Ann Arbor to add bicycle lanes with federal stimulus funds
A look at where the planned bike lanes will be going.
Courtesy | City of Ann Arbor
The city of Ann Arbor will be narrowing some roads to create bicycle lanes using federal stimulus funds, the city announced today.
The lanes will be created at several places near downtown and the University of Michigan campus, including along North and South University, Hoover, Pauline, Seventh, Liberty and Washington Streets.
Significant changes will be made on a handful of streets including portions of Geddes Road, Catherine Street and Fourth Avenue.
With $250,000 in federal stimulus dollars, the city will be adding about nine miles of new bike lanes and improving about 24 miles of bike lanes. It will also be improving walking and biking downtown by adding additional signage and pavement markings. The changes all adhere to improvements recommended by Ann Arbor's 2007 Non-motorized Plan.
The costs of the project come from thermal plastic process used to create and adhere lines and other symbols to the pavement, Ann Arbor's Transportation Program Manager Eli Cooper said. The city pays between $100 and $150 for each road signs which will be posted to remind folks to "Share the Road."
The existing 23.4 miles (mostly in both directions) of bicycle lanes will be reviewed and brought up to standards for bike lanes. In some cases, this may include pavement repair, Cooper said.
Signs will also be posted in downtown areas telling bicyclists to walk or slow down on their bikes if they are using the sidewalk and symbols, called sharrows, which are meant to encourage bicyclists to share the road lane instead.
The changes should be completed by September, although some of the bike lanes could be available as early as next week.
Bicycle lanes are defined lanes marked on the pavement to allow bikes to more safely travel alongside vehicle traffic.
Cooper said the changes are part of making different kinds of transportation easier in the city.
But he acknowledge on-going tensions between motorists and bicyclists. "The city has heard it," Cooper said. Bike lanes are actually part of an effort to alleviate those tensions because the line is clearly drawn where cars belong and where bicycles belong, he said.
The police are enforcing laws for both motorists and bicyclists, he said, and the city is working to increase education and awareness about the rules regarding both, he said.
Tina Reed covers health and the environment for AnnArbor.com. You can reach her at tinareed@annarbor.com, call her at 734-623-2535 or find her on Twitter @TreedinAA.
Comments
John Q
Mon, Aug 16, 2010 : 9:44 p.m.
"You're going to have to show me how all the bike lanes already in existence have markedly decreased car travel, and increased bike usage, you can't." Actually, I don't. You don't seem to understand the basic concepts of traffic demand and management. While a long-term goal is to reduce car usage, if a bike lane encourages enough use to maintain the current level of traffic, it's a success. You can't name one traffic improvement that would accomplish the same for the same amount of money. In fact, most traffic "improvements" do nothing of the sort. They encourage more driving and more congestion. "Like my previous post, you can only ride a bike for about 5 months" People only ride their bikes from May to September? Where do you live? Alaska? "anyway, most of us want or need a car, thats what the roads are for." Again, typical short-sighted viewpoint that leads to wasteful spending on traffic "improvements" that lead to more traffic and congestion. Want and need are two different things. You may want a car. But your desire to drive wherever you want shouldn't trump those who neither want nor should need a car. Many people in Ann Arbor can and should be able to get around without having to be forced to rely on a car to do it. It's the self-centered attitude of people like yourself demanding road improvements to only accommodate you and your car that force people into a car-centered lifestyle when it would be financially better for them to be freed from the burden of having to have a car in a city where a car should be optional for those who chose it.
AnnArBo
Mon, Aug 16, 2010 : 3:32 p.m.
John Q; You're going to have to show me how all the bike lanes already in existence have markedly decreased car travel, and increased bike usage, you can't. Like my previous post, you can only ride a bike for about 5 months anyway, most of us want or need a car, thats what the roads are for. It does not accomplish anything other than to waste everyones money on pie in the sky ideas, we have too much of that kind of thinking already, we don't need more folly filled 250K ideas.
Peter Baker
Mon, Aug 16, 2010 : 2:14 p.m.
All this bitching about "dangerous" cyclists. I wish half as much finger pointing was done at the drivers who blow stop signs, don't look right as the turn a corner, completely ignore crosswalks, and only watch out for themselves and their commute, yadda yadda yadda. You want to help traffic flow? Convert 1/10th of the drivers sitting on Depot Street during a hospital shift change to riding a bike. Nobody's saying cyclists shouldn't follow the rules, but the deck is stacked pretty heavy against them in Michigan's car-first-and-only worldview, so the more help they can get, the better. Just quit acting like the way you do things is the only way anything should be done. I want to ride my bike instead of driving everywhere, don't try and tell me I shouldn't be able to do that safely.
John Q
Mon, Aug 16, 2010 : 9:35 a.m.
Typical right-wing logic. Complain about traffic congestion. City invests in bike lanes, which are far much cheaper than any traffic improvements in getting people out of cars and cars off the road and help reduce pollution, energy use, etc. Then complain about bike lanes as a "poor use of money".
sbbuilder
Mon, Aug 16, 2010 : 9:26 a.m.
This from the official Recovery.org web site: Q: What is the Recovery Act? A: The Recovery Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009. The purpose of the $787 billion Recovery package is to jump-start the economy to create and save jobs. The Act specifies appropriations for a wide range of federal programs, and increases or extends certain benefits under Medicaid, unemployment compensation, and nutrition assistance programs. The legislation also reduces individual and corporate income tax collections, and makes a variety of other changes to tax laws. Long-term investment goals include: Beginning to computerize health records to reduce medical errors and save on health-care costs Investing in the domestic renewable energy industry Weatherizing 75 percent of federal buildings and more than one million homes Increasing college affordability for seven million students by funding the shortfall in Pell Grants, raising the maximum grant level to $500, and providing a higher education tax cut to nearly four million students Cutting taxes for 129 million working households by providing an $800 Making Work Pay tax credit for qualified individuals Expanding the Child Tax Credit So, I'm wondering just how expanded bike lanes fit into this picture. Pork, Pork, Pork. I would challenge the leadership of our City to explain the use of these funds, and how they will serve to 'Stimulate' our local economy. Now, fixing a bridge with these funds actually seems appropriate.
bunnyabbot
Sun, Aug 15, 2010 : 10:24 a.m.
once again, the government not working for the people. Bike lanes are not a necessity of life, hardly stimulating job growth and economy growth. It is a poor use of money with a very low use of money to high use/growth ratio. They cut food stamps yet make bike lanes, this is not helping anyone.
AnnArBo
Sun, Aug 15, 2010 : 8:40 a.m.
What a wonderful use of our over abundant tax dollars. This is such a critical issue, bikers are such a huge portion of vehicles on our roads, especially during the 5 month period when the weather is actually condusive to using them. If only we could apply this same wonderful world changing logic to so many other critically important issues we currently face. Think of all the other important issues we could solve, and for only 250k, gee what a bargain, I'm so proud of my government solving this critical issue.
Christia West
Sat, Aug 14, 2010 : 10:08 p.m.
Unless all roads have designated bike lanes, we still need to occasionally share. My husband and I where riding, safely and legally on the road to the farmer's market last week. We ride with traffic and obey traffic signals. We had a motorist pass us, yelling at us to get off the road and not take up "the whole lane". We where riding to the left of parked cars on 4th Avenue, but on the right side of the lane. It was quite upsetting. Still, I'm going to be out there, riding my bike, being careful and obeying the laws.
fensk
Sat, Aug 14, 2010 : 1:23 p.m.
Lots more houses on Scio Church Rd = Lots more traffic. With all that traffic going 55 mph, at least..why would anyone want to ride a bike there? I see them out there during rush hour. Crazy! Lower the speed limit and put in some bike lanes or restrict it to cars only. ( Personally, I would like the former as I live there and its like living on a freeway at times!)
John Q
Sat, Aug 14, 2010 : 10:17 a.m.
"oh gosh, by all means let's see what we can do to slow down traffic more. I've often thought--in the 20 minutes it takes to drive from First and William to Main and Summit--that I don't spend nearly enough time stopped in traffic." If you don't want to sit in traffic, move to Montana. Why in the world do people think they can move to an urban area and not have to deal with congestion and slow traffic? As Ann Arbor becomes more dense, driving a car around gets to be most of a hassle, as it should.
RUKiddingMe
Sat, Aug 14, 2010 : 8:44 a.m.
1: Is the $250000 ALL that is being spent? So no additional money coming from A2? 2: Is there any assurance that the same streets they spend this money on won't be torn up again (undoing all the work and requiring it be REdone) within a year? 3: Is this what all those streets off of State are being torn up for?
CobraII
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 11:35 p.m.
How about using the money to pick-up the leaves in the fall? Oh that's right we are supposed to put them in the back yard next to the chicken coop. What a waste of printed money!!
rulieg
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 6:11 p.m.
oh gosh, by all means let's see what we can do to slow down traffic more. I've often thought--in the 20 minutes it takes to drive from First and William to Main and Summit--that I don't spend nearly enough time stopped in traffic. there are so many other worthy things this money could be spent on; it'd be comic if it wasn't so tragic. Ann Arbor is becoming a caricature of itself.
Jay Thomas
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 4:36 p.m.
Clearly this is the best use for the stimulus money. They actually spent some of it in 2009 on beauty schools in Detroit. But this... smart.
Jeff Gaynor
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 4:27 p.m.
1 - Yes, bicyclists are obligated to follow the law, and it is no service to bicyclists when some don't. 2 - Bike Lanes, if usable, provide a service to motorists as well as bicyclists. 3 - It appears most of these bike lanes are superfluous - as they are on easily shared roads already. 4 - Look at Division St. downtown as an example of a bike lane disaster - unsafe and unnecessary. 5 - $250,000 for bike lanes? How much money has been spent on road repairs this summer? 6 - Why is so high a percentage of our landscape covered in asphalt? In how many ways do we all pay for that? 7 - I commuted to work on Scio Church via bike in the 80's when it was a pleasant ride. Why are there so many cars on that road now?
Jon Saalberg
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 3:57 p.m.
Vacationing in Marquette, subject of many comparisons of late with our fair city, I'm hoping Ann Arbor will one day have bike lanes that let you circumnavigate the city, as Marquette does.
Carolyn
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 3:29 p.m.
@ Ray..............Thank you for the link: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~rayburke/BikeLaneContrarian_v2.pdf Which makes my point so much better. Ann Arbor has a bunch of unconnected, poorly maintained, and down right dangerous "bike lanes". For those of us who would like to feel safe and do our part to reduce our dependence on gas/hybrid/electrical vehicle power, Ann Arbor just doesn't meet the our needs. We as a society won't figure this all out until our normal summer temps average in the 110 + temp range for a a number of years BUT by then it will be too late.
Carolyn
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 3:08 p.m.
Will they be maintained? Will they be larger than the gutter-width bike lanes that are usually put in? And by the way, I will still be using the "car lanes" when I want to safely make a left-hand turn and/or I feel that the bike lanes are full of unsafe gravel or potholes. I also will still refuse to use the bike/pedestrian lanes that dangerously pass over intersections that car drivers don't look for bikes crossing from one side of an intersecting road to the other.
Ray
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 2:55 p.m.
Why not use the money to remove the dangerous existing bike lanes. Particularly bad are (1) Eisenhower going west at Boardwalk (sooner or later a car behind a large truck wanting to turn right is going to run right up the back of a bike lane cyclist whose bereaved family will likely sue and win millions fron the city and (2) going downhill on Division north of Huron where the bike lane goes away for one block and the reappears (tell methat isn't stupid). Whilst I'm at it, does the city really think the cars approaching the Broadway Bridge going downhill at 35 mph can actually stop for the pedestrian crossing without causing an accident? (another lawsuit waiting to happen)
Seasoned Cit
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 2:35 p.m.
Wow... nice to see some of our own money coming back to town. I wonder just how many new jobs were produced with these "stimulus funds"? That was the reason for putting the country even more in debt wasn't it?
marzan
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 1:56 p.m.
How about fixing Miller road? The bike lanes there are filled with pot holes and loose pavement. Also It would be great if the Miller road bike lanes connected with downtown / 7th. As of now I'm directed onto the sidewalk.
John Q
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 1:01 p.m.
"downsizing traffic lanes to accomodate bicycles will only make traffic congestion worst" No it doesn't.
Tina
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 12:21 p.m.
@BobHeinold the Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society, with help from the A2 Velo and Triathlon Clubs, recently raised $41,000 to repave sections of Huron River Drive, exceeding their original goal by $11,000. How's that for civic good? http://www.annarbor.com/news/cyclists-fundraising-effort-exceeds-goal/index.php As a cyclist AND driver, I agree cyclists need to follow traffic laws, and I often see other cyclists do things that make me want to scream. However, tons of drivers roll through stop signs every day, and I've seen up to FIVE cars IN A ROW on Fuller run the stop light at Fuller and Maiden Lane when I had the green arrow to turn from Maiden Ln onto Fuller. I was in my car when I saw this. A former coworker was nearly hit in her car at the same intersection when she turned left at the green arrow by someone speeding through the red. In short, there appear to be just as many, if not more, drivers who also think they are exempt from traffic laws. If EVERYONE, drivers, cyclists, AND pedestrians (don't even get me started on the student pedestrians downtown) followed traffic laws we'd ALL be safer.
B. Jean
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 12:05 p.m.
Ah yes, yet another "brilliant" financially responsible decision by the city. Are you kidding me people? How does that logic go? Let's see... our nation is in the worst financial crisis since the depression, our city is broke, people can't find jobs, so, do we support the food pantry, the homeless shelter, police protection, the firemen? Oh wait, I've got it! Lets make sure we can ride our friggen bikes wherever we want. Yep, it's a puzzler alright.
uponthehill
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 11:53 a.m.
As someone who both cycles in this community and works in the Emergency Department I've been able to see many things while at work and riding my bike. I've seen cars swerve into (not away from) bikes, and I've seen cyclist do some pretty stupid things too. When it comes to a 2 ton car versus a cyclist - the cyclist loses - everytime. What I ask for is for people to think twice, slow down and remember two things: 1) if you do something stupid (on a bike or in a car) you may get lucky once or twice, but continue and you may pay the rest of your life for your actions (killing or maiming a person really sucks and the kinds of wounds/spinal cord injuries caused by getting run over can be devastating) and 2) NO ONE owns the road - not cars, not the pedestrians who seem to be blind when the 'Don't Walk' signals are blinking and not the cyclists. Share the road means just that. Didn't your momma teach you that sharing was a good thing? One persons 2 cents.
Ray
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 11:35 a.m.
The link is http://www-personal.umich.edu/~rayburke/BikeLaneContrarian_v2.pdf
Ray
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 11:34 a.m.
If you don't have time to read the report at www-personal.umich.edu/~rayburke/BikeLaneContrarian_v2.pdf, please at least look at the pictures. ADDING THESE NEW BIKE LANES IS ILL-ADVISED AND DANGEROUS. Usually, it is best NOT to narrow a traffic lane to paint a bike lane. Since road conditions and traffic speeds and volumes are constantly changing, is better for cars and bikes to share a wide lane.
BobbyJohn
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 11:25 a.m.
Ms. Reed, What are the "significant changes" happening to First st. and Ashley? I emailed Eli Cooper at the city and have gotten no response.
AlwaysLate
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 11:22 a.m.
@d00g.... Scio Church Road is has no speed limit posting west of of Maple road (Ice Cube). Thus, according to the law, all unmarked county roads in Michigan...dirt or paved...have a maximum speed of 55 miles per hour.
a2doc
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 10:20 a.m.
@Ypsilivin I actually like your last post regarding the incompatibility of bikes and cars on the roads as they exist at present. I don't see anything wrong with all vehicle operators (cyclists included) sharing and obeying common rules on the road. I do think however, cyclists should have some exceptions that reflect their status as the most vulnerable users of our roads. Rules that might protect them from cars undertaking at speed, others that would simplify their passage through stop intersections, perhaps others that would give them a protected box in front of the traffic that would protect them from vehicles turning right. I think the key here is mutual respect and clarity of the rules that are in place. Then, an investment in cycle paths that will separate cycles and cars in high speed sections of our road network. Whatever we all think, cycling will naturally increase in the coming years. It is healthy, environmentally sound, and when done as a commute, gets another gas-guzzler off the road. As we all know: the oil is not going to last for ever. I think it is time to start thinking ahead and consider leaving the car at home occasionally. The safety issues and vulnerabilities experienced by cyclists is a big reason people don't get out of the car and cycle to work. Let's address them, and get used to biking for short trips.
TheGerman
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 9:29 a.m.
@d00g: Scio Church has no posted speed limit, so the limit is actually 55mph except for the stretch between Maple and Main Street where it is 35mph. I do agree that people go way too fast regardless.
Tina Reed
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 7:52 a.m.
If you want to check out both Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County's bikeway system, you can see a clear PDF here: http://www.a2gov.org/government/communityservices/ParksandRecreation/Documents/bike.pdf. I'll repost the image and see if it's clearer. In the meantime, here's a link to the announcement with a much clearer look on its second page at the map of where the new bike lanes will be constructed: http://www.a2gov.org/news/Documents/ActiveTransPRAug122010.pdf
SillyTree
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 7:33 a.m.
Can you and others at annarbor.com please provide links to higher resolution maps when you post a picture of a map? This map is unreadable even when zoomed.
YpsiLivin
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 7:30 a.m.
a2doc said: Additionally, Stop signs are a particular issue for cyclists. Do you really expect them to perform a firm stop? Pretending they are a car?! The state legislature has not seen fit to define special privileges or protections to bicyclists on public roadways. As such, I honestly expect bicyclists to follow the rules of the road. Stopping at stop signs is one of the rules of the road, so... yes, I expect bicyclists to stop at stop signs. Motorcyclists don't "pretend they are a car," yet they still stop at stop signs. (They don't complain about having to follow the rules, either.) The rules apply to the use of the road, not to the mode of transportation. To maintain the safety of ALL users on ALL roads, ALL users must follow the SAME RULES. If bicyclists can't accept this basic precept, for the safety of everyone, they should not be permitted on the roads. I agree with you that today's roads are designed for motorized vehicles, not bicycles - all the more reason to insist that the rules of the road are observed by all users. Designating certain roads as bicycle routes and prohibiting bicycle traffic on other routes may improve safety and ease congestion. Adding bike lanes may also help. Allowing bicycles to ignore traffic laws? not so much.
420
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 7:12 a.m.
Bike lanes would be helpful on Scio Church Rd considering the amount of cyclist who use it. It would also be good to slow the motor vehicle traffic from 70mph+ to the posted 50mph...
BioWheels
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 7:11 a.m.
One of the best ways to educate both bicyclists and drivers would be to include the right of way laws for both bicyclists and drivers in the standard driver's education program. I taught driver's education for many years and tried to explain the rights and responsibilities of both drivers and bicyclists. Many of the students simply could not understand the rights of the bicyclist. It's time for our legislatures to include the roles of both in driver's education. Many of the comments from this article reveal that these rights and responsibilities are not understood by many.
Daniel Soebbing
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 6:39 a.m.
demistify, great idea! I've been bicycling and or walking to football games for years. Saves a ton on parking and makes it much easier to get out when I'm on my way home.
a2doc
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 6:18 a.m.
@ypsilivin Actually, having a bike "sanctuary" box at the front of traffic at an intersection is a great idea. It has become the standard in bike-friendly cities in europe. It makes it clear that passing cars to get to the box is a "rule of the road". It allows cyclists to get out of the way of cars making right turns, and actually helps the flow of traffic. Additionally, Stop signs are a particular issue for cyclists. Do you really expect them to perform a firm stop? Pretending they are a car?! If the answer is yes: this usually starts chaos when someone tries to yield, and the other car drivers "forget their turn". Why not make it "yield to cyclists" and "remember your turn" - doesn't sound like rocket science. It would certainly prevent the crazy stand off that occurs now. In general terms there is a massive difference between the vulnerability of a guy sitting in his F-150 and someone on a bicycle. I am increasingly of the mind that these 2 forms of transportation are incompatible on the roadways that we have here in Michigan, partially due to the ignorance very well demonstrated by some contributors to this forum. Some respect for the guy trying to do their bit, preserving the environment and getting another F-150 off the road, would be sincerely appreciated.
SonnyDog09
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 5:41 a.m.
Does the city know how many new jobs will be created using this stimulus money? I couldn't find an estimate in the story.
foobar417
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 4:56 a.m.
Here's an FAQ I found online about sharrows in Pittsburgh: http://bike-pgh.org/campaigns/bicycle-advocacy/shared-lane-markings/
racerx
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 2:42 a.m.
As a bike rider, that seems like an awful lot of money to be spent on bike lanes. Especially since the current lanes aren't maintained all that well. $250K seems to be a better down payment on the Stadium Bridge, since the city doesn't seem to have any money for it's repair, and would probably serve a greater number of people in the community. Still, downsizing traffic lanes to accomodate bicycles will only make traffic congestion worst, and before the emails come, it won't make people used their cars less. To many workers commute into the city for work so spare me comments of how this will help get people out of their cars.
YpsiLivin
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 12:09 a.m.
@aabikes, I didn't offer a pointless anecdote. Bicyclists who refuse to follow the rules of the road pose a danger to everyone and should be subject to the same types of enforcement and sanctions that drivers are. You want to know why drivers don't "respect" bicyclists? Because bicyclists who don't follow the rules of the road are unpredictable and therefore hazardous. @mw I was discussing the public roadways, not bike paths. Bicyclists are REQUIRED to follow the same laws while on public roads that motor vehicle drivers are. The exact same standards apply. Unfortunately, most bicyclists refuse to recognize that. If I can, I get up to the light past the stopped cars because a) I'm not a big fan of breathing exhaust, and b) I'm much less likely to have somebody try to make a right turn in front of me if I'm up where everybody can see me. I put my health (exhaust fumes) and safety (not getting run over) first -- you'll have to live with that (which only means having to go to all the terrible trouble of passing me again after the intersection. Horrors.) Thanks for proving my point that bicyclists think the rules of the road don't apply to them. If you can't accept the rules of the road, stay off of them.
Daniel Soebbing
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 10:39 p.m.
Stimulus money to promote bicycle transit is a good thing. But none of these roads are places that I would have chosen for bike lanes. How about bike lanes on Washtenaw and Huron? EyeHeartA2, that thing on Huron Parkway is a sidewalk, regardless of what it is marked as. I don't understand why everyone is demanding a police crackdown on bicycles, as one is already ongoing. Didn't you all read the article in the Ann Arbor News two years ago about this time when the AAPD declared that it was going to prioritize ticketing cyclists?
stunhsif
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 9:19 p.m.
The president is throwing our tax dollars around for bike paths while unemployment in July was 9.5% nationwide and is going back up. Jobless claims came in last week at 484,000. This is the highest number since last February. Good Day, No Luck Needed
demistify
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 8:59 p.m.
I have finally made sense of it: The biggest street maintenance problem for Ann Arbor is the Stadium bridge. It is getting too weak for car traffic, but it is plenty strong enough to hold up bikes. So, make Stadium Blvd. bike-only. It will good for the health of those 100,000 football fans. Besides, think of how many new bikes they will have to buy. Real economic stimulus.
John Q
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 8:50 p.m.
Looks like A2.com found something for the usual band of whiners and whack-jobs to get all frothing at the mouth. As to all the stories about misbehaving bikers, I've never been nearly run off the road by a texting teenager riding a bike. I can't say the same about being in a car. I'll take 100 bikers not following the rules over 100 drivers in their cars doing the same.
mw
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 7:57 p.m.
Bicyclists: if it's illegal while driving a car, it's illegal while riding a bike. That means you don't get to pass on the right, When the cars on Huron River Drive stop passing cyclists in no-passing zones even when there is oncoming traffic leaving virtually no space -- we'll talk. And why do drivers think that, before an intersection, they can pass bikes riding along the curb in a no passing zone, but that the bikes can't ride back up alongside to the intersection? If I can, I get up to the light past the stopped cars because a) I'm not a big fan of breathing exhaust, and b) I'm much less likely to have somebody try to make a right turn in front of me if I'm up where everybody can see me. I put my health (exhaust fumes) and safety (not getting run over) first -- you'll have to live with that (which only means having to go to all the terrible trouble of passing me again after the intersection. Horrors.) Bicyclists: if it's illegal while driving a car, it's illegal while riding a bike. That's simply false. It is illegal to drive a car through Gallup Park on the bike path -- but not illegal to ride a bike there. Same for sidewalks -- biking is not illegal except downtown. On the other hand, you can't ride a bike on the freeway.
I'm Ron Burgandy
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 7:38 p.m.
What's the point of putting in bike lanes when half the bikers in this town won't even use them. The 'entitlement' bikers will still use the road because "it's their right". Don't spend another dime on bike lanes until there is a rule in place that says they have to use them. Otherwise, just fixed the roads instead.
fensk
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 6:41 p.m.
I am not a biker, but I would love to see a bike lane on Scio Church Rd. going west. All the way to M-52. The bike riders on this road make me crazy! The lanes are narrow and the shoulder is torn up and unsafe. They end up in the driving lanes. Cars end up in on-coming traffic lanes and nobody is safe. This is a beautiful place to ride. Give the bikers a place to ride and us motorists a safe place to drive. That road is a disaster waiting to happen.
scooter dog
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 6:17 p.m.
I know now why I left A2 10 yrs ago and to this day refuse to do ANY repair work there. Its the total frivolous way they waste money,bridges are falling down,streets are like tank traps,streets are half assed plowed in winter,on and on. There getting like the county. With them its buy new pick-ups first everything else waits. With A2 its bike lanes over bridges and street maintenance A real frigging farce
obviouscomment
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 5:49 p.m.
good...now bikers: stay on the roads with bike lanes and out of my way...i cannot stand when they try to ride down narrow roads and refuse to get over for traffic, causing a mile backup behind them
Joe Hood
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 5:12 p.m.
@Robert M. Narrowing Seventh Street. I've been quietly praying for this every time I ride my bike up that hill. There are four lanes where cars attempt to share the right lane with you as they jostle to get around you. A whole lot of side swiping happens. I don't feel the amount of traffic on that road warrants four lanes. Appears planning doesn't either. @Tina Reed Your image is fuzzy. Looks like the image you have has been resized from a smaller image.
Bulldog
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 4:04 p.m.
If the money is marked for bike lanes only, fine. Otherwise, how about putting some money towards the Skate Park to give skateboarders, also on wheels, a place to safely skate?
Macabre Sunset
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 4:02 p.m.
I had the opportunity to look at an architectural rendering of the new lane plan. Maybe a bit controversial, but I think it addresses most of the problems City Council has with traffic flow in Ann Arbor. http://i38.tinypic.com/u0kf7.jpg
YpsiLivin
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 4:01 p.m.
Not more than two weeks ago, I saw a bicyclist on Packard pass a line of stopped cars on the right, cruise through red lights at Carpenter, Dalton and Golfside all while riding on a fixie with no brakes. He also wasn't wearing any protective gear, but that's on him. When I'm driving my car, I can't pass other vehicles on the right; I can't run red lights just because cross-traffic is clear and I certainly can't take a vehicle with no brakes out on the road. Just yesterday, a man riding a bike on a freeway entrance ramp in Detroit was killed by a hit-and-run driver. (I didn't see the explanation of why the cyclist was trying to get on the freeway on a bicycle but state law prohibits non-motorized vehicles from entering the freeway.) Bicyclists: if it's illegal while driving a car, it's illegal while riding a bike. That means you don't get to pass on the right, you don't get to ride on the sidewalks and you don't get to cruise through red lights. You do get to signal your turns, wait in line with all other vehicles on the road at red lights and ride only "street legal" bikes in good working order. After all, the rules apply to all vehicles on the road, not just people in cars. If bicyclists want full parity with drivers on the road, the state should require a driver's license endorsement specifically for bicyclists complete with a "cyclist ed" course; the helmet law should apply to bicyclists; the state should issue license plates for bicycles and require cyclists to carry insurance for both liability and property damage.
AlwaysLate
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 3:41 p.m.
I like the "...'bike militia' with special uniforms..." idea. Sky Blue w/ Pink Trim Spandex! Size 56 for me please!
mw
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 3:30 p.m.
I also encourage the city to BAN ALL BIKES in the city of Ann Arbor, until the bicyclists form a group that will self-monitor their population, or embark on a serious education campaign. I encourage fellow bicyclists to run down any other cyclist that doesn't come to a complete stop at a light or sign, and throw them in front of the nearest SUV, doing everyone a favour in the process. Yes, and maybe stimulus funds would still be available to outfit your proposed 'bike militia' with special uniforms, whistles, badges, 'citizens arrest' ticket books (and maybe even weapons--but let's not get ahead of ourselves). Let's get back to what made Ann Arbor great back in the day. By that, I mean, of course, strict, rigid adherence to all rules at all times. So a bike approaching a 4-way stop on neighborhood streets with no other traffic in view should always come to a complete stop (first giving the 'brake' hand-signal) behind the white line before proceeding. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be practical to have 'bike militia' members monitoring all neighborhood intersections at all times, but maybe stimulus funds could also be used for bicycle ticketing cameras?
AlwaysLate
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 3:22 p.m.
@Robert M... Don't you mean...chickens? Bike lanes... Roundabouts... Rails-To-Trails... Non-motorized Plans... Re-establishing commuter rail service... The car drivers anxiety level is starting to climb through their sunroofs! Better get used to it...the best is yet to come...a ban on all autos with fewer than three passengers with in the city limits!
81wolverine
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 2:54 p.m.
Having more bike lanes is a good thing. It makes the city a better place to live in my opinion. But, can we get a bike lane installed on Scio Church going west out of Ann Arbor? I don't ride a bicycle down this road, but many do, especially on weekends when the weather is nice. It's VERY hazardous now because of the relatively high speed limit and with only 1 lane in each direction, motorist must go at least partially into the oncoming lane to avoid the riders. I think a separate bike lane would really help make it safer for everyone.
mw
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 2:34 p.m.
Bike lanes on Hill Street? Catherine? Pauline? South U? I ride most of those all the time, and there's just no need for separate bike lanes -- the traffic is either fairly sparse or slow-moving or both, and there's plenty of room. And then, the bike lanes are being put in where they're not needed. So on Geddes, there's plenty of room for both bikes and cars until you start going down the hill to Gallup Park, but they're putting in the bike lanes in the wide, safe section, not the narrower, more dangerous one. But even then, you don't need a bike lane at all because it's much better to ride through Ann Arbor Hills down Devonshire than on Geddes. I bike a lot and this is a waste of money, pure and simple. Spend it on fixing the stadium bridge.
BornNRaised
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 2:20 p.m.
Firefighters getting layed off, stadium bridge is a death trap, healthcare is a mess... good thing there's stimulus money for bicycles.
CynicA2
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 2:13 p.m.
Why don't the rocket scientists just re-elected by the FEW left around town this time of year actually do something useful with the money, like resurface the roads, first, and worry about fluff, like bike lanes, later? I would be afraid to ride a bike on most Ann Arbor streets, given the decade of neglect most have experienced - hell, I am afraid to drive my car on some of them. Maybe by the time the next election cycle rolls around, the electorate's discontent will be more focused and a stronger slate of candidates will finally drive this verminous infestation from city hall.
tommy_t
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 2:11 p.m.
typical -let's have some more "cash for people that can already afford to buy newe cars and ruin the secondary market for those that can't" programs. It's green I'll give you that!
Linda Spector
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 1:59 p.m.
I'm happy to hear there will be additional bike lanes. But how about some Federal $$ to fix the bridge near the stadium????
rco
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 1:57 p.m.
foobar417, I just drove down Pauline (marked in green above, for "insiginificant changes"), and it's also just "sharrows". I doubt that Robert M. needs to worry about 7th being narrowed. My guess (after reading the article, why am I still guessing?) is that the only places where dedicated lanes will be added are marked in red.
Donald
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 1:56 p.m.
@foobar what the HECK is a Sharrow? I applaud this work for the bike lanes, and wish to see them used MUCH more. Everyone in cars: Get a bike, or ride the bus, then there will be FAR less congestoion. I also encourage the city to go Green, and use more bike cops and motorcycle cops to patrol the city, and make sure everyone SEES YOU when you ticket a cyclist for being illegal (Added bonus: seeing a bike cop pull over a pick-up truck is hilarious, and we all need more amusement in our lives, no?) I stopped riding my bike into the city for work, when I went 3 months without seeing a SINGLE cyclist following the rules of the road. I also encourage the city to BAN ALL BIKES in the city of Ann Arbor, until the bicyclists form a group that will self-monitor their population, or embark on a serious education campaign. I encourage fellow bicyclists to run down any other cyclist that doesn't come to a complete stop at a light or sign, and throw them in front of the nearest SUV, doing everyone a favour in the process.
Olan Owen Barnes
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 1:55 p.m.
How many jobs did this project create?
Greggy_D
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 1:48 p.m.
Is this the best project to use the funds for? Is this decision fiscally responsible?
foobar417
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 1:43 p.m.
Glad to see this finally going in. These are much needed links in the city's cycling infrastructure. It would be valuable to clarify what is going to be a bike lane versus where they are putting in sharrows. For example, the link to a picture a previous commenter posted of Hill Street was of a sharrow, not a bike lane. (I prefer bike lanes, but sharrows are better than nothing.)
Hunterjim
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 1:42 p.m.
Bike lanes are nice....But come on, the roads are in such poor shape, our bridges, well enough said. The city is on the Homeowners to fix their sidewalks, the city should take the same vigor to FIX our streets and bridges.
belboz
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 1:22 p.m.
Stimulus money for bike lanes? A2 can't afford the paint? Is this the biggest A2 priority? How about eliminating the lanes, like on packard, so we can add some car lanes and work on the congestion issue. Less stop and go would be much better for the environment.
djm12652
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 1:07 p.m.
I'd be interested in knowing the total amount to paint some friggin lines on the street....I got me a brush and a can of paint...I'll do it for 10% less than the lowest bid...bids? Oh wait, does A2 even go through that practice or just go with the most progressive owned businesses?
Jane Walters
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 1 p.m.
I recently read that cyclists do not have to use the bike lanes since they are too close to the curb and unsafe but cars cannot drive (legally) in the bike lanes and now the streets are being narrowed for the cyclists. Does that mean cyclists will have to bike in the new bike lanes or is that still an option?
Macabre Sunset
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 12:55 p.m.
Sorry, Duane, this is federal stimulus money. Which means that legally, it cannot go to any project that might stimulate the economy.
Bob Heinold
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 12:53 p.m.
Why give these cyclists so much when they do so little for the civic good. Today as I approached a pedestrian crossing, a cyclist on the road decided he didn't want to stop for the stop sign at the intersection; so he jumps on to the sidewalk and into the pedestrian crossing. This may be legal but it's pushing it..and makes it hard for driver to predict what a cyclist is going to do. Last week at the intersection of Ann Arbor-Saline and South Main, I get the green left turn arrow to head down South Main. A cyclist on the road coming the other way had the red light. She started through it to continue toward downtown as I turned and actually hollered at me. I can cite more experiences. The city is giving too much to yuppies who no doubt have graduate degrees in arrogance and who have contempt for laws. -H.R. Heinold
rco
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 12:51 p.m.
The "lane" that they're adding on Hill is comical. Picture here http://yfrog.com/6lpxruj. My suspicion is that the green lines above are all like that, and that the
Duane Collicott
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 12:50 p.m.
Stadium bridge?
nonyo
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 12:44 p.m.
@Macabre - I have no problem with the police cracking down on cyclists, as long as there is a simultaneous crack down on motorized traffic. Every time a motorized vehicle exceeds the posted speed limit, ticket. Every time a vehicle makes a right turn on red without coming to a complete stop first, ticket. Every time a vehicle rolls a stop sign, ticket. Lane change without signaling? You guessed it, ticket! Equal enforcement for all. While we are at it, get rid of the 'smart' lights that don't detect a bicycle, put them all on timers, or better yet, amend the law for cyclists, stop at red, yield at stop.
Macabre Sunset
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 12:32 p.m.
Now if only police would ticket the bike riders who habitually run red lights and stop signs, cyclists might have the sense of equality they seem to crave.
Ken
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 12:30 p.m.
I wish we could have bike lanes along major routes into and out of the City center. That would at least provide some encouragement to use your bike for commuting. We still have too many bike lanes to no where. Maybe I'm missing something but I don't see much point in interconnecting lanes along all the streets that make up the central downtown. Seems like this just adds to congestion and inhibits automobile traffic flow in an area already well populated with pedestrians and cars. The City of Napierville has an entire plan for implementing Bike paths and lanes (http://www.naperville.il.us/bip.aspx). Do we have such a plan? Who does decide where these paths go??
uawisok
Thu, Aug 12, 2010 : 11:47 a.m.
Good to hear they are adding more bicycle lanes, now if we could stop UPS and every lawn service, snow removal and any commercial truck/van that wants to double park from using those bike lanes that would be great. I wish I had a dollar for everyone I had to go around I could us that money to buy a electric car!!