S Presa St, A Repeat of S Flores St Waiting to Happen.

8.1

For all those who ride their bicycles down S Presa St, you've probably seen the bicycle lane signs and no painted bicycle lanes.  As I release this, the City Council is holding a hearing to remove the bicycle lanes down S Flores and from what I've been hearing in side the inner city departments, no more bicycle lanes.  On Thursday, May 29, 2014, the City Council will hold a hearing and a vote about the bicycle lanes down S Flores st.  The item Concerning S Flores will be Item 11A on the city council agenda. (Image 8.1)  If you wish to speak on this particular item, you must sign in at between the hours of 8am and 9am.  The Council session starts at 9am. 

Now S Presa needs bicycle lanes, but what needs them more is S St Mary's St.  Since the city has no intention of putting down bicycle lanes on where they're needed, we are going to have another fight, this time, one that is not needed. 

8.2

As you ride up from Carolina St, you come across a bike lane sign, but no bicycle lane.  And as you go further north, you see parked cars where the bicycle lane is going to be.  We have not yet reached a point in this country realizing that we don't need more parking, and that parking equals customers.  Because of that, if the city starts painting the paint and enforcing the no parking sign, we'll see more fighting and this time, I love these businesses, and I don't want my community to go to war with the places we love.

8.3

Now there's a solution to the S Presa dilemma, but since the city of San Antonio is against common sense solutions, we're not going to get it.  Something better than a bicycle lane, a two way cycletrack, better known as a protected bicycle lane from S Alamo to Carolina.(Image 8.4)  You  see, the cars are mainly parked on the east side of the street while the west side, does have some parked cars, but not as nearly as the east side.(Image 8.3)  Lets take away the parking on the west side of S Presa and put down a two way, protected bicycle lane.  Little needs to be done except put in separate traffic light signals for bicycles at Pereida.  This will give the cyclist the protection we seek and the business owners parking along the street they want.  Until businesses come to grips with the myth that parking equals customers, this is the best solution that I could come up with.  

8.4

As for the bus stops along the proposed two way cycletrack, I'm afraid that there's isn't enough room for bus islands, however, I'm willing to make certain compromises, ones that do not take away from the safety of the cycletrack. 

S St Mary's could also use this solution between Pereida and S Alamo (Image 8.5) on the east side of the street keeping the parking and the pick up area along the Bonham Elementary School.  But I simply don't count on these common sense thing happening.  There's a law that is simply preventing us from having these wonderful cycletracks and that is this:

8.5

Sec. 19-66. Conformity with state manual.

All traffic-control signs, signals and devices installed or erected in the city shall conform to the manual and specifications approved by the state highways and public transportation commission. All signs and signals required under this chapter shall so far as practicable be uniform as to type and location throughout the city. All traffic-control devices so erected and not inconsistent with the provisions of state law or this chapter shall be official traffic-control devices.

State law reference— Similar provisions, Vernon's Ann. Civ. St. art. 6701d, § 31.

 The State manual is useless to use when putting in the infrastructure we need to build a strong San Antonio.  We need to adopt a law that states when putting in bicycle lanes, cycletracks and other bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, signs, signals and devices, it needs to conform to the National Association of City Transportation Officials, NACTO, bikeway design guide.  Only then will we see the the city's infrastructure live up to the saying "Keep San Antonio REAL."

Image 8.1:  The Alternative on what the city will vote for Thursday May 29, 2014
Image 8.2:  The Bicycle Lane Sign and No Parking sign with no bicycle lane at S Presa and Eager.
Image 8.3:  Taco Haven, when open, parked cars block the building.
Image 8.4:  An Example of a Two Way Cycle Track proposed for Atlanta, GA.  http://midtownatl.com/about/programs-and-projects/capital-improvements/funded-capital-projects
Image 8.5:  S St Mary's St in front of the Bonham Elementary School looking north. 

Up Coming Bicycle Events

 
 Cycle In-Cinema .  
When:   Every Thursday, June-August at Dusk, 8:45pm
Where:  Main Plaza, 115 N Main Ave, 78205
Description:  Out Door Movie.  

UCC Union de Chicas Ciclistas
When:   Thursday, June 5, 2014 6:30pm
Where:  Rosella Coffee Co. 203 E Jones Ave #101  78215
 


If you have any event you want me to post about, please email me.  
 Up Coming Important Meetings
If you want to make a difference, please attend. 


 Frio City Sidewalks Public Meeting
When:   Thursday, May 29, 2014 6:00 PM
Where:  Collins Garden Branch Library  200 N. Park, San Antonio, TX

What Should you Say?   Ask that the Sidewalks are at least 6ft wide with neckdowns at every intersection on the streets that connect with Frio City Rd.  Demand that a protected Bicycle lane is also added and that they abide by the Bicycle Master Plan.  If parking is added, demand that they put in the parking as a barr.ier so that the bicycle lane is along the curb, and the parking is a natural barrier to the bicycle and sidewalks. 
Also ask for these types intersections called "Protected Intersections" so they can become safer for all users.  https://vimeo.com/86721046  contact:  Peter Rodriguez at 207-8154

West Huisache Project Public Meeting
When:   Monday, June 02, 2014 6:00 PM
Where:  Young Women's Leadership Academy  2123 W. Huisache, San Antonio, TX

What Shold you Say?  This time, no bike lanes, this is a neighborhood street.  It should have neckdowns to keep traffic flowing slow with islands and speed humps.  More Old Pecan Trees, Improved wider sidewalks.  It should also have 25MPH on this street.  Putting a bicycle lane down this street is just a waste of paint.  Also ask for these types intersections called "Protected Intersections" so they can become safer for all users.  https://vimeo.com/86721046
Contact: Peter Rodriguez@ 207-8154 or David Pulido @ 207-8128

Bandera & Eckhert and Bandera & Tezel/Prue Public Meeting
When:  June 5, 2014 6:30 PM
Where: Maverick Branch Library, 8700 Mystic Park, San Antonio, TX

What Should you Say?  Demand that the city follows the guidelines that were lay down in the Bicycle Master plan.  Also demand that they build the "Protected Intersections" at protectedintersections.com so this area can become safe for all road users. https://vimeo.com/86721046  And ask for sidewalks too.  contact: Peter Rodriguez at 207-8154