One of the Best Bike Lane Projects: 7-Line Project, increasing safety for Bicyclists and Pedestrians

Meeting Information

The point of the meeting

7-line project update

When

March 20, 2023, 5:30 P.M.-7:00 P.M.

Who was at the meeting

Attendance: there were 20 people at the meeting. However, the people below are on the list of agenda. Other people might be the citizens who are also interested in this topic.

Commissioners: Paul Ash, Ann Edmonds, Zach Huneck, Jaclyn Ray, Mitch Rice
Staff: Steve Cotter, Hank Duncan, Ryan Robling
Public: Bill Coulter, Greg Alexander, Eric Ost, Christine, Milne Computer, Ron
Brown, Mark Stosberg

Where the meeting took place

In-person and virtual hybrid meeting Council Chambers, Room #115

Topics: 7-line project

picture reference: peopleforbikes.org/news/the-best-new-u.s.-bike-lanes

Project background:

The project aims to construct a high comfort East West spine through the community for various active transportation modes, specifically for bicycles and pedestrians. The transportation plan specifies Seventh Street as the high comfort East-west facility, which was constructed and opened in 2021. During the project development phase, the city’s Parking Commission, Traffic Commission, and City Council reviewed an ordinance requiring code changes to traffic, which involved a significant reduction of on-street parking and the removal of stop signs on Seventh Street.

Project Impact:

The 7-Line project improved east-west multimodal accessibility and mobility.

picture reference: 7-line project, Andrew Cibor, city engineer March 20, 2023

picture reference: 7-line project, Andrew Cibor, city engineer March 20, 2023

Solutions:

The things that need to be improved for the 7-line project is that car-to-car crashes are increasing. People still used high speeds to drive on narrow roads.

The staff and engineers recommend putting the 5 stop signs back to those intersections.

A recommendation is to City Council to reinstall all-way stop control at the following intersections:

7th St & Morton St
7th St & Washington St
7th St & Lincoln St
7th St & Grant St
7th St & Dunn St

Conflicts:

Do we want to recommend support to the recommendation that all the stop signs need to be reinstalled?

Is it necessary to reinstall the stop signs, or can we use other signs in the intersection to achieve our goal?
Reinstalling the stop signs could also affect the flow of cyclists and hinder their experience. It’s important to consider this factor. Additionally, cyclists tend to ignore stop signs regardless of their presence.
Would it be more efficient to reinstall only one stop sign in the intersection with the highest number of car accidents instead of all five?
Is one year of data sufficient to make an informed decision on implementing this change?
Are there alternative methods to slow down the speed of cars besides stop signs? It’s important to consider the convenience of bicyclists who may find it frustrating to stop at every block.
It’s important to enforce proper behavior on the road. Currently, the majority of drivers exceed the speed limit of 20 mph, making it unsafe for other road users.
Prioritizing the 7-Line project for bicycles is important, and installing all five stop signs may not provide a smooth and user-friendly experience for cyclists.
Both cyclists and drivers struggle to navigate the roads safely. Reinstalling all five stop signs, especially on hills, could make it even more difficult for cyclists. It may be more practical to choose flatter routes.

Conclusion:

Vote: All vote No; the meeting doesn’t support the recommendation to put stop signs to reinstall.

Smart city technology opportunities can be utilized to address problems, conflicts/concerns.

Speed cameras

These cameras use technology to capture the speed of passing vehicles and automatically issue tickets to drivers who exceed the speed limit. Implementing speed cameras in a specific area can be an effective way to create awareness among drivers about their speed limit. Drivers aware of their speed may consciously choose to slow down when they approach the area with a speed camera installed. This not only helps reduce the speed of cars but also increases the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians.

In addition to reducing the speed of cars, speed cameras can also provide valuable data on traffic patterns and speeding behavior, which can be used to inform future urban planning decisions. This data can be used to identify areas with high speeding incidents and help determine the most effective measures to implement in those areas.

Washington, D.C., USA – The city has implemented a speed camera program with over 100 cameras in use to monitor speed limits in school zones and other high-risk areas.
Dubai, UAE – The city has implemented a network of speed cameras to monitor and enforce speed limits on highways and other major roads. The cameras also capture license plate numbers to assist with traffic enforcement.

The “woonerf” concept:
The other example is not about using technology to solve the problem, but I want to bring it out.

Amsterdam, Netherlands – The “woonerf” concept implemented in Amsterdam is a type of street design that prioritizes the safety and comfort of pedestrians and cyclists over cars. It involves creating shared spaces for cars and bikes, where drivers are required to slow down and give priority to pedestrians and cyclists. The speed limit is reduced to 15 km/h (9.3 mph) or 30 km/h (18.6 mph), depending on the street. It also includes other features such as calming traffic measures, such as speed bumps, chicanes, and raised intersections, which force drivers to slow down and pay more attention to their surroundings.

A picture of myself at the meeting

By the way: I am Teresa in the pictures.

Reflection:

Attending a city meeting and observing people express their opinions on various topics was an intriguing experience. This led me to ponder co-design concepts where designers invite stakeholders to participate in workshops. While the final decision may not incorporate all their ideas, it provides invaluable insights. It is commendable to prioritize the needs of pedestrians and bicyclists in the 7-line project from a user perspective. Hence, it is not surprising that people were against putting the stop signs back. This approach can lead to more inclusive and user-friendly designs that cater to the needs of different stakeholders. Co-design concepts allow designers to understand the challenges faced by different groups, leading to more effective solutions.