Montgomery County DOT (MCDOT) broke ground on the protected bike lanes on 2nd Ave. and Wayne Ave. between Spring St. and Georgia Ave. last fall, but they were delayed by utility issues and weather. Work is underway now, and they've been making progress on the PBL and on the protected intersection at Second and Spring.
Late last month they moved the median on Wayne, were putting in temporary striping, they've poured concrete aprons and islands and moved streetlights.
At the protected intersection they note about the rectangular concrete apron on the westbound side of Spring Street
Buses need this space when turning left. Initially, we designed this area just with a hatched (painted) area, but we were concerned people would park there. This concrete apron will not be challenging for the bus to use during its turn, and people will be less likely to park here. Note, once the final striping is in place, the parking lane will align with the apron and the bike lane will be against the curb.
Last year they said work would take two months to complete, so we might be 5-6 weeks away from completion. This would be the first protected intersection in the area, IIUC.
I went by there recently, and the design seems a bit wonky, requiring a series of pretty sharp turns for cyclists to continue going straight. The idea is right (protected intersection), but the execution seems poor. Highlights the need for better guidance and standards on this.
Posted by: Jacob Mason | June 06, 2019 at 11:13 AM
Looking at the standards from NACTO, this does seem to be a variation, but one they allow. https://nacto.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/NACTO_Dont-Give-Up-at-the-Intersection.pdf
Posted by: washcycle | June 06, 2019 at 11:46 AM
I guess I don't understand the point of this design variation. Seems like just another way to make cycling inconvenient and indirect.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8371/8415594735_30603b1b6f_c.jpg
Posted by: Jacob Mason | June 10, 2019 at 10:32 AM