A perfect example of poor planning was the Reserve Street corridor. Who in their right mind would ride their bike to work in the middle of this poorly planned nightmare? We have been creating commuter problems, not solving them.I've been hearing this a lot in the past year - that Reserve Street is a horrible place to ride a bike. It seems to come from the anti-bicyclist crowd, but I don't understand why.
The bike lanes are nice and wide and well marked. A rider in the bike lane is not in anyone's way. And you can get going very fast between lights. You can go all the way from Grant Creek to 93 South to Lolo at a good speed without impinging on any auto's lane space. Some assume the exhaust must be terrible, but it's not that bad most the time and if you don't like it, don't go there.
When traffic is heavy, it is easy enough to use the crosswalks to get on to cross streets rather than make lane changes. And this is the way 99 percent of the bicyclists in the area do it. I have seen many a bicyclist dismounted and patiently waiting at Reserve and Mullan for the light to change.
One critic on city council told me that bikes should be up on the sidewalk, which I understand to be a violation of city ordinance. And it's not really polite to come zooming up behind pedestrians on a narrow sidewalk.
So, what's really going on here - what's not to like? Is it more flak from the anti-bike crowd or is is it bike advocacy for a new and completely separate bike lane?
7 comments:
Bottom line: Bicyclists don’t pay, bicyclists don’t count.
I think it is just a general "hate-Reserve" meme that is endemic in Missoula, one I completely disagree with.
I'm so thankful for Reserve. A lot of high-quality stores, good parking, and sure there is some traffic.... good thing all those cars aren't trying to fit onto Higgins, don't you think? And since I live out here in Petty Creek, it's on the way to or from whereever else I'm going in Missoula.
My opinions of the Malfunction 'fix' or the 'road diet' are not so positive, however...
The road diet on Broadway's a joke. Road diets can work, but they're not drawing new white lines on the road.
Reserve isn't as well planned as it should be.
And bicyclists are ok on shared use paths, ten feet or so, but not on five foot sidewalks.
There are three kinds of bicyclists, at least. The kind, like me, who grew up riding to work on the street with the cars, across bridges, etc, no bike lanes, just urban warfare.
Those who are similar, but used to bike lanes and want to be separated.
Those who don't want to go out in the street at all, like young families and teens.
Reserve should have bike lanes, but it is missing that ten foot shared use path.
There is the "hate Reserve" or in Bozeman, "hate North 19th" attitude. That has to do with big boxes and category killer stores for the most part, the "generica" section of any town. Of course, no one is killing homeless out there, or beating up homosexuals out there, though, are they? So maybe the contrast with downtown isn't quite as one sided as some might think.
I like those 10 ft bike-ped trails, like the one from Lolo to Stevi, but that's a pretty expensive undertaking on the Reserve right of way. At least, I wonder if some of the biker-haters on my side of the aisle realize that's what they buy into when they say they want bikes off the road there. Of course, it's federala $$$ so who cares right?
Plenty of people like Reserve, which is why there are so many people living and working nearby.
I think most of the problem is that it must be near capacity. Traffic gets backed up either over the Bitterroot River and all the way back to Third Street, or way back up into Grant Creek. The Mullen Road intersection and the lights at the Interstate are both nightmares. But, the county commissioners couldn't and wouldn't pay to build them right, so we're stuck with the traffic.
The most interesting question with traffic infrastructure must be WHO pays for it. With federal and state handouts drying up, that only leaves the locals (and a few tourists).
I paid special attention to Reserve when I drove down it today. I think you're right. For such a major road, the bike lanes are actually fairly extensive. I hadn't realized that before.
Having been raised in Msla, I recall riding "the dirt road to the fishing spots" on "Reserve" (back in the early 70's and 80's). Even with the nice bike lanes, it's that car drivers compete with the cyclist for the right turn right-of-way...just in front of the cyclist, usually without the use of their turn signals, etc. Drivers are looking for other cars and trucks...not bicycles. They honk and scare the dickens outta cyclists! It IS "warfare", and unless you know how to ride very, very well...it's extremely dangerous to ride a bicycle almost anywhere on either north or south Reserve. See you at the next stoplight!!!!
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