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.  In discussions with you and the Pedestrian Safety Board, 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 8, 2012, at 9:00 AM, Christiaan Abildso wrote:

Transportation Commission colleagues -
I had the pleasure of encountering David making a Pop Tart run this morning as I was loading up on caffeinated treats. The encounter reminded me that I wanted to share with all of you the comments I made re: Mileground/705 project via the DOT website. I would also like to make a clarification re: my letter to the editor from yesterday. I did NOT send it as the PSB chairman, simply from my personal account without any identification of my PSB role...the letter was not vetted or approved by the PSB.
 
Please find attached a long list of points from which I picked a few for the DOT submission...enjoy! Two resources used were
1) the consultant's report (Entran) about the Mileground:http://www.plantogether.org/documents/plan/MilegroundRoadReport.pdf
2) DOT page for comment:
 
Thank you all for making the TC an enjoyable experience.
Christiaan
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