbc.org] On Behalf 
> Of Michael Graff
> Sent: Friday, March 12, 2004 10:45 AM
> To: ebbc-talk at lists.ebbc.org
> Subject: [ebbc-talk] San Francisco Shared Lane Pavement Marking Report
> 
> 
>  
> San Francisco recently released their report studying the use 
> of bike symbols (aka "sharrows"):
> 
http://www.bicycle.sfgov.org/site/dptbike_index.asp?id=22747

The results are promising.  Here are some locations, recently discussed
in ebbc-talk, where bike symbols might be effective:

Osgood Road (Fremont)
Telegraph Ave.
Union City Blvd.

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