From PHNA Baord Member Andrea Rodriquez of E. 3rd St: Have you noticed the shared lane marking for bicyclists along some of our neighborhood streets? This excerpt from the City of Tucson Bicycle Boulevards web site introduces their use :
“3rd Street/University Boulevard is Tucson’s original Bicycle Boulevard. It has evolved from being a simple cross-town residential bike route into a facility that features enhanced crossings of major roads for bicycles and pedestrians, traffic calming, and motor vehicle restrictions. Plans are in the works to add additional traffic calming and special way finding signage along the corridor.”
Andrea says: “We as a neighborhood should contact our Councilman’s office and let him know how we feel about the City placing these markings on streets that are barely safe enough to drive on. As a neighborhood we should strongly voice our opinion. I personally feel that at least the designated bike route streets should take some precedence from the City when it comes to repair. Our neighborhood streets are in such bad disarray that as I stroll the neighborhood with our family, we have to dodge potholes all over the streets. These streets are an important means of travel to and from the University. They should be lighted, smooth and have additional sidewalks similar to the renovations that where done on Mountain Ave. That would be a tremendous asset to our neighborhood.”
“You may see these driving or walking on the East 3rd street, North and East Irving Circle, Bryant Avenue and East Texas Circle. For neighbors who are wondering about the new signage on our streets here is the information which explains why placement is in the middle of the road instead 2′ away from pavement. I welcome any improvements for bicycle safety.”
Section 9C.07 Shared Lane Marking
Option:
The Shared Lane Marking shown in Figure 9C-9 may be used to:
A. Assist bicyclists with lateral positioning in a shared lane with on-street parallel parking in order to reduce the chance of a bicyclist’s impacting the open door of a parked vehicle,
B. Assist bicyclists with lateral positioning in lanes that are too narrow for a motor vehicle and a bicycle to travel side by side within the same traffic lane,
C. Alert road users of the lateral location bicyclists are likely to occupy within the traveled way,
D. Encourage safe passing of bicyclists by motorists, and
E. Reduce the incidence of wrong-way bicycling.