Elm Street Cycle Track?
Last year, in their Downtown Bicycle and Pedestrian Gap Analysis (http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/TrafficParking/pdfs/GapAnalysis2009.pdf), Nelson\Nygaard Consultants recommended a physically separated bike lane—or cycle track—on Elm Street. How would you design such a facility? View a 3D mock-up of two potential designs here and offer your suggestions. Don't like it? Download Google SketchUp to your computer here: http://sketchup.google.com/ and then download my drawings here: http://www.box.net/shared/z8e1db4ssq and give it your best shot.
For cycle track design guidelines and best practices, see this document: http://www.nacto.org/downloads/cycletrack_lessons_learned.pdf
Gets Comments
It would be great if stuff like this went right into a work order.
Yes, making an official complete streets request would be very helpful, since that would get this project on the official record for the Aldermen to review each year. As the number of requests builds, and the number of projects actually completed stagnates, there should be more and more political support to expand the program.
It's important to document and track complete streets requests over time - otherwise it seems that city funding would just get distributed willy-nilly, instead of based on a priority system. Also having them document lets citizens prove that requests have been on the table for a long time.
I wish more folks would fill out the CS requests and document the top concerns in their neighborhood! I think the city may need to do some work to make them more accessible, and also encourage Aldermen to use them.
The city administrative departments seem to use SCF for certain quick-fix concerns, like graffiti, parks, potholes and bike rack requests. The bigger things like this don't ever seem to go into work orders, maybe because there isn't a source of funding available. But I think they still make a difference. One example: restoring library hours, which was one of the most popular issues recently, and which the Aldermen voted to incorporate in the budget last time I checked.
Brian, design 4 is gorgeous. Do we have to make this a "Complete streets request", even though the city replaced their 311 system with SeeClickFix?
Thanks Brian. That is a really helpful resource about cycle track design.
The city told a community group recently that they are still interested in the concept of a cycle track on Elm Street (it was promised in the Department's "Annual Report" goals, which go to the Board of Aldermen for last year and I think the year before too) but that they've run out of funding to do any planning work for it this year. It's too bad that the Department's "Annual Report" includes goals that have no reality of happening, but such is the situation with budget cuts.
Elm City Cycling will push for it next year. Please vote here and circulate this issue to help build support and get it to happen.
This provides plenty to think about:
http://nacto.org/cities-for-cycling/design-guide/intersection-treatments/cycle-track-intersection-approach/
Looks like I should go back and make a new drawing.
The ECC webpage on this issue now has a new URL: http://www.elmcitycycling.org/closethegaps/elmstreetdowntownr/
The new URL is because it is now part of a broader project to close gaps in bike routes across the city: http://www.elmcitycycling.org/closethegaps/
Alternative #4 would be fabulous, but I have no idea how realistic it is cost-wise for the city. Alternative #2 is also a great and may be a more realistic option if they can work out the snow renewal issues.