Washington County's First Buffered Bike Lane

[K'Tesh]

I was riding out on 99W today, and stopped to talk to Earl at Willamette Valley Cyclery. As we were talking, he asked me if I'd been out on Tualatin/Sherwood recently. I hadn't.

Recently Washington County repaved a portion of it, and they've added a buffered bike lane.



I called W/C's Engineer, Todd Watkins, and asked about it. He told me that this is W/C's pilot buffered bike lane.



The traffic lanes have been narrowed, and the bike lanes are widened, with a 8" outer line, then a 4" wide inner line. The wider bike lanes should allow two abreast riding, as well as a safe space for faster riders to pass slower riders and still ride in the bike lane. There is also a hope that the narrower motor traffic lanes will calm traffic speeds, and prevent a cyclist from being struck by the mirror of a passing semi truck (and there is a lot of them out there).

Washington County is looking for feedback, so if you have any comments, good or bad, you can contact him at 5o3 846 765o, or Shelley Oylear (Washington County's new Bike / Ped Coordinator) at 5o3-846-78l9. (I changed the 0's to o's, and the 1 to a "l" to prevent them from being spammed)

Also talked to him about the whimsical figures I've been seeing around Washington County, and they may be made permanent.



Rubberside Down!
K'Tesh

PS... It looks like the county is going to paint bike lanes from 99W to SW Borchers Drive finally. I saw evidence of one while I was out there today.