ARTICLE
In early November, CCRA created a Spruce/Pine Bike Lanes Task Force. It was created in reaction to a presentation made to CCRA by representatives of the City’s Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability (OTIS) regarding contemplated changes to Spruce/Pine; the numerous responses to that presentation, overwhelmingly critical of the contemplated changes, particularly the proposal to prevent any stopping in those bike lanes (historically, vehicles have been permitted to temporarily stop, for up to 20 minutes, in those lanes); as well as the fact that, on Oct. 17, over the objections of numerous residents of CCRAville, Society Hill, and Wash West, City Council unanimously passed a bill that would prohibit any and all stopping in bike lanes across the City. The Task Force was charged with coming up with possible alternatives to OTIS’ plan that would make Spruce/Pine safer for all users (cyclists, pedestrians, and motor vehicles), while perhaps acknowledging, at least to some extent, the historical practice of permitting temporary stopping in those bike lanes. The Task Force presented its Report and Recommendation to the Board on Tuesday night, and it was approved overwhelmingly. Read the full Report here. The highlights of the Recommendation are: (1) With clear and conspicuous signage, permit temporary stopping in bike lanes, but reduce the maximum time limit from 20 minutes to 10 minutes, and limit the availability of such temporary stopping to passenger vehicles. (2) To slow traffic, place one speed cushion and one raised pedestrian crosswalk on every block between Broad and 22nd Street. (3) To separate the traffic lane from the bike lane, use white plastic delineator posts, generally spaced 30’ apart, but with the last three on each block on which a left turn can be made, spaced just 10’ apart. The next step is to present the Report to Council President Johnson in the hope of persuading him to seek a carve out for the Sprue/Pine bike lanes from the city-wide no stopping in bike lanes legislation that was signed by Mayor Parker last week. We will keep you posted.
In early November, CCRA created a Spruce/Pine Bike Lanes Task Force. It was created in reaction to a presentation made to CCRA by representatives of the City’s Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability (OTIS) regarding contemplated changes to Spruce/Pine; the numerous responses to that presentation, overwhelmingly critical of the contemplated changes, particularly the proposal to prevent any stopping in those bike lanes (historically, vehicles have been permitted to temporarily stop, for up to 20 minutes, in those lanes); as well as the fact that, on Oct. 17, over the objections of numerous residents of CCRAville, Society Hill, and Wash West, City Council unanimously passed a bill that would prohibit any and all stopping in bike lanes across the City. The Task Force was charged with coming up with possible alternatives to OTIS’ plan that would make Spruce/Pine safer for all users (cyclists, pedestrians, and motor vehicles), while perhaps acknowledging, at least to some extent, the historical practice of permitting temporary stopping in those bike lanes.
The Task Force presented its Report and Recommendation to the Board on Tuesday night, and it was approved overwhelmingly. Read the full Report here. The highlights of the Recommendation are: (1) With clear and conspicuous signage, permit temporary stopping in bike lanes, but reduce the maximum time limit from 20 minutes to 10 minutes, and limit the availability of such temporary stopping to passenger vehicles. (2) To slow traffic, place one speed cushion and one raised pedestrian crosswalk on every block between Broad and 22nd Street. (3) To separate the traffic lane from the bike lane, use white plastic delineator posts, generally spaced 30’ apart, but with the last three on each block on which a left turn can be made, spaced just 10’ apart.
The next step is to present the Report to Council President Johnson in the hope of persuading him to seek a carve out for the Sprue/Pine bike lanes from the city-wide no stopping in bike lanes legislation that was signed by Mayor Parker last week. We will keep you posted.