Bicycle Safety

Thu Mar 6 08:28:42 CST 2008

Hi Dave,

Also, just to follow up on Sandra's message- we had quite a long 
discussion about traffic calming and bicycling at the City's "Pedestrian 
and Bicycle Citizens Group" meeting on Monday night. Sometime next week, I 
will post the minutes to the webpage, here: 
http://www.alexride.org/bikeped_citizensgroup.php

Members of BikeWalk Alexandria and others often ask questions about 
bicycling and traffic calming. We had a healthy and, I believe, helpful 
discussion on Monday about Janney's Lane and other locations in the City 
where we have installed curb extensions and bump outs. The short answer is 
that while some older curb extensions and neck-downs may, indeed, exist in 
Alexandria -- even those rarely extend beyond the width of a parked car (7 
feet). In the design of all new traffic calming projects, we consider the 
locations of bulb outs and curb extensions carefully and make them even 
less intrusive on designated bikeways. Regardless, curb extensions are 
never installed wider than the width of an adjacent parallel parking lane.

There is something of a misconception that the City has a disconnect when 
it comes to bicycling and traffic calming. Nothing could be further from 
the truth. Sandra and I work together daily to consider issues that will 
improve conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists and we share information 
during the design of traffic calming projects. Sandra correctly pointed 
out that we are balancing many competing needs and issues.

We will continue to share information about traffic calming projects, 
development and other issues that directly impact the City's pedestrian 
and bicycle community with the Pedestrian and Bicycle Citizens Group and 
BikeWalk Alexandria. I would be happy to discuss these issues with you 
off-line or at a future meeting.

All the best,

Yon Lambert
Pedestrian and Bicycle Coordinator
Transportation & Environmental Services, City of Alexandria
703.519.3400 x 183 phone
yon.lambert at alexandriava.gov 
www.alexandriava.gov/localmotion

Sandra Marks/Alex
03/06/2008 09:01 AM

To
Dave Cavanaugh <dacava1 at yahoo.com>
cc
Rich Baier <rich.baier at alexandriava.gov>, Ruth Reeder 
<ruth.reeder at alexandriava.gov>, Yon Lambert/Alex at ALEX, Roy 
Worrell/Alex at Alex, Bob Garbacz/Alex at Alex
Subject
Re: Bicycle Safety

Dave, 

Thanks for your email, and sharing your concerns about bicyclists on 
Janney's Lane. 

As you know, the City works closely with residents and Civic Associations 
throughout the City to address issues relating to vehicular speed and 
pedestrian and bicycle safety and connectivity.  In achieving these goals, 
there are often competing interests that need to be balanced. 

Traffic calming was installed on Janney's Lane to address speeding 
conditions, in particular adjacent to a school.  In general, when 
vehicular speeds are reduced, it is safer and more comfortable for 
bicyclists to share the road with motorists.  The medians and bumpouts 
that were installed have already enhanced pedestrian safety creating safer 
places for pedestrian crossings and have slowed vehicular speeds as much 
as 12%.  The pictures you shared show bumpouts that measure 7-feet from 
the curb, the same dimension as the parking lane that extends the entire 
length of Janney's Lane (although it is not marked in all sections).  You 
also referenced the road narrowing from two lanes to one, in fact Janney's 
Lane is one lane its entire length, other than at the intersections with 
Quaker and King, and one of the goals of the bumpouts is to reinforce this 
and make it so that vehicles can not pass in the wider sections of the 
road and must maintain a safe speed.  All of the bumpouts are marked with 
reflective posts so that motorists and bicyclists can see them at all 
times.

We work closely with the bicycle and pedestrian community when developing 
traffic calming projects and while no project is perfect, the goal is to 
overall improve the benefit of roadways for all users.  As you know there 
is also an educational component for both motorists and bicyclists to 
share the road safely and follow all traffic laws.

Sandra Marks

***********************************************************
Sandra Marks, AICP
Traffic Calming Coordinator
City of Alexandria
Transportation & Environmental Services Department
sandra.marks at alexandriava.gov
www.alexandriava.gov
703-838-4411 x119
703-906-5184

Dave Cavanaugh <dacava1 at yahoo.com> 
03/05/2008 02:05 PM

To
Rich Baier <rich.baier at alexandriava.gov>
cc
Ruth Reeder <ruth.reeder at alexandriava.gov>, Sandra Marks 
<sandra.marks at alexandriava.gov>
Subject
Bicycle Safety

Attached are photos showing a dangerous obstacle to bicyclist traveling on 
Janney's Lane.  They are very dangerous to unsuspecting bicyclist going 
down hill and the lane suddenly narrows to one lane.  I ask that this 
particular obstacle or barrier be removed for safety reasons and that 
similar barriers on Janney's Lane also be removed.

In the Fall of last year, I was traveling down Janney's Lane on my 
bicycle, going west, and was overtaken by a large SUV that stopped to make 
a left turn on to Taylor Run.  I immediately had to hit the brakes and 
almost collided with the curb placed out into the traffic area. 

I took the attached photos on Wednesday, March 6, 2008.  The time was 
between 12:00 and 1:00 PM.
These obstacles are near a school zone creating a potential problem for 
anyone bicycling to school.  Potentially this is even dangerous at dusk. 

Thank You

Dave Cavanaugh
(703) 869-8362 
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[attachment "Bicycle Safety 025.JPG" deleted by Yon Lambert/Alex] 
[attachment "Bicycle Safety 037.JPG" deleted by Yon Lambert/Alex] 

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