Tigard's Bike Lane Improvements...

[Haven_kd7yct]

DaveT, for debris removal either use CoT's street hazard reporting tool on their website

http://www.tigard-or.gov/city_hall/d...ort_hazard.asp

Or contact Vance Walker, public works guy, 503 639 4171 or by email vance at tigard-or.gov.

I've found that once they are aware of a problem, they're pretty good at getting out there to fix it.

For bike and pedestrian infrastructure problems, you can either PM me (I'm on a subcommittee) or contact Mike McCarthy directly with your concerns at mikem at tigard-or.gov. I've found Mike to be open to concerns and willing to look for solutions.

As far as bike/ped counts: we're working on it, but are concentrating on the major connection intersections. I've been up 135th to Walnut, although it's not one of my regular routes, and having the bike lane there going uphill (for slow me anyway) was a nice thing to have.

As far as the Tiedeman bike lane goes: I really counted on the bike lane past Fowler Middle School as my last bit of refuge before getting to Walnut, going up Fonner, and on 121st to home (none of which have bike lanes, and Fonner and 121st have zero shoulder to speak of). It's was my last calm breathing space before I had to jump into the traffic lane to keep people from right-hooking me to get onto Walnut, and to keep people from squeezing me out while going up the hill on Fonner. And before I had to sprint for the blind corners and crests going up Fonner, and sprint for the last small stretch of 121st before the street I live on.

I have to mix it up with cars for quite a bit once I get close to home, that bike lane was my last refuge and chance to rest up before I had to get aggressive and assertive.

Plus, my feeling is that instead of doing something about the infrastructure surrounding the school so kids could be safe walking or riding to school/home from school/to lacrosse or soccer or football practice, the city decided that their "win-win" situation was to take out the bike lane and make it a parking lane instead. Thereby encouraging parents to drive their offspring to school, where if you believe this report http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/pdf/atag_report6.pdf, 50% of kids hit by cars near schools are hit by other parents dropping their kids off because they're afraid of their kids getting hit by cars.

So for goodness sake, DO something about that, not by taking out a well-used bike lane for more parking but by making the infrastructure better for kids to get to school (and home again) safely by means other than the parental truckster!

[wsbob]

Originally Posted by Haven_kd7yct

DaveT, for debris removal either use CoT's street hazard reporting tool on their website

http://www.tigard-or.gov/city_hall/d...ort_hazard.asp

Or contact Vance Walker, public works guy, 503 639 4171 or by email vance at tigard-or.gov.

I've found that once they are aware of a problem, they're pretty good at getting out there to fix it.

For bike and pedestrian infrastructure problems, you can either PM me (I'm on a subcommittee) or contact Mike McCarthy directly with your concerns at mikem at tigard-or.gov. I've found Mike to be open to concerns and willing to look for solutions.

As far as bike/ped counts: we're working on it, but are concentrating on the major connection intersections. I've been up 135th to Walnut, although it's not one of my regular routes, and having the bike lane there going uphill (for slow me anyway) was a nice thing to have.

As far as the Tiedeman bike lane goes: I really counted on the bike lane past Fowler Middle School as my last bit of refuge before getting to Walnut, going up Fonner, and on 121st to home (none of which have bike lanes, and Fonner and 121st have zero shoulder to speak of). It's was my last calm breathing space before I had to jump into the traffic lane to keep people from right-hooking me to get onto Walnut, and to keep people from squeezing me out while going up the hill on Fonner. And before I had to sprint for the blind corners and crests going up Fonner, and sprint for the last small stretch of 121st before the street I live on.

I have to mix it up with cars for quite a bit once I get close to home, that bike lane was my last refuge and chance to rest up before I had to get aggressive and assertive.

Plus, my feeling is that instead of doing something about the infrastructure surrounding the school so kids could be safe walking or riding to school/home from school/to lacrosse or soccer or football practice, the city decided that their "win-win" situation was to take out the bike lane and make it a parking lane instead. Thereby encouraging parents to drive their offspring to school, where if you believe this report http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/pdf/atag_report6.pdf, 50% of kids hit by cars near schools are hit by other parents dropping their kids off because they're afraid of their kids getting hit by cars.

So for goodness sake, DO something about that, not by taking out a well-used bike lane for more parking but by making the infrastructure better for kids to get to school (and home again) safely by means other than the parental truckster!

"...the city decided..." Haven_kd7yct


Yes, okay...(and it won't hurt my feelings if you don't answer these questions.) but related to this particular decision, which specific people were 'the city'? Was it simply a departmental decision; i.e. DOT or engineering? Or was it a phased process where a department prepared and presented a proposal, submitted it to neighborhood committees and finally City Council before final approval?

I'm not ashamed to admit I don't know much about how decisions like this one are made. It seems though, that explanations for how they're made should be readily available to the public. This is equally important, after, as well as before the decision making process. Taking out bike lanes in front of a school seems like a big deal to me, rather than some decision that would be inconsequential to people that ride bikes on this road.

I'm thinking 'How many cars will removal of this section of bike lane provide parking for?'. Does that number do anything to justify removal of the bike lane? Was it proposed to the school that the school should provide event and drop off-pick up parking on its property rather than the public street?

Kristen, thanks for all the info and the great report.

[wsbob]

Originally Posted by DaveT

The point I was trying to make was that putting bike lanes on 135th was not useful and a waste of city resources, while areas that really need bike lanes go without (or even have them removed as in the original post). To an outside observer it appears there is a lack of understanding about what facilities are needed and will be used. If I lived in Tigard I would have the right and responsibility to try and help out with those decisions; since I live outside Tigard (but have to bike through Tigard to get just about anywhere) all I can do is whine

I'll let Haven_kd7yct's previous remarks in comment #11 mostly answer here.

People are of different types of riding and conditioning for riding. Some people really don't need the safety and benefit of a bike lane at all. They can hold their own in the main lane of traffic and to the far right side of it as needed.

Other people very much need the refuge that sometimes measly little substandard 3' of bike lane can offer. I think that bike lanes are really important infrastructure. The extra road maintenance they require in terms of paint striping is something I don't like though.

[K'Tesh]

Originally Posted by DaveT

If I lived in Tigard I would have the right and responsibility to try and help out with those decisions; since I live outside Tigard (but have to bike through Tigard to get just about anywhere) all I can do is whine

I live in Beaverton, and I've had responses to my requests from: Medford, Ashland, Grants Pass, Honolulu (yeah, in Hawaii), Vancouver WA, Tigard, Tualatin, Sherwood, of course Portland, among many others. Calling up to "whine" isn't a waste of time and energy. You are doing something that will provide a service (and savings) to the citizens of the community. Service in getting something done right, and savings from expensive lawsuits and settlements when someone does get hurt.

Remember the person you might save is ME!!!