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1) You can put a bike lane on firetower and easily relieve traffic thus doing the opposite of "taking away from motorists". The roads are there for transportation, not just motorized transport. Reducing traffic would allow for a much safer and faster commute. The last eastern part of Firetower before the round-a-bout needs to widened to make the rest of Firetower anyways. The traffic on that road is dangerou in a car let alone a bike. Plus people have to stop and wait for vehicles to turn left there on a regular basis and no one complains about "taking away from motorist". Slowing down and increasing commute time for 10-30 seconds is hardly taking away from motorists any more that stopped for a car turning. Puting up bike lanes prevents this from happening. They have a few inches less in the lane but there is still likely more than enough room for everyone. The reality is the roads should be completely redone to fix the asinine middle turn lane shenanigans that is dangerous for motorist. I know that won't happen so compressing the lanes a bit by redoing the paint to allow a lane for cyclists would help to alleviate the traffic issues that clearly will not be fixed by added real turn lanes to replace the middle turn lane.
2. Evans needs to be and by my understanding is planning on being expanded to two lanes from firetower to greenville. Why not add the bike lane then. THere is no way they'll actually be rid of the middle turn lane and put in actually side turning lanes so adding a bike lane helps to reduce the traffic pressure which will surely be increased and overbearing in a short period even after the expansion. There is a "bicycle" sign placed on the northern side of Evans but it's insane to think that it even helps or that it's safe for bikes there. The line only serves to give people a guide to prevent them from coming within 2 feet of the cyclist as the law in NC states they should. The problem is that the law is NEVER and I mean NEVER enforced and even if it was you would never be able to hand out enough traffic tickets to improve the problem. This is why some type of painted lane is necessary.
3. Parts of 10th street would also be a great place for a cycling lane.
4. Another problem and that requires this lane is that there are essentially no connecting back roads. While I live in Dallas you could go almost anywhere because the entire DFW are was laid out in a grid pattern. If a road was too busy, like Greenville Blvd or S. Memorial, you ride a different parallel or near parallel road. That is not possible in Greenville. It's either or major thoroughfare or it's residential. So at least some of the higher traffic roads needs cycling lanes.
5. Thank you for the info about FROGGS. I don't really understand how they can put "pressure" on the expansion of the greenway. I've meet other cyclist in the area that were part of committees (not sure if it was FROGGS) that meet with city council and the general consensus was that any time requests or support for cycling lanes was voiced, the response was always the same; there's no money for it.
I will definitely be getting more involved with FROGGS. My biggest concern looking at the website is that they are really only supporting more "winnable" projects geared toward trails for recreation and not commuting but I'll see what I can do to help change that.
^ I don't know but the building looks like it's getting close...it looks nice.
I drove through uptown at lunch & honestly, I underestimated how different it will feel in the area once all these construction projects are complete. The parking deck is moving at a rapid pace & will look nice based on what is up already. Really a transformation going on down there. Still hoping they can lure a hotel once the parking deck is there, that will be huge.
1) You can put a bike lane on firetower and easily relieve traffic thus doing the opposite of "taking away from motorists". The roads are there for transportation, not just motorized transport. Reducing traffic would allow for a much safer and faster commute. The last eastern part of Firetower before the round-a-bout needs to widened to make the rest of Firetower anyways. The traffic on that road is dangerou in a car let alone a bike. Plus people have to stop and wait for vehicles to turn left there on a regular basis and no one complains about "taking away from motorist". Slowing down and increasing commute time for 10-30 seconds is hardly taking away from motorists any more that stopped for a car turning. Puting up bike lanes prevents this from happening. They have a few inches less in the lane but there is still likely more than enough room for everyone. The reality is the roads should be completely redone to fix the asinine middle turn lane shenanigans that is dangerous for motorist. I know that won't happen so compressing the lanes a bit by redoing the paint to allow a lane for cyclists would help to alleviate the traffic issues that clearly will not be fixed by added real turn lanes to replace the middle turn lane.
2. Evans needs to be and by my understanding is planning on being expanded to two lanes from firetower to greenville. Why not add the bike lane then. THere is no way they'll actually be rid of the middle turn lane and put in actually side turning lanes so adding a bike lane helps to reduce the traffic pressure which will surely be increased and overbearing in a short period even after the expansion. There is a "bicycle" sign placed on the northern side of Evans but it's insane to think that it even helps or that it's safe for bikes there. The line only serves to give people a guide to prevent them from coming within 2 feet of the cyclist as the law in NC states they should. The problem is that the law is NEVER and I mean NEVER enforced and even if it was you would never be able to hand out enough traffic tickets to improve the problem. This is why some type of painted lane is necessary.
3. Parts of 10th street would also be a great place for a cycling lane.
4. Another problem and that requires this lane is that there are essentially no connecting back roads. While I live in Dallas you could go almost anywhere because the entire DFW are was laid out in a grid pattern. If a road was too busy, like Greenville Blvd or S. Memorial, you ride a different parallel or near parallel road. That is not possible in Greenville. It's either or major thoroughfare or it's residential. So at least some of the higher traffic roads needs cycling lanes.
5. Thank you for the info about FROGGS. I don't really understand how they can put "pressure" on the expansion of the greenway. I've meet other cyclist in the area that were part of committees (not sure if it was FROGGS) that meet with city council and the general consensus was that any time requests or support for cycling lanes was voiced, the response was always the same; there's no money for it.
I will definitely be getting more involved with FROGGS. My biggest concern looking at the website is that they are really only supporting more "winnable" projects geared toward trails for recreation and not commuting but I'll see what I can do to help change that.
NCDOT had a public meeting regarding the widening of Evans/Old Tar last November. A report was distributed earlier this year which showed the comments made by residents in neighborhoods around that area. You wouldn't be happy with the comments... 90% of residents in neighborhoods like Lynndale, South Hall, Treetops, and others were confused as to why one would even bike on a road like Evans and were not in favor of including bike lanes in the plans. I for one don't understand why you would be against bike lanes if you live in a neighborhood that they would be adjacent to.
I am not sure if Vidant can legally fund a project like that. Plus if you believe the reports about their revenue falling, they don't have excess capital laying around. Lastly, I would HOPE they would help fund ECU Health Sciences projects (new buildings etc.) before something like this.
Actually I went back and looked and it was Blue Cross/Blue Shield that provided about 500K toward the Wilmington Cross City Trail. Maybe Vidant can't, but maybe someone at Vidant can find someone that would.
NCDOT had a public meeting regarding the widening of Evans/Old Tar last November. A report was distributed earlier this year which showed the comments made by residents in neighborhoods around that area. You wouldn't be happy with the comments... 90% of residents in neighborhoods like Lynndale, South Hall, Treetops, and others were confused as to why one would even bike on a road like Evans and were not in favor of including bike lanes in the plans. I for one don't understand why you would be against bike lanes if you live in a neighborhood that they would be adjacent to.
In my opinion - and I have held back because I don't want the thread to turn into a debate rather than informational - I personally find bicycles to be a hindrance to traffic and I don't understand either why someone would want to ride on busy roads like that. If a bicycle lane takes away a vehicle travel lane, that slows things down. It doesn't help. If you are a fitness buff and like riding, I think that's great, but do it in neighborhoods where there's limited vehicle traffic and already a slow speed limit.
This is every picture I've posted. You can really see the progress.
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