Everybody's Talking About Cycle Tracks

First Borderstan reviews the 15th Street Contraflow Bike Lane. Borderstan notes that many users go the wrong way in it (salmon cyclists) and that it attracts walkers, joggers, people with strollers, etc... In general, people in the comments don't like the lane and think it's dangerous. I've ridden in only a few times, but I didn't have any problems other than that the lights are poorly timed for southbound traffic. Thoughts?

Streetfilms put together a little film on it during the Bike Summit. I'm eager to see before and after statistics on bike use (in both directions), average car speed, max car speed and auto use.

Finally, David Alpert of GGW is concerned that the downtown cycletrack plan doesn't consider buses. They'd like to see the cycletracks expanded and moved off heavy bus use streets, with bus priority or bus/bike only lanes added on I. Their plan is below.

Purple: Cycle tracks. Blue: Existing bike lanes. Red: K Street Transitway.
Orange: Bus lanes that also allow bikes, or bus lanes as well as bike lanes.

I agree with all of his points. M makes more sense. Bus priority is important, especially on I. I think the map above is a great framework.

Picture via GGW.

Comments

[Peter Smith]

Are you a bicycle person making a case for buses over bicycles? Now I've seen it all.

[mattyillini]

I would disagree that most people who commented on the Borderstan post don't like the lane being there. I think a number of commenters (and neighbors on 15th) people have problems with signage and such.
http://borderstan.com/2010/03/22/15th-street-the-2-way-multi-purpose-bike-lane/

[g]

I take the 15th cycletrack 1-2 times a week. I do often see joggers, walkers, & wrong-way cyclists (and one cell-phone pedestrian who did apologize when i suggested he use the sidewalk). Truth is,they don't really slow me down b/c the lane is so slow anyway -- what with the poorly (for southbound bikes) timed lights & the slowing down for cross streets (the little ones w/out lights) b/c I'm not confident that a car won't turn into them.

It's nice to have a protected lane, but this one isn't very functional for getting anywhere.

Given the choice, I would have preferred a protected cycletrack on 14th street (instead of bike lanes that drivers & doubleparkers ignore), and having 15th turned into a two-way street (with sharrows both ways?).

I like GGW's proposal & am happy to see the broader, integrated perspective. In the long run it is better for EVERYONE to improve bus & bike flow.

[washcycle]

Peter, I'm a bike person arguing for complete streets. That means that sometimes bikes don't come first.
Matty, I count 13 out of 19 negative comments.