Christiaan,
Superlative comments! You've included all the relevant objective evidence that is so convincing that 4L(B) is the better alternative.
I am also grateful for your including our recent discussions about lane width but don't think 10-foot inner lanes and 11-foot outer lanes is a good idea. (Your point #6.)
First, for bicyclists and motorists to travel safely side-by-side within the lane, the lane must be 14-feet wide or wider (8-feet for MV + 3-feet space between MV and bicycle + 3-feet for bicycle = 14-feet).
An 11-foot outside lane will only encourage motorists to try to squeeze by cyclists who hug the right edge. I've advocated for all travel lanes to be 10-feet wide to slow traffic and to discourage motorists from squeezing by cyclists but we don't have consensus on that. Another part of my rationale for 10-foot travel lanes is that they would free up 4-feet for an additional sidewalk within the current ROW. Since you're advocating for sidewalks on both sides with a green space buffer between the sidewalk and the travel lane (with which I strongly agree), advocating for two different lane widths can call your competence into question. If you're not going to advocate for all 10-foot travel lanes with firm justification, I'd leave it alone.
Also, the sign is R4-11, Bicycles May Use FULL Lane. This is specified in the 2009 MUTCD. Section 9B.06 Bicycles May Use Full Lane Sign (R4-11) http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/htm/2009/part9/part9b.htm
Section 9B.06 Bicycles May Use Full Lane Sign (R4-11) Option: 01 The Bicycles May Use Full Lane (R4-11) sign (see Figure 9B-2) may be used on roadways where no bicycle lanes or adjacent shoulders usable by bicyclists are present and where travel lanes are too narrow for bicyclists and motor vehicles to operate side by side. 02 The Bicycles May Use Full Lane sign may be used in locations where it is important to inform road users that bicyclists might occupy the travel lane. 03 Section 9C.07 describes a Shared Lane Marking that may be used in addition to or instead of the Bicycles May Use Full Lane sign to inform road users that bicyclists might occupy the travel lane. Support: 04 The Uniform Vehicle Code (UVC) defines a "substandard width lane" as a "lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the same lane."
Frank D. Gmeindl Chairman, Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board LCI #1703 491 WilsonAvenue Morgantown, WV 26501 304-376-0446 Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles
On Feb 7, 2012, at 10:24 PM, Morgantown Pedestrian Safety Board wrote:
Troops - Please find attached some comments - some of which I've submitted - about the Mileground, and a link to the consultant's report (Entran) about the Mileground: http://www.plantogether.org/documents/plan/MilegroundRoadReport.pdf
The attached file is in .txt format for easy copy & paste into the online form without formatting issues. Please let me know if there is a problem with the file. Comments are due by Feb 24th.
I used some - not all - of the points in the attached, feel free to reword, mix/match. As you all may imagine, I used the points supported by data and/or the consultant's report. Please click here to comment at the DOH's website or, if that doesn't work, copy & paste the following URL: http://www.transportation.wv.gov/highways/engineering/comment/wv705connector...
Enjoy my comments. Please provide input and feel free to forward my attached comments to friends/neighbors/interested fellow citizens. Christiaan
Walk more, safely
Morgantown Pedestrian Safety Board Christiaan Abildso, Chair Bill Reger-Nash, Vice Chair http://www.morgantown.com/ped-safety-board.htm
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