Last Year as I started this blog, I wrote about how two accidents that didn't need to happen. One was Jose Carlos Macy who died across from the HEB on W Commerce and Calaveras and another Chase White on Broadway right before Hildebrand. One year late nothing has changed, these stroads are still terrible places to ride your bicycle.
Jose Carlos Macy was riding home along the 5ft bicycle lane on W Commerce St when two people decided to turn W Commerce into a race way. People are unaware that when they're driving, the size of the lane that they're traveling in will either encourage or discourage speeding and the wider the lane, the more accidents are likely to happen. W commerce St has two 12 ft lanes and only 5ft for a bicycle lane on the left hand side while the right hand side is 9ft wide.(Image 42-1) When I'm going down this stroad, I am always riding in the right shoulder because you have 9ft to use. There's rarely parked cars and for the most part, I don't have an issue with VIA buses stopping at the bus stops.
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Now about two years ago, I complained about this very issue to the BMAC
at one of their bike nights and I recommended that they keep the current
design but move the bicycle lane over to the right side of the stroad.
I spoke about this before this tragedy took place. Well they recently
repainted both Buena Vista W Commerce St and you guessed it, they
kept the same dangerous design. Just another example that the city don't
really care for you riding your bicycle unless it's for recreation.
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Here's my suggestion on what they should do to both Buena Vista and W Commerce St.(Image 42-2) But they won't because cars would have to stop behind a VIA bus we can't have a car be slowed down.
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Ben White was riding home northbound on Broadway when a guy in an
oversize pickup truck struck him and drove away. Since then, the
Construction has ended and what they left behind was 12ft travel lanes and no bicycle lanes. Ben White
was lucky, he's still alive and there's talk about improving Broadway,
but don't count your blessings for if the history of the city's action
are any indications, they'll keep the oversize stroad, in favor of my
common sense suggestion that I publish back in August 2014.(Image 42-3, 42-4) Worse yet,
there's talk about removing the protected bicycle lane behind Sams
Burger Joint to put in parking. Again, these actions goes to show that an unoccupied vehicle is more important than providing a safe place to ride. If this action is not with the saying Keep San Antonio Lame, I don't know what is.
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Now I've been talking about to people who got into car crashes while on their bicycles. Many told me how SAPD virtually does nothing to catch the terrible driver and don't expect the hammer to come to your rescue. I've been told by those on bicycles who got hit by cars end up being told by such law firms that their cases aren't worth it. Even worse, a slap on the wrist is pretty much what the perpetrator gets for injuring or even committing involuntary manslaughter.
The latest victim is a cyclist that was hit last month at the corner of Fredricksburg Rd and N Flores. The driver ran a red light and hit her and simply drove off. So far as I understand it, they haven't even caught the guy who thought it was more important to get to where he was going fast than a value of a person life. Her name is Devona, and she could use your assistance. Her family has set up a go fund me site to help pay for her medical bills. http://www.gofundme.com/d-rod They are still pretty short of their $4000 goal so please donate a dollar.
As my new job keeps me away from San Antonio and time from writing this blog, I'm going to slow down a bit and keep a post at least once a month and at irregular periods. My goal is still the same, and I hope that you keep doing what you can do to make San Antonio a better place to ride a bicycle and to Keep San Antonio Real.
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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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 inthe 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Sorry folks for the delay, but as usual my life got in the way. Merry Christmas Everyone.
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On Saturday morning December 13, a workshop was held at the Central Library by Centro San Antonio with The Urban Land Institute/ San Antonio on redesigning W Commerce from S St. Mary's to Santa Rosa. The budget for this project is $9M with options on trying to improve the entire stretch from Alazan Creek to I-37.
The room was packed (Image 30-1) and every one was asked what could be done to improve this section of W Commerce. Many people came up with wider sidewalks, benches, the type of planters that you see on Houston St in front of the Majestic. Everyone agreed that the traffic goes by there too fast. What I found unfortunate was the fact that some said cyclist should find some other route.
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I'll be using several cross sections of the planned project area. I got these measurements in front of 345 W Commerce and all illustrations are looking east. Currently this is how W Commerce looks like along the project area. (Image 30-2)
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So far the city has its own plan, take out the right side bus lane and put that space from the bus only lane to the sidewalk next to the bus lane. They'll reduce the two remaining drive lanes to 10ft. (Image 30-3) There's two problems with the city's design proposal; It doesn't solve the problem that VIA buses face everyday when they are parked picking up wheelchairs. Commercial vehicles are 10ft wide and those 10ft lanes will complicate matters when one bus is trying to go around a parked bus. Another problem is the fact cyclist in San Antonio want a protected bicycle lane down W Commerce. Despite the city's plan for 10ft lanes, my gut feeling is that the final design will have 11ft lanes, defeating the purpose of having 10ft lanes which have shown to do a good job of slowing down the traffic. The reason for my gut feeling is the city's current law, Sec. 19-66. Conformity with state manual which by default will force the lanes to be 11ft wide.
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To fix W Commerce, is to identify the problem which is that W Commerce downtown isn't a street, but a stroad. (Image 30-4) I have always used the word "stroad" and maybe some of you thought I've been misspelling the word street, but in actual fact it is a word created by Charles Marohn, a recovering traffic engineer and the founder of Strongtowns.org. to describe the problem we're faced with trying to create walkable productive places. We have the stroad because we want a road to move cars quickly, but we have places along the road to try to make it a street to capture value. It fails to provide both for if you look down the stretch of W Commerce (Image 30-4) that they want to improve, it lacks places that could be generating tax revenue for the city, meaning for the regular person, it could have businesses that people go to. In the video provided above, we learn that to make a street from a stroad, we need to slow down cars, we need to make pedestrians, cyclist, and public transit greater, MORE IMPORT than moving cars faster. This is where the city's design fails for even though it makes the lanes narrower, it fails to account that their design still keeps cars having priority over people. You have to remember, the street is a dynamic place and a place to go to, not so much a corridor for traffic.
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The problems that people identify at the workshop including VIA, is that there's not enough room for the bus stop and people on the sidewalk walking by, that cars go faster as they approach Santa Rosa, and cyclist complain that there's no safe place to ride your bicycle. Now I cannot talk about the other tables, but at the table I sat at also wanted on street parking. Despite what people might think, on street parking does provide a barrier between the moving traffic and the people on the sidewalk. But if we were to provide on street parking, we're going to have to reduce the number of drive lanes down to two. On street parking is a cheap and easy way to provide a barrier of moving traffic for a bicycle lane. So in my cross section illustration, I decided to include it to show that if they decide to remove a drive lane, they'll have room for both parking and a one way cycletrack. (Image 30-5) Also having on street parking has also demonstrated to slow down traffic.
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At the workshop, there were two paintings from Jorge Cortez. One showed his concept on how the riverwalk connection should have looked to Main Plaza (Image 30-6) and the other one showed a lively W Commerce St with people eating lunch, local businesses in every building and a way better sidewalk for both sides. (Image 30-7) As I studied the painting and talked with Jorge, it reminded me that his vision for W Commerce which he dubbed "Zona Cultural" is just like that of Greenville Ave in Dallas that I wrote about in "No Need for Streetcars Down Broadway. His painting was created in 1994, and he expressed his desire to remove the problem that was being, that the cars were given all the space for he expressed that in his riverwalk painting, (Image 30-6) he didn't want to paint one car. After studying his portrait, I created this cross-section of what his vision would look like if it was ever built. For reference, the Artesias Mexicana building in the portrait, (Image 30-7) well that building is current location of the Dollar General. I can agree with Jorge's painting, W Commerce needs to be treated better than the stroad it is today.
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Although Jorge Cortez's portrait lacks a protected bicycle lane, I
couldn't help but notice that his very large sidewalk next to the people
dining, (Image 13-7) that part at least to me looked a lot like the protect bicycle
lane that everyone I know wants to have. It also looks like that he wanted only
two lanes of traffic. I have said before that we need a law to make sure
that our stroads have no more than two lanes of traffic in one
direction, not these three lanes of traffic that TXDOT and the City of San Antonio likes to build. Examples include, Broadway, Babcock, and Fredricksburg Rd. After much work of studying the painting, I came up with
this cross section showing that if his painting was ever made reality,
it would look something like this without the protected bicycle lane. (Image 30-8)
Despite what I heard during the workshop that cyclist should find a different route is not what cyclist want, but shows on how San Antonio is dependent on driving to get around. People want a place to ride their bicycles safely without having an angry motorist trying to kill people while they're on a bicycle, so here's my recommendation, (Image 30-9) but don't count on this happening because we're never ever going to do this. The reason behind it is the fact that the city values cars over people. We see this over and over again with cars parked in the numerous bike lanes across town and the failure of the city to properly make bike lanes the needed 6ft width which is recommended by NACTO. In my recommendation, (Image 30-9) I have two 12 ft lanes to provide enough room for buses to get around a parked bus that just happens to be picking up a wheelchair and for any 18 wheeler delivery trucks that use W Commerce daily. Now if the city or VIA is afraid that the bus lane is going to get clogged with cars, then here's my advice, issue some traffic tickets. But don't count on it. Through either actions or inaction, VIA and the city will will constantly show how cars are more important than the buses trying to stay on time. This is what I mean when I say "Keep San Antonio Lame."
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Now other parts of W Commerce was also talked about such as the one way section that is west of Frio. Now if you read my other blog about the green bicycle lanes that are going to be put in, you would have come across this cross section (Image 30-9) which should be done to the one way sections of W Commerce/Buena Vista anyway regardless to prevent the problems that I highlighted before. The discussion at my table at least wanted this part to be open up for locals on foot or bicycle to be invited into Downtown, to make "Zona Cultural" not just for tourist, but a place for locals.
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Other things were talked about including Market Square treating W Commerce like an alley way (Image 30-11) and how the stuff underneath I-35 needs to be more than a place for parked cars as well which I suggested a great place for a skate park, as well as uses for the abandon buildings that currently line the stroad. The problems I heard at the workshop, at least at the table I sat at, is that we want to see a street, not the current stroad.
If you feel that you can do a better job with improving W Commerce St, I invite you to visit the cross section of 345 W Commerce Current at streetmix.net and create your own. Remember the project with is 66ft. (Now I'm sorry Scott Gustafson, Centro San Antonio, but I have to do this.) Send your recommendation to Scott Gustafson, Centro San Antonio sgustafson@downtownsa.org.
Scott Gustafson, Centro San Antonio
210.225.3862 sgustafson@downtownsa.org
- See more at: http://sanantonio.uli.org/events/detail/reimagine-west-commerce-street-design-workshop#sthash.o2HaKceI.dpuf
What ever the city decides to do, I can only hope that they at least put in a protected bicycle lane along the route and reduce it to two lanes. Knowing how the city continuously builds to the standards of Keep San Antonio Lame, I doubt that we'll see what cyclist want or create a place that people feel comfortable walking because if the city's current law, Sec. 19-66. Conformity with state manual is any indication, the standards are there to make sure that cars keep moving, not a place for people.
Images:
30-1: Jorge Cortez speaking for his table at the ULI W Commerce St Workshop on Saturday, Dec 13, 2014
30-2: A cross section looking east showing the current state of W Commerce in front if 345 W Commerce which is currently in the project area.
30-3: A cross section looking east showing the City's recommendation on how W Commerce should look like after they remove the bus lane.
30-4: A picture across the street from 345 W Commerce looking east where I did the measurements for the cross Sections I created for this blog.
30-5: A cross section looking east showing if they were to put in parking instead of two drive lanes with a NACTO standard 6ft protected bicycle lane.
30-6: Jorge Cortez painting on his concept of the riverwalk connection to Main plaza.
30-7: Jorge Cortez painting on his concept of the project area discussed at the ULI workshop
30-8: A A cross section looking east showing if the city were to ever make Jorge's painting of W Commerce (Image 30-7) a reality
30-9: A cross section looking east showing my recommendation on what many cyclist would like to see on W Commerce and Dolorosa as well
30-10: A cross section looking east showing what the city should do to W Commerce St and Buena Vista. It was featured in my last blog of "Green Lanes Aren't Enough."
30-11: A picture of the El Mercado driveway gate blocking the sidewalk on W Commerce looking west.
As the Mayor issued his Proclamation in support for National Bike Month, two people got into accidents on very busy stroads. The first was at Broadway near Hildebrand where Chase White was riding home on his Cannondale got hit by a SUV. The other was Jose Carlos Macy got sideswiped while riding on in the bike Lane where two cars were racing. Both are dangerous places to ride even with a bicycle lane but they don't have to be, the City of San Antonio has failed time and time again to provide safe places to ride your bicycles on major thoroughfares and from the looks of things, they ain't going to change anytime soon. April 29, 2014. Chase White:
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Chase White, like other people ride daily on Broadway. On the night of April 29,(image 5.1) White was riding his bicycle in the right lane which is roughly 10 feet in width. This lane stretches from Hildebrand to Casa Blanca. As he was riding a SUV came along and rear ended him as he and the SUV entered the construction zone by Hildebrand. He had lights, but the person in the SUV didn't have the patience for sharing the road. He is lucky to be alive, he had a helmet which saved his life, but chances are, he will be buried in debt for medical bills and is officially out of work for a while.
Jose Carlos Macy thought he was safe riding in the bicycle lane on W Commerce St. (Image 5.2) Little did he and his friend knew, two cars decided to race down the stroad and he got dragged underneath the car. The car speed away leaving Jose to die. He wasn't wearing a helmet, and how could he, it really uncomfortable to wear one.
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The Problem with Broadway, Chase White:
Broadway is one big stroad, and because of its location sandwich between US 281 / Olmos Basin and Fort Sam Houston, (Image 5.3) it is a very major thoroughfare between Downtown and the North East Side of town. Now we can blame the driver of the SUV who wasn't paying attention, we can blame Chase White for not yielding to the car, or we can blame the people who designed Broadway.
Broadway consist of one 12ft center turn lane, two 12 ft vehicle lanes and one 10ft vehicle lane.(Image 5.4) Imagine if they didn't have that 10 ft right lane, but a protected bicycle lane also known as a cycletrack. There's no reason for San Antonio to have 3 vehicle lanes going in the same direction. When you have more than two lanes, the cars race each other and overtake each other passing in every lane available whether it is the left lane or right lane. Just go sit at a bus stop along Broadway and you'll see the cars racing each other. But if they actually had a protected cycletrack like the one they have in Austin on Guadalupe St, (Image 5.5) then maybe Chase would still be working and would still have healthy pelvis.
W Commerce St is a one way stroad consisting of a 4ft bicycle lane in the left side of the street, two 14ft vehicle lanes and 10ft shoulder. (Image 5.6) Now I have had problems riding in this bicycle lane to where I don't ride in it anymore. I don't know how many time I almost got killed because a car wanted to make a left turn and couldn't give a damn that I was riding in that lane behind him. This same make up for the stroad going the other way, Buena Vista which also has the bicycle lane on the left hand side and should be kept out of. Now a days, when I find my self on W Commerce or Buena Vista, you'll find me riding in the 10ft shoulder. The good news, cars aren't always parked in it. You have all this space to your self that the other cars are keeping out, might as well use it.
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Now every time I see screwed up designs here on the West, South and East sides, I wonder if it was intentionally put that way because of the Hispanics and Black people live out here. I have no evidence that this is a result of racial discrimination, but when you see the broken small sidewalks and the dangerous bicycle lane on the left hand side, I can only help but think that way. There are many more examples that I will point out in future blogs that has got to be the result of racism in these parts of town..
Now image if we were to shorten the 14ft vehicle lanes to 12ft and replace the 10ft shoulder with a two way cycle tracks. Imagine if that was in place on the night that Jose was riding home, he would probably would be alive right now. One of the two racing vehicles would have probably hit the barrier separating the vehicle lanes from the driving lanes and perhaps killing one of the drivers. Again, you don't have to travel far to see what could have save the life of Jose Carlos Macy. All you have to do is travel to Austin and ride down Rio Grande St by UT and you'll see a two way bicycle lane. You can also go to 2nd St there as well and take a look at that cycle track (Image 5.7). The reason why I want 2 way cycletracks on one way street is to reduce the conflict for when people have to go in the direction against the flow of traffic.
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Now if your worried about the bus stops along these stroads, then I might recommend the bus island. There's no reason why the bus has to enter these protect bicycle lanes. This one in Austin along Guadalupe St is a perfect example on one and you don't have to travel to the Netherlands to see others in action. You can also use this same method to make safe passage for cyclist when it comes to streetcar tracks.
Why We Have What We Have:
Now you have to wonder why we have such screwed up infrastructure when it come to pedestrians and bicycles. So far my only finding in that regard is the city ordinance that you see below.
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.
When I did a google search of
"state highways and public transportation commission," I came up links to TXDOT sites. Now there is an association I have heard called the American Association of State Highways and Transportation Officials (AASTHTO) which is a quasi government body that create the standards in which TXDOT and other DOT's go by. When I complained about the repainting of S Hackberry St, I was told that they went by these standards and was properly painted. This is my only conclusion to the reason why we have such lousy bicycle lanes, sidewalks and other bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure. It is because we are using standards that make highways, not friendly city streets. (Wikipedia Link)
There Are standards we can use to create the neighborhoods we want, but before we can actually impliment those standards, we're going to have to rewrite this law to use The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO). This is the site on where I got my examples pictures for my first blog,An Introduction and South Flores Success. NACTO is a coalition of 15 of the largest cities in the United States with one Affiliated member, Austin, TX. And naturally, San Antonio is not a member, Keep San Antonio Lame. (Wikipedia Link)
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Just think if we actually had the infrastructure that kept us safe, more people would be riding their bicycles and walking. And when more people ride their bicycles, it makes all of us safer. Just look at this chart (Image 5.9) from NYC, you can clearly see that in the city of New York that the number of cycling accidents were reduce while at the same time the number of cyclist actually increased. Other cities showed the same results from this LiveScience Article. There's no need for a helmet law, or other silly suggestion like "Share the Road." We've been trying these things for the better part of two decades and all they have solved was nothing. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. And that is what you'll continue to hear from city officials from the MPO, The City of San Antonio, and other Government agencies. It sounds nice, but if were asking people to share the road with motorcycles too, (Image 5.8) then we should know by know we're doing something wrong.
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There is some good news in this, The city of San Antonio don't have any mandatory helmet laws and we're ain't going to get any. After all, the mayor don't want to reduce the number of B-Cycle trips everyday.
PS
Also your probably asking why I misspelled the Word Street. Well, I didn't, I am simply using a term we need to start using in identifying the problem with our infrastructure, The "Stroad"
Images:
Image 5.1: KSAT 12 News story of Chase White Accident.
Image 5.2: KSAT 12 News Story of Jose Carlos Macy
Image 5.3: My map showing how Broadway is a funnel
Image 5.4: Google Street Image of Broadway North of Funston Pl.
Image 5.5: My picture of the Cycletrack on Guadalupe St in Austin, TX across the street from UT
Image 5.6: Google Street Image of W Commerse St pass Sabinas
Image 5.7: My picture of 2nd St at Red River of the two way cycletrack. Notice how the signal lights are the same for car and bicycles but when they want the bicycle to go they go green while the ones for the cars stay red.
Image 5.8: A sign I found on Google search for Watch for Motorcycles.
Image 5.9: A chart I found showing the number of cyclist out there compared to the number of accidents in NYC. Source: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNAZCSbIVZWBWkxBkciVkvxuUv8LRY9Lb2_fQMQQhU0m3nCjG1VdXFQrR1gG-T4Af7E4W4cpVDZwl-JDuY1OzFPKOlrKblhIJGaMKCcpxqoFRrNJyeFg01Y98wnY2S5k7L_JYhWkdmUqqk/s1600/ridership_graph.jpg
Up Coming Bicycle Events
Ride of SilenceWhen: Thursday, May 15, 2014 6:30pm
Where: Halcyon/BlueStar Art Complex Description: A Bicycle ride honoring those who lost their lives. Frankenbike #48
When: May 17, 2014 10am to 4pm
Where: Red-D Bikes~ 120 Playmoor Suite B ~ 78210
Description: FrankenBike (n) A free bike swap meet held once a month in San Antonio,
Texas that is open to anyone who wants to buy, sell or trade bicycles
and bicycle related gear or parts.
Bike Beat Festival
When: Sat, May 17, 3pm – 11pm
Where: Main Plaza, San Antonio, TX Description: The 2nd Annual BIKE|BEAT features bike demos, live music, roller races, food trucks, giveaways and much more!
Up Coming Important Meetings If you want to make a difference, please attend. Walk & Roll Night (BMAC & PMAC joint meeting)
Where: VIA Metro Centre, 1021 San Pedro Avenue, San Antonio, TX
When: Wed, May 14, 5:30pm – 8pm Description:
The MPO Bicycle Mobility Advisory Committee and the Pedistrain Mobility
Advisory Committee talking about the current projects related to
pedestriand bicycle related. What Should you Say? You should mention this blog, blogsanantonio.blogspot.com. Not much unless you have a minor problem in your neighborhood.
S. Flores Street Improvement Community Meeting
When: Monday May 19, 2014 6pm to 7pm
Where: Cafeteria of Morrill Elementary School, 5200 S. Flores, San Antonio, TX
Description: City of San Antonio’s TCI Department
will present the alternate bicycle route as a result of community
feedback from public meetings held in December, March and April.
What Should you Say? Let them know that they don't need to have alternative bicycle routes and infact that what they did was a pretty good job and the bicycle lane is making it safe for us. You can also hand out this flyer to all those who think getting rid of the bicycle lane is a good ideal. Contact Jeanette Morin at 207-5011 or
Jeanette.Morin@sanantonio.gov
VIA’s South/West Corridor Study Public Meeting When: Tuesday May 20, 2014 6:00PM Where: Harlandale Community Center, 301 Sussex, 78221
When: Thursday May 22, 2014 6:00PM Where: The Neighborhood Place 3014 Rivas St, 78228
When: Wednesday, May 21, 2014 3pm to 6pm Where: Madla Transit Center
When Wednesday, May 21, 2014 6AM To 9AM Where Crossroads Park & Ride
Description: VIA is conducting a study to identify transit improvements along the South/West Connector
Corridor in the San Antonio region. The corridor study area includes Military Drive from
IH-37 on the east to General McMullen on the west; and General McMullen and Zarzamora
from Military drive on the south to Fredericksburg Road on the north. More info can be found here: http://www.viainfo.net/Planning/Corridor.aspx
What Should You Say? You should ask for more frequency on the crosstown routes and bicycle racks called bicycle hoods at bus stops. Also ask that via look into creating bus islands so the bike lane can go around a busy stop.
Open House: Improvements to I-35 (I might be able to attend this meeting.)
Where:
Central Catholic High School Elizondo Center (corner of Wilmington
Avenue and Dallas Street) 1403 St. Mary’s St. San Antonio, TX 78215
When: Wednesday,May 21, 2014 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Description: TxDOT invites you to an open house on proposed improvements for
Interstate 35. The project staff will be on hand to answer questions and
provide information. No formal presentation will be given. Attendees
are invited to come and go at their convenience.
TxDOT proposes improving I-35 between North Flores and New Braunfels
Ave. and between AT&T Parkway and Binz-Engelman Road. The proposed
project includes auxiliary lanes, ramp adjustments and other
improvements to improve mobility and enhance the operation and safety of
I-35 in this area What Should you say? Ask for
Bicycle lanes along the the frontage roads or mix use sidewalks and make sure they use the
City of San Antonio Bicycle Master Plan when making improvements. Also ask for these types of intersections so they can become safer for all users. https://vimeo.com/86721046
Open House - Improvements to US 90 from Loop 1604 to I-410
Where: Mary Lou Fisher Elementary School Cafeteria, 3430 Barrel Pass, San Antonio, TX 78245
When: Tuesday, May 27, 2014, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Description: TxDOT invites you to an open house on proposed improvements for US 90
From Loop 1604 to I-410. The project staff will be on hand to answer
questions and provide information. No formal presentation will be given.
Attendees are invited to come and go at their convenience.
Proposed improvements along US 90 from LP 1604 to I-410 on the west side
of San Antonio are designed to improve operations and safety along this
section of US 90. The proposed improvements include:
Conversion of the two-way frontage roads to one-way operations
Relocation of entrance and exit ramps
Intersection improvements
What Should you say? Ask for bicycle lanes/Shoulder or a
mix use sidewalk along the proposed Frontage roads and Safe bicycle
lanes that stay to the right of the lane intersection. Also ask for these types of intersections so they can become safer for all users. https://vimeo.com/86721046
Upper Woodlawn Drainage Project Public Meeting
When: Tuesday, May 13, 2014 6:00 PM Where: Joe Ward Community Center 435 E. Sunshine, San Antonio, TX
What Should you Say?
Ask for a hike and bike trail along the drainage all the way too
Woodlawn lake as well as any increase size in the sidewalks that cross
over the drainage.... Contact: Peter Rodriguez at 207-8154
Skyplace Boulevard Extension Project Public Meeting
When: Thursday, May 15, 2014 6:00 PM Where: Northeast Service Center, 10303 Toolyard, 78233 What Should You Say?
Ask that the city makes sure that there is sufficient access to the
Salado Creek Trail and 6 ft bicycle lanes on each side of this street. Contact: David McBeth at 210-207-6342 or david.mcbeth@sanantonio.gov.
Bronco Lane Bridge Project Public Meeting When: Tuesday, May 20, 2014 6:30 PM Where: Virginia Gill Community Center, 7902 Westshire Drive, San Antonio, TX
What Should You Say? Ask that the Bridge has a minimum 6ft width sidewalks across with 25mph speed limits. No need for bicycle lanes. contact: Peter Rodriguez at 207-8154
Shaenfield Road Bridge Public Meeting
When: Wednesday, May 28, 2014 6:00 PM Where: Burke Elementary School Cafeteria, 10111 Terra Oak, San Antonio, TX
When: Tuesday, June 3, 2014 7:00PM Where: Burke Elementary School Cafeteria, 10111 Terra Oak, San Antonio, TX
What Should you Say?
Ask that the Bridge Contain 6ft bicycle lanes on either side with
extra stripping between the bicycle lane and the traffic as well as 6ft
sidewalks. Also ask them to remove the Turn Center lane and add that
space to the sides of the rd for bicycle lanes. Also Ask that they
abide by the Bicycle Master Plan as well. contact: Peter Rodriguez@ 207-8154 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. 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
