The bicyclist in San Francisco will soon encounter a new
experience of riding on elevated Bike lanes in different locations throughout the
city. The construction of these lanes is driven by the concept of keeping
motorist out of the bike lanes, and increasing bicyclists’ safety. The concept
of elevated bike lanes has been introduced before in different cities around
the globe, but it is considered relatively new to the United States.
San Francisco is one of the cities in the United States that initiated
the adaptation of elevated bike lanes in their transportation system. one of the new raised bike lanes in San Francisco is going to take place on Market Street, which is known as one of the main streets in San Francisco that
serves the financial district. The new bike lane will be constructed a couple of
inches higher than the adjacent street, and a couple of inches lower than the
adjacent sidewalks.
Bicyclists in Market Street tend to ride their bikes on the sidewalks
to avoid the congestion and the inefficient bike lanes; they have been
suffering from difficulties in navigating their way throughout the route. However,
Introducing the new-elevated bike lanes brought more concerns to bike
riders along this route in terms of efficiency and safety. They are wondering about how
beneficial these lanes can be, and the probability for these lanes to turn into another hazardous settings that need special attention and mitigation.
The city officials are very excited about the new bike lanes and
the city riders are very concerned about the efficiency of these bike lanes.
The ongoing conflict cannot be solved until the project is executed, and people
start actually using these bike lanes.
Personally, I think introducing these bike lanes can have a significant
impact on the reduction of bicyclists injuries ,because drivers’ awareness of other travelers sharing the same route will increase and there will be a higher sense developed by the different types of users on the route.
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ReplyDeleteMy initial reaction is that elevated bike lanes are a good idea and I am hopeful for the outcome. I can however, picture the problems it may cause. Swerving out of the bike lane for an unexpected block is common place, and doing so on an elevated lane could result in injury. Yet, many blocks tend to be cars, people, and slow bikers ahead of me. If the lanes work as anticipated, cars and pedestrians should not be a problem. The speed of bikers should remain a non issue as long as there is ample room for cycling traffic. I'll be visiting San Francisco next spring so I'll be sure to check these lane out!
ReplyDeleteI remember when I first started to use my bike as a main mode of transportation I was terrified of traveling on the streets. I can recount several times where I illegally traveled down campbell on my bike to the grocery store as a freshman. I did this because I felt so incredibly vulnerable on the street. I felt that cars could not see me, nor did the road demand they recognize my presence. I think that the implementation of an elevated bikeway will really serve cyclist in san fran by making riders feel safer and by demanding drivers on the road recognize the lane
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