SA Doesn't Make The List/There will be no Bike Lane on Broadway.

Every two years, Bicycling Magazine releases their list of the 50 Best Bicycle Cities in the United States of America, and guess what, we're not on this list.  I can't say that I'm surprised at all because back in 2014 I predicted that San Antonio wouldn't make the list and Austin would be on the top 10 of that list. Well Austin is at number 7 in 2016. Back in 2014, it was at number 11.

Gone are the days that to get on this list, all you had to do was build a bunch of hike and bike trails. Today, there's hike and bike trails galore stretching hundreds of miles. If you ever get the chance to visit a small town in Iowa, you are very likely to come across one. In southwest Ohio, there are several trails stretching from Cincinnati to to just north of Dayton, even to Columbus. Every city/town in the United States is basically copying Austin, Texas to improve their community.

A friend of mine ask me to ask you to help him get a list of bicycle friendly businesses so they could be asked to contact The League of America Bicyclists. If you know of any business that would like to be listed as a bicycle friendly business, please have them visit http://bikeleague.org/business.

Now if you ever read "Why San Antonio Don't Deserve Bronze," you would know how I feel about the League's grading system. Although having more bicycle friendly businesses would help to expand San Antonio standing, it will not be enough to make San Antonio make the list in 2018. If San Antonio is to be back on the Bicycling Magazine bicycle friendly list, we are going to have to build protected bicycle lanes. If this recent Rivard Report story on the Broadway is any indication, we'll never be on this list ever again.

60.1

In the report from The Rivard Report, "Renderings of a Reimagined Broadway," they show several concept visions of Broadway that will be built if the Bond is passed in May. Except for one cross section referred to as Upper Broadway Cultural Corridor, Tuleta to Allenswoth, (Image 60.2) all the cross sections lack even a simple bicycle lane.  Compare them to my cross sections that I did back in 2014, (Image 60.1) and you would see that I found plenty of space for a 6 ft protected bicycle lanes on both sides of Broadway including on street car parking/bus stop island.

60.2

Below, you'll find the cross sections that were featured on the Rivard Report story with my cross sections right below them. In Each and everyone of them, I show how there's plenty of room to put a two way protected bicycle lane. I'll be going in order, from north to south.

Starting at Hildebrand, we have a 100 feet to work with.  In the proposed rendering, you see a bicycle lane at either end.  Well this doesn't have to be for there's plenty of room not for just a two way protected bicycle lane, but also for on street parking. (Image 60.3)

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The next one is from Allensworth to Tulet. Even though they have a 10ft protected bicycle lane, it is recommend by NACTO that bicycle lanes are at least 6ft wide.  I decided to add on street parking,  because there's plenty of room for that too.  And keeping with having trees in the turn lane, I did that too. (Image 60.4)

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I don't know why they couldn't even add the protected bicycle lane that they started from Allensworth down to Josephine.  There's plenty of room for that too. (Image 60.5)

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Any proposals that are made south of Josephine must be able to incorporate the yearly Battle of Flowers Parade.  In their proposal, there's no bicycle lanes.  But if we remove the center turn lane, we will gain the room to put in either bicycle lanes or a protected bicycle lanes with removable planters or barriers. Knowing the City of San Antonio, they won't do this. (Image 60.6)

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As We go further south, again we see no proposed bicycle lane, nor on street parking, the reason why this part of Broadway had it's bicycle lane removed back in 2010.  Again this is where the Battle of Flowers parade goes down and taking that into account, we can have the protected bicycle lane with the removable barrier and what the businesses want, on street parking. (Image 60.7)

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Even From Houston To 3rd, there's plenty of room for both parking on both sides of the street and a two way protected bicycle lane.  (Image 60.8)

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If these illustrations that were featured on the Rivard Report tells me anything, it tells me that the City is not serious about Vision Zero,(#VisionZero) but are for making sure that driving a car as enjoyable as possible.

 The 73-page report by California-based design firm MIG and Parsons Brinckerhoff of Canada at http://therivardreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Final_Broadway_Corridor_Plan_web.compressed.pdf


Images:
60.1: My cross section featured in my Story, Streetcar Part III, No Need for Streetcars Down Broadway. Source for cross section:  https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0pdZd2edg57C1cNWNzHpY3ynffhx_I3Xmw2glW4QkM5_fsSjV_SukwOjoFX3MknRwyFvOntfIjqKxE4qcVef8ICKRaBCJCTP8DS7P2imiM5LSAVnpAZ1ffwXUzm70j-fdnuXJKeQBl2Q/s1600/Midtown+Broadway+Ideally+Bus+Stop+West.jpeg

60.2: Source of image https://therivardreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/upperbroadway-road-diet.jpg

60.3: Source of the top: https://therivardreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/upper-broadway-to-hildebrand.jpg, Source for the bottom: http://streetmix.net/BikeSanAntonio/63/allensworth-to-hildebrand-wparking

60.4: Source of the top: https://therivardreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/upperbroadway-road-diet.jpg  Source for Bottom: http://streetmix.net/BikeSanAntonio/71/allensworth-to-tuleta-wparking

60.5: Source for top: https://therivardreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/upper-broadway-road-diet-josephine.jpg   Source for Bottom: http://streetmix.net/BikeSanAntonio/72/josephine-to-tuleta-wparking 

60.6: Source for top: https://therivardreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/lower-broadway-josephine.jpg  Source for bottom: http://streetmix.net/BikeSanAntonio/72/josephine-to-tuleta-wparking

60.7: Source for top: https://therivardreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/lower-broadway-3rd-road-diet.jpg
Source for bottom:  http://streetmix.net/BikeSanAntonio/61/3rd-to-i-35

60.8: Source for top:  https://therivardreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/lower-broadway-road-diet_centro-MIG.jpg  Source for bottom:  http://streetmix.net/BikeSanAntonio/70/houston-to-3rd 

My 1st Podcast

As this New Year started, I noticed that my passion has been doused with cold water and is currently not as fully alive as it once was.  It's been a month since I went to both meetings and I come back that it seems that the plan of SA2020 and SA Tomorrow 2040 really feel all talk and no action.  Meanwhile, the people who sit on the BMAC are currently trying to get San Antonio to the goal of #VisionZero.
 Now Normally I would be writing an entire blog on what happen, but not this time, today, you'll have to hear about what happened.  This is my first attempt at podcasting, so please give me a pass, it was recorded while I was at work.

Now in the podcast, I will be mentioning about the TIP, also known as the Transportation Improvement Program. And there will be several meetings taking place soon, so it's important that you get to at least one of these meetings and send in comments.  As you go through the list of projects (download spreadsheet here) make sure you tell them that no protected bicycle lane, then no project.  The projects that I recommend are the following.

Project #29:  

Loop 368 (Broadway) Complete Street (Reduces Road Capacity)

A TxDOT project from US 281 Interchange to Mulberry.  Construct separated bicycle and pedestrian facilities  between US 281 and Cunningham and intersection improvements between Cunningham and Mulberry.

Project #41:

MyLink Pedestrian Connectivity/ Safety

A VIA project on the various State roadway system around San Antonio. Construct curb ramps, landing pads, sidewalks and other pedestrian infrastructure and construct improvements to North Star Transit Center intersection for improved transit access.

Project #10:

Citywide San Antonio Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements

A City of San Antonio Project to Construct citywide pedestrian and bicycle projects to enhance safety  (Z-crossings, medians, surface, signage)

Podcast Notes:  
The SA2020 meeting I attended. 
Realizing the Dream of a World-Class City: Driving Action in San Antonio
Pannalist:
Andres Andujar, Hemisfair,
Molly Cox, SA2020,
Sandy Morander, YMCA,
Sho Nakpodia, DreamWCeek San Antonio,
Ron Nirenberg, San Antonio City Council – District 8.
Moderated by Robert Rivard of The Rivard Report.

My previous Blog Post: Why Bother Going and I give an answer to those pesky cars in the bike lane.

Mr Nirenberg, Ever think of Walking?

The Katy Freeway story from Streetsblog.net

What’s Up With That: Building Bigger Roads Actually Makes Traffic Worse Wired.com

#VIAware VIA Suspends Driver for Hitting Man Downtown

What VIA could do to cut down on Jaywalking.  Link of picture

Couldn't find the News story of the guy or Lady who chased a VIA bus and got killed.  If you do have a link, please share it with me. 

The Latest Useless Bike Lane

The latest Useless bicycle lane is now open.  Has been open for almost a month now and you can use this latest uselessness on Arsenal along the HEB headquarters. (Image 43-1)

43-1

To understand why this was built, you're going to have to listen to a awesome podcast called 99% Invisible, episode name Arsenal of Exclusion.  It talks about how infrastructure can be used to funnel and control human behavior.  In the case of this useless protected bicycle lane, it is used to encourage people on bicycle to not ride down S Flores, but to choose S Main instead and connect with the protected bicycle lane that was build behind the new grocery store.

In the end, by not putting it down on S Flores, the people who live in the new apartments along S Flores will choose to drive to the new HEB grocery store instead of doing the environmental thing to do which is to ride your bicycle or walk.  If you don't think that putting bicycle lanes where they're not needed don't have an effect on the rest of us, just look up into the sky, we're not in compliance anymore. 

Now it's not completely useless after all, it provides space for joggers and people walking who live in the King William area.  Only time will tell if this useless bicycle lane becomes a parking lane during fiesta.  Then the rubber barriers will be destroyed and thus the joggers will loose out on their new jogging strip. 

In the Netherlands and Denmark, they don't put protected bicycle lanes down streets like Arsenal, instead they lower the speed limit to about 20 mph.  The Author of Copenhagenize.com, came out with a chart on where to put  bicycle lanes. It clearly shows in kilometers per hour on where to put the bicycle lanes.  (Image 43-2)  By using this chart, it clearly shows that a street like Arsenal don't need a protected bicycle lane, speed limit is just too low. 

43-2

Images:
43-1:   The protected Bicycle lane on Arsenal between the San Antonio River and S Main Looking East.
43-2:   The chart that Mikael Colville-Andersen created can be found on his blog:  http://www.copenhagenize.com/2013/04/the-copenhagenize-bicycle-planning-guide.html

The Green Lanes in SA are a Joke

36-1

I've been hearing about the new green lanes around town and frankly, I'm not impressed at all. If you want to know why it's because I've ridden on better green bicycle lanes in Austin. (Image 36-1) Let me remind people that a green square box isn't a bicycle lane (Image 36-2) for it to be a green lane, well, the lane should be painted entirely green. So far the places that have gotten the "Green Box Treatment," are W Commerce St From Elemendorf Lake to out pass General McMullen and N Flores between Euclid, and Fredericksburg Rd. And I'm pleased to report they also have the green dash lines now.

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36-3

N Flores St has always been on the list of the Bicycle Master Plan to get a bicycle lane. For the most part, they did a decent job and they only put in the dash green lanes in only after I brought up the issue at the February BMAC meeting. Now I understand that green paint is expensive, but I wouldn't be bitching if they didn't put down the dash lines of green paint in the first place. 

Traffic now moves slower now and for the most part, nobody is parking in the parking lane which allows us cyclist to keep right further away from moving traffic.  (As a matterof fact, I recommend that people ride in the parking lane in Iowa St Bike Lane, a Double Edge Sword.) But when it came to the intersections of  Fredricksburg RD, they decided to keep the same old thing, two lanes of car traffic. (Image 36-4) Their excuse is that there's sufficient vehicle traffic to warrant the two lanes instead of just having a single car lane with a bicycle lane on the right hand side.  I watch traffic here and it would have been safer for all if they never kept the two turn lanes.  Also not putting in that 4ft bicycle lane would have been a better choice and instead started the bicycle lane closer to the right turn lane from southbound Fredricksburg Rd.  I wish this city would stop thinking that 4ft bike lane are acceptable when it should be a minimum of 5ft.

36-4

36-5

The same excuse is used to justify the number of turn lanes that are on northbound N Flores at W Euclid.(Image 36-5) Not only is there a right turn lane, but there is also a left turn lane as if their is enough traffic volume to justify this left turn lane on to Euclid which just happens to be a regular neighborhood street without double yellow lines. The other problem is that going southbound, it forces people on bicycles to dangerously merge with traffic, (Image 36-6) defeating the purpose for having the bicycle lane in the first place. If they really wanted to do it properly, they would have nixed the northbound left turn lane and just had the two lanes going north having the right hand lane just being a right turn lane except bicycles.  The Same for the southbound lanes, instead of having these two lanes, how about having one lane merging across W Euclid with the same old two lanes down N Flores southbound. 

36-6

But if you really want to know why they did this stupid design here, (Image 36-5, 36-6) because cars are more important then people on bicycles.  Actions speak louder than words to me and what these actions are telling me that the movement of cars is more important than people. It tells me that San Antonio's actual position on bicycles is that bicycles are for recreation, not transportation for if the City of San Antonio was really for a better carbon free future, they would have designed it without the ridiculous turn lanes left and right, north and south. And lets leave the useless Sharrows out of this conversation. 

36-7

36-8

W Commerce St on the other hand is an okay job.  This is definitely a place where bicycle lanes are needed and belong.  They're wide enough west of Elmendorf Lake but I do have some issues at W Commerce St and Gen. McMullen. Yes it's a big place and the traffic volume deems it necessary to have right and left turn lane, but I felt pretty uncomfortable on that bike lane waiting for the green light. Also it's just too narrow just waiting there and maybe in the future, the city of San Antonio can actually put in a Protected bicycle lane like the ones they have in the Netherlands and Austin, TX for there's plenty of right of way available to put one in on both sides. 

Also if you happen to be riding westbound on W Commerce St and you come to the intersection where Old Hwy 90 West splits off south and W Commerce St continues, Please put out your left hand and signal to all the motorist that your making a left turn regardless whether your going on Old Hwy 90 West or strait on down W Commerce. The people driving cars are not going to be able to reading your mind and if they just happen to be going strait, they'll run into you.  Like in the green bicycle lane in Austin,(Image 36-1) the city of San Antonio did a good job here.  I can only hope that they extended it further along both W Commerce and Old Hwy 90 West past San Joaquin (Image 36-9) and fix the problems between the one way sections of W Commerce and the bridge that crosses Elmendorf Lake.

36-9

Images:
36-1: Picture of the Green painted bicycle lane crossing Guadalupe just north of W 45th St viewing North
36-2: Picture of the Green bicycle lanes without the green dashes across Poplar viewing South
36-3: Picture of the Green Bicycle lanes N Flores St after my complaint to BMAC at W Cypress St viewing North
36-4: N Flores St at Fredricsburg Rd viewing south
36-5: N Flores St at W Euclid Viewing North
36-6: N Flores St at W Euclid viewing South
36-7: W Commerce St At Gen. McMullen viewing East
36-8: W Commerce St At Gen McMullen viewing East right before the right turn lane cutoff.
36-9: Old Hwy 90 West At San Joaquin viewing Southwest.\

P.S.  It is also noted that The Alamo Bike Shop is the first of such shops to have a bicycle lane right out in front. 

The Problems with Plans to Nowhere

At the last BMAC Bike Night meeting on October 6, I learned about several projects that wish to get priority funding like connecting the South and North Salado Creek Trails together through Fort Sam, the connections of the San Antonio Mission Reach to the Media River Trail, Via's sidewalk projects for bus stops and this one in particular caught my attention which was a Cycletrack down Floyd Curl Dr in the Medical Center which is #2 on the list. (Image 24-1)

24-1
http://www.alamoareampo.org/TAP/index.html

Out of all the projects, this one is the most expensive and for one I can say, yes, it is needed down a Stroad like Floyd Curl Dr.  From what was explained to me, It would either by a one or two way protected bicycle lane like the ones you see in the Netherlands (Video below) from Huebner to Louis Pasteur.  It the most expensive of all  the projects which states it at $5.8 million.  And it's located in a place that I feel for certain will embrace the path built.  But here's my problem?  Why isn't it on Huebner, Babcock, Medical Dr, Wurzbach or Fredericksburg Rd?

It's a good question after all Huebner is a 7 lane stroad with cars that constantly speed above 50 mph; why isn't there a plan to put one there.  The Same with Babcock, a 7 lane stroad, but this one is sorta special, it goes towards town, it has an HEB, Via's Medical Center Transit Center and residential neighborhoods along it. But no, it's going here on Floyd Curl out of the way every ones way serving only about 3 or 4 hospitals and doctor offices that for the most part, the patients of these places are incapable of riding a bicycle. 

It's the same thing I wrote about in June 11 posting "San Antonio Don't Deserve Bronze," for what I stated is that for the most part, City of San Antonio considers cycling a recreational activity and fail understand that bicycling can serve everyday people shopping, paying bills, working, connecting people homes to their jobs and businesses that they go to.  When the protected bicycle lane along Floyd Curl is build, you'll still be more likely to drive your car to the HEB on Babcock, then to go there by bicycle, as is you'll still be more likely to drive to the restaurants along Fredericksburg or Wurzbach.  What it will connect is a park at the corner of Sid Katz Dr to the hospitals along Floyd Curl. 

I want to see stuff like this happening in San Antonio, but here's my beef, I want it down the stroads that are needing protection first, that connect everyday people with the ability to choose a bicycle over a car in going to the grocery stores, restaurants and other businesses along the way.  Putting bicycle infrastructure down side streets and not the main stroads sorta reminds me of separate water fountains that we learn about in school that were around for Jim Crow because lets face it, you're pretty much considered a second class citizen when you are force to live without a car in San Antonio.  Lets face it, I'm not the only one noticing the bias towards automobiles when it comes to transportation improvements.

So when I filled this MPO Pick your projects online survey, (Image 24-1) I picked three projects that I believe that is beneficial to the future of San Antonio and yes, I have every right to be criticized for picking a project that for the most part is recreational.  They are the Salado Creek connection through Fort Sam (#3), a path I've constantly used after dark breaking the law using the trail for commutting.  The other project is Via's MyLink Pedestrian Transit Plan, to build sidewalks on Fredericksburg, US 281 and Roosevelt for the purpose of providing some type of ADA accessibility between the bus stop and the near by businesses (#10).  I also picked the Safe Routes to Schools: School and Transit Pedestrian Infruxtructure Improvements (#4)  I hope that as they build these projects, they'll consider installing protected bicycle infrastructure along, but chances are, it ain't going to happen because cars are simply more important than a person choosing to help create an Ozone action day. 

I want to encourage everyone to visit this website and pick your own projects (Image 24-1) and you'll have to make sure that all the  projects you pick are under $11 million dollars.  Everyone has until October 24, 5PM to do this online survey, so please get to it. 

I have other issues such as #7 McCullough Corridor Improvements in which they're not providing any bicycle lanes along the project.  After all, that space is needed for cars to make a faster left turn and not a protection of a human being on a bicycle keeping the air clean.  Hope the other projects I pick do the same thing. 

Where 2 Live in SA W/O a CAR

A few years ago, I designed a map on where you should live in San Antonio if you want to live without a car and this is what I came up with. (Image 23-1)

23-1

How I came up with the map.

Back in 2008, a friend of mine asked to be a sub director of a group on meetup.com because I knew of a lot of independent place on the south side.  While a member of this group, someone told me that the to some people, they consider everything south of Hildebrand the South side.  Personally I considered this in insult, but no matter, it gave me more independent places to choose from.  As I met more people from the far north side, it became more evident on the disconnect I personally had.  There was this one vegan lady who drove a smart car, and a big supporter of PETA.  She claimed that she was being an environmentalist by not eating meat, and driving a "smart car, but  she lived over the "Environmental sensitiveness" Edwards Aquifer Recharge zone not realizing that her dog poop was ending up in our drinking water.  It's funny, I don't live over the recharge zone or produce any greenhouse gas while riding my bicycle, but she does through her internal combustion engine.  This made me realize that you should be living inside the loop (Loop 410) if you wanted to live without a car.  My short experience with her and her companions made me realize that there was a lack of culture that San Antonio is famous for out side loop 410

The more I thought about it, loop 410 was pretty large, and even then before I reached the loop, I got harassed more and more on my bicycle, like telling me to get on a non existent sidewalk or even better, telling me what I was doing was illegal for which if they ever read their drivers manual issued by DPS, it will tell you , I'm pretty much a car under the law. During that time I came to the realization that if you happen to live in a grid street area, your more able to find an alternative safer route to ride your bicycle on. It was around this time, that I realized where I got on the bus, and where I got off the bus to ride my bicycle, and then it became clear.  I would first choose a bus when I was south of Southcross, or north of Hildebrand before I decided to get on my bicycle and ride it.  By early 2010, the map came together after I realized that with in the drawn area, you can find more than one bus to get to downtown on, and thus, it formed into what you see today.  It was then I realized that if you live south of Hildebrand, north of Southcross, east of Cupples, and west of  Walters, you could comfortably live without a car in San Antonio.

Exception on the map:

Now there are some areas that are inside my little square that I really don't recommend living in like River Road, Roosevelt and Southcross area, and the neighborhood between Hackberry and I-37. Outside my little map, Government Hill, South San, and Mahncke Park just to name a few.

River Road by default of TxDOT and USDOT, decided to cut off a beautiful neighborhood with the building of US 281.  It's pretty much a gated suburban community and although it is close to downtown, I don't recommend it because the Albertsons grocery store has been replaced with a YMCA and during any given day, your nearest bus stop is either on St Mary's or Broadway. 

Again, this area of Southcross Blvd and Roosevelt Ave is an area where even though industry is nearby, there a lack of safe bicycle facilities and even though the Mission Reach is in this area, I don't include it because much of it is in a flood zone. 

Mahncke Park and Government Hill is also an area I recommend that you avoid simply because that if your unable to find a place close to Broadway, you'll be leaning to owning a car sooner rather than later.  This is due to much of the area being without frequent bus service.  Although parts of Government Hill East of N Pine is has the 20 serving it, I took it off of the area simply because the 20 is more of a cross town bus than a downtown bus and downtown buses go to the places where you can connect with the most buses.  

Relations to Bicycle Culture.

23-2

If your ever on your bicycle, you'll notice more bicyclist with in my square rather than outside of it and even better, more Frankenbikes inside my square than outside my map.  Yet there's virtually no bike lane to speak of. Now that's "sort of" changing of course, but so far what I'm seeing is trying to avoid the inevitable of putting down where they are needed the most and most of all, taking out a vehicle lane for a protected bicycle lane also known as a cycletrack.  And what I'm seeing get put  in lacks certain paint and signage to make it work. 

After talking with a naysayer of the S Flores bike lane and reading a story on little plastic thing that Starbucks gives out to some customers who are driving made me realize, we're focusing on the wrong places to put down bicycle lanes and Cycletracks.  Yes, they're needed at those places, but lets face it, if they're put in and around the Downtown area, they'll serve more of a use than ever being put on Culebra outside loop 410 or even worse, down a street that don't need it.  Since the city of San Antonio isn't serious about bicycling, but about driving, enjoy getting stuck behind a stinking car.  (Image 23-2)  It does make me wonder if there's an element high up with in the local political pyramid that don't want a role for the bicycle other than recreation.

Images:
23-1:  My map of where you should live without a car.  If you want to make one of your own, I recommend that you use yahoo maps instead of Google.  Make sure you put down that these are walking directions and they are...http://yhoo.it/1F7QFuy
Hildebrand at Broadway
Club Dr at Wilson Blvd
Cupples Rd at Brady Blvd
Brady Blvd at S Zarzamora
S Zarzamora at W Southcross
E Southcross at Gevers St
Gevers St at Walters
Walters at Sherman St
Sherman St at N Pine
N Pine at Josephine
Josephine at N Alamo
N Alamo at Broadway
Broadway at Hildebrand.

23-2:  A Family stuck behind traffic on Houston St at Presa looking East back in October 2012.

Iowa St Bike Lane, a Double Edge Sword.

Go Fund Me Campaign


It still up, and I could use the help to be able to take some pictures I need to illustrate the my story on the Streetcar issue.  It's going to be a three part story, and the first of these stories should be posted some time around August 6th.  If you want to help me out, please help pay for my Greyhound ticket at http://www.gofundme.com/b8rmq4

Iowa St Bike Lane, a Double Edge Sword.  

Iowa St got it's bike lane about a year ago.  But my question is, did it ever really need it?  In all my time riding up and down the this street, I never had a problem with people driving by.  In fact, even before the bike lane painting, I would have said, this is a street that never need one in the first place, then again I'm an experience cyclist, please try this at home.  LOL. 

15-1

Iowa St got painted a bike lane with 10 ft driving lanes in the center, the 4ft bike lane and then a 8 ft parking lane.  (Image 15-1)  I personally don't like this type of bicycle lanes because to a cyclist, it feels like we're riding between two buses like this cyclist is doing in  England.(Image 15-2)  On the other hand, when there are no cars parked, it becomes a buffered bicycle lane providing more protection to cyclist using it for it forces the motor vehicles to the center of the street, hence, the double edge sword. 

15-2

The bike lane on Iowa St stretches from New Braunfels down to Cherry St, the pattern of Bike lane and Parking Lane exist, but between Cherry and Hackberry, it boggles the mind on why they have this same pattern between Hackberry and Cherry because I have never seen cars parked here before there was a bike lane. Why the city of San Antonio couldn't just put in a painted buffered bike lane (Image 15-7) between Cherry and Hackberry is beyond me, but then again, when has TCI ever did something that wasn't in line with keeping San Antonio lame.

15-3

When they first put in the lanes, the 30-28 lineup I ride would ignore the bike lanes and treat it as if the four lane stroad was still there. This is nothing new, VIA ignores it's customer base all the time, just look at what the VIA supervisors do at night during the lineup on Commerce St with their trucks.(Image 15-3)  The Good news is that most of the bus drivers have stop driving the bus down the right parking/bike lane. 

If anyone from VIA is reading this, please be advise that the driving lanes on Iowa are only 10ft wide.  Last I checked, aren't those lanes suspose to be 11ft wide for safety?  I mention this because this is what I've been told at the BMAC meeting when concerning streets the buses would be running on.(Image 15-4)

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15-5

Now it's not uncommon to see these types of lanes.  For example, we see it on other streets such as Ashby, Josephine, S Main, (Image 15-5) Dewey and Cincinnati just to name a few, and each time, the parking lane is bigger than the tiny bicycle lane provided.  Now it is appropriate to have it on streets like Cincinnati and Iowa, but having it down streets like Josephine and Ashby is not because of  the fast moving traffic.  If the parking was removed on these streets, then it would be better for the cyclist using it, but because the parking is more important, the cyclist will get no such relief because parking is more important than a healthy city.  At least in Austin, they actually go out of the way and have a 5ft bike lane with a parking lane next to it that even bigger.  To accomplish this, they remove the parking on the other side of the street.  (Image 15-6)

15-6

15-7

 Now if you happen not to be in Austin and encounter one of these type of streets while riding, just go ahead and ride your bicycle in the parking lane.  You have all that unused space, so put it to good use.  The City of San Antonio is allergic to removing parking, so if and when we get over that allergy, we're not going to be seeing bike lanes like this (Image 15-7) any time soon on Ashby and Josephine. 







Images:
15-1:  Iowa St by the YMCA looking West
15-2:  A Facebook photo that was shared to me.  Had to use it for it illustrates what a cyclist feels when riding next to a parked car and traffic is passing by.
15-3:  VIA's Supervisors Pickups parked on the Sidewalk next to the Alamo One Building on E Commerce St.
15-4:  A VIA Bus going down Iowa St.  Showing how the traffic lane is too small for commercial vehicles.
15-5:  The Bike lane/Parking Lane down S Main Ave looking south.
15-6:  A Similar design in street dieting but with a bigger bike lane.  Somewhere in East Austin, TX
15-7:  A painted Buffered Bike lane in East Austin, TX.  I think is looking south.


 Up Coming Important Meetings
If you want to make a difference, please attend. 

 

Lee's Creek, Joe Ward and Sunset Hills Parks Plan Review Public Meeting

When:  Wednesday, August 20, 2014 6:00 PM

Where:  Joe Ward Community Center,  435 E. Sunshine, San Antonio, TX 78228

What Should You Ask For:  The thing to ask for at this meeting are good sidewalks,  20 mile per hour speed limits and safe ways to get to the park down Hillcrest and St Cloud such as bike lanes down those stroads.  

Hemisfair Public Work Session:

When:   Tuesday, July 29, 2014  6PM-8PM

Where:  The Depot at Sunset Station, 1174 E Commerce, San Antonio, TX

What Should You Say:  The biggest thing is having cars come into the park.  This is the worse decision ever for if anybody know from experience, cars make a place unsafe and make people uncomfortable.  They don't let cars into La Villita, so why should cars be allowed here.  Also asking for La Villita types shops in the abandoned houses would be a plus too. 

Local Bike Advocate Training for Statewide Campaigns:

When:   August 3, 2014 1pm to 4pm
Where:  BikeTexas.org HQ  1902 E 6th St, Austin, TX  78702  or Online.  To Register, click here
Description: 

Do you want to learn key tactics to support bicycle advocacy in your area? Join people like you from around Texas for a special bike advocate training on Sunday, August 3, from 1-4 PM.

National experts from the League of American Bicyclists and the Alliance for Biking and Walking will facilitate the workshop. They'll talk about statewide campaigns in the lead up to the 2015 legislative session, such as keeping TxDOT from moving funds away from programs designed to build bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. Register for this training and be prepared for the next call to action!

The training will take place in our office at 1902 E 6th St (map), but you don't have to be in Austin to attend. Register as a teleconference attendee and we'll send you a link to join the broadcast. Please register by July 26 to secure your spot and receive updates on the training. See you on August 3!

This workshop is offered free of charge thanks to funding from Advocacy Advance. Please consider making a donation to BikeTexas to support better bicycling in Texas. Even a dollar helps!.  More info can be found at http://www.eventbrite.com/e/local-bike-advocate-training-for-statewide-campaigns-tickets-12258432301

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.  

FrankenBike #51
When:   Saturday August 16, 2014  10AM to 4PM

Where:  Earn A Bike Coop ~ 2619 Guadalupe St ~ 78207

Description:  San Antonio's Bicycle Swap Meet and Flea Market.

Glow Roll SA
When:  Saturday July 26, 2014 3PM  Ride Starts at 9PM
Where: Travis Park Downtown.
Description:  The KickStand SA & SA Made by Hand Mercado presents "House Party in the Park @ Amor y Arte" & the 1st Glow Roll Social Ride in Downtown San Antonio

Date: Sat.July 26th
Destination: THE N. ST. MARY'S WALKABOUT event
What to do: Trick out all or parts of your bicycle with neon lights, or neon/glow in dark tape! Wear bright,neon,glow in the dark clothing for the ride too!
What to bring: ID, $$, extra tubes in case, bike and YOURSELF ready to have fun!
READY! SET! GLOW!
WHEELS DOWN @ 9:00PM!

**Amor y Arte: 3p-9p -- come by early to check out local artisans, live music & food trucks! SAMBH is providing a limited supply of glow sticks to decorate bikes. They will be set out @ 7:30p at The KickStand SA table...get there early to grab a few! Alamo Bike Shop will be set up offering tire service/minor adjustments too!

S Flores Removal

On Thursday, May 29, 2014, the city council voted 10 to 1 to remove the bicycle lanes, man talk about a vote to Keep San Antonio LAME.  People in the Cycling Community feel anger at those who voted for the removal which is every council person and the mayor except one Shirley Gonzales, District 5 Council Woman.  After pleas from the us, they still voted to remove them.  I have a funny feeling this is not the last one, and we're going to be having this fight again sometime soon. I don't know why our mayor wanted to become Rob Ford, but he did because this crack smoking mayor did the same thing back in 2012.

The people who came out and spoke against the bike lanes were old people from COPS Metro Alliance.  Take a good look at these people, and notice, not one of these people are under the age of 50. What I found very ironic is that these same people just an hour before where complaining about the sprawl and were asking the city council to vote for the SAWS recommendation of fee hikes.  I guess these people didn't get the memo that cars are the thing that is causing the sprawl and not the bicycle, but they simply don't see it that way. 

What I also found infuriating was the fact that this guy, Ruben Sauceda brought in another person to testify against the lanes so he could get more time to speak.  You know I was planning to start encouraging my friends to start to visit the grocery store La Fiesta, but since the bicycle lanes are going to be removed, there's simply no need to.  I'm not going to go to a store that thinks that bicycle lanes are a safety hazard when the city's own data said otherwise. I have better places to give my hard earn money to and this store is simply ain't one of them.  I would like to encourage my readers not to visit the La Fiesta on S Flores or any other store but that choice is yours.   Just remember, it was this store that wanted them removed in the first place and where Ruben had people sign his petition.

The last nail in the coffin was a letter from the Harlandale ISD claiming that the bike lanes caused children to run between the cars after school. 

Now we lost and yet I have a funny feeling we're going to be facing this all over again pretty soon.  Jim Forsyth of WOAI said it best, "that people who ride the the bus are considered losers" and you can bet that includes people who rides bicycles too.  The cycling community is disorganized and fractured.  We really have no central source to go to or to rally behind.  There's a reason why Austin has all those bicycle lanes, it is because they organized pushed for candidates that supported bicycle lanes and infrastructure.  It's a long road, and I don't think San Antonio has it in us.  I'm not your leader, I'm simply the messenger and you can bet you'll not find any support from BikeTexas.org.  Whether Union de Chicas Ciclistas (UCC) comes through and becomes a voice for the community here is up in the air, but I do have hope.  Look below and see about attending their meeting on Thursday, June 5th.  

Also if your hoping to run off District 3 Rebecca J Viagran on her bicycle, then your wasting your time.  Look how round that belly of her's is. I doubt it that she rides at all and when she's does, chances are she puts her bicycles on her car and goes to a park.  She like the rest of the council will not admit it in public, but I believe they consider bicycling a nuisance, something to say they support, but boy they want you to wear a helmet and have the cars share the road and from the looks of the share the road campaign for motorcycles, I don' t think it's working.  I bring it up because I heard from a person or two about this awful ideal.  Although this act cause the former mayor of Los Angele, Antonio Villaraigosa to become more serious about bicycling, I think it's simply two late to change the mind of this council lady.  Although having her actually ride her bicycle would be a start, but I don't think she has the courage to deal with the speeding traffic on Pleasanton let alone on the other stroads in her district. 

 I hate to tell people, but there's is more people going to ride and your not going to stop them and this story from the Alamo Area MPO is simply confirming I'm seeing now when I'm riding.  Whether we see a news report similar to this one from Australia here is up in the air, however, we'll definitely see what's happening in Chile in the capital city of Santiago happen here in San Antonio.  Actually I already see it downtown especially across the street at the subways after the council's vote.  If you don't want to see this stuff, it's up to people like you to register to vote and actually go vote.  As the election comes closer for the County election, I'll have a chart up on those who support cycling and those who don't. The only way we'll get to see the infrastructure like they have in Austin, or for that matter, the Netherlands, is that we become a force to recon with like COPS Metro Alliance. 

As I heard the only person to vote for the lanes, District 5 Council Lady Shirley Gonzales,  I heard the echoes from a Charles Marohn of Strong Towns.  And for the record, she does ride a bicycle.  He came to town back on May the 7th at the Health and the Built Environment and did a presentation.  His presentation starts at 28:30 of the Nowcast video and I urge everyone to watch it.  I don't know how long the lanes will remain, but they won't be removed just yet.  So go an enjoy them because that's the future all over San Antonio. 

P.S.
If you want to tell the League of American Bicyclist to revoke our Bronze status, then click here.  Also here's a link to there FB page.  

Up Coming Bicycle Events

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

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

Every Lane is a Bike Lane
When:  June 4, 2014, 6:00pm
Where: La Tuna Bar and Grill.  100 Probandt St  San Antonio, TX 78204
Description:  We will be riding next first Wednsday to show the city the power of the cyclist and we will be doing it on SOUTH FLORES. IT IS OUR SOLIDARITY!!!!!
6:00pm at La Tuna- South Flores and then to ALAMO BIKE SHOP for a celebration with them at first Wednesday.
Join us for a protest, a ride and beer.

Yoga For Cyclist and Sports
When:  Saturday June 7, 2014 9am
Where:  Rosella Coffee Co.  203 E Jone

Five Points Block Party
When:  Wednesday June 5, 6:30pm
Where:  Alamo Bike Shop, 1016 N Flores, 78212

 Friday The 13th Alleycat Race
When:  Friday June 13, 2014  7pm
Where: Bottom Bracket Social Club, 1603 N Colorado, 78201
Description:  A bike race.  Facebook

Tour De Tube 2014
When:  Sunday June 29, 2014
Where:  The Slab, 414 W Cevallos, across the street from La Tuna
Description:  Facebook

Earn-A-Bike Co-op. Grand Opening 
When:   Saturday, June 14, 3pm-5pm
Where:  2619 Guadalupe St, 78207\
Description: 
Join us of the grand opening of the Guadalupe St. Earn-A-Bike Co-op. Food, music, give aways, bikes and more bikes.  Earn-A-Bike Co-op.


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. 


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