Comments on: Bike Lanes Vs Wider Outside Lanes

By: howard

howard — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 03:43:15 +0000

Tom, thanks for the comment. I used the Chicago example to illustrate that a dense metro area uses 10′ traffic lane widths and 7′ parking stall size. My real-world example of Hickory and Oak St width of 34′ could actually give us the extra 2′ to make that bike lane + parking 14′, like you recommended. Or we could do 8′ parking, 10′ lane, 10′ lane, 6′ bike lane.

The average width of a car is about 6 feet: a Ford Expedition is 6.5′ wide, a Toyota Corolla is 5.6′ wide, so I think the Chicago car images aren’t necessarily misleading.

By: Tom Wald

Tom Wald — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 03:02:47 +0000

Careful with that 44′ cross section in the Chicago guide. Two of the cars in the diagram appear to be about 5′ wide. What is most telling though is the 12′ combination of bike lane and parking lane. A 12′ wide combination usually does not leave enough room for a bicyclist to remain fully within the bike lane and to avoid the “door zone” of parked cars simultaneously. Even 13′ is not enough, so Austin has shifted to 14′ combination for recent implementations.

I’m an experienced bicyclist (~25 years of street riding) and I appreciate bike lanes. However, they need to made properly to be effective and safe.

By: Renee

Renee — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:20:38 +0000

I could not have said this any better myself. These are concerns cyclists think about everyday. I ride Oak & Hickory almost daily and the Hickory bike lane makes a major difference in the flow of traffic and my comfort level while riding. I would be so happy if there was a matching bike lane on Oak or even better, bike lanes all over Denton.

By: Trent

Trent — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:50:19 +0000

I look forward to getting involved. I’ve been riding to UNT from the north end of town and the bike lanes on Hinkle are better than nothing, but not ideal. There is too much debris (rocks, sand, glass, wood, trash, etc) in the bike lanes as well as a couple of man hole covers that aren’t even close to even with the pavement. (probably 2-3 inches rise) Riding it in the dark in the morning you really have to be on your toes. Cars parking in the bike lane on Stuart Rd is also a problem I frequently encounter.

By: Nathaniel

Nathaniel — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 07:05:42 +0000

Amen. Great write-up, couldn’t imagine it being stated any more profoundly. Only think I would change is the Bike Friendly Denton symbol should be a tall-bike or x-tra cycle possibly.

By: Stuart

Stuart — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:21:03 +0000

Based on 551.103(a)(4)(A), I don’t think it really counts as a Wide Outside Lane unless it is 14 feet or wider.