Tx-Dot Has Big Plans for Montana Avenue (San Antonio, Austin: insurance, school)

[Ms Kitty 98]

Montana Avenue will be getting one new lane in each direction from Loop 375 to Yarbrough Drive along with new side walk and "Bike Lanes"' I don't know about those bike lanes for a Highway that has a maximum speed limit of 55 MPH ??? surely there are going to be scores of bicycle fatalities going in both directions.

Tx-DOT has big plans for Montana Avenue | www.kfoxtv.com

Back in the late 1980's the city wanted to make Montana Avenue a double deck freeway but those plans were dropped; However East El Paso has gotten pretty big over the past 25 years, so this is as good as it gets.

[kidicarus89]

It's a good thing they never went with the double-decker concept. Cities are finding that building those monstrosities cost more to build and maintain than they are worth, they destroy any identity of the surrounding area and end up creating more traffic than alleviating. Some places are even starting to bulldoze older freeways that aren't used as much anymore to save money.

As for the bike lanes, I myself would be a little afraid to use them, but they are needed, because there are lots of cyclists using Montana during the weekend.

[Ms Kitty 98]

You sure right about that Kidicarus, I recall the Cypress Freeway in Oakland and the Embarcadero and Central Freeway in San Francisco during the Loma Prieta Earthquake; The Cypress freeway collapse crushing several motorist beneath it.
But once they bulldoze the Embarcadero and the Central freeway the San Francisco Skyline had a even more spectacular view, all three freeways were double deck. As for the bike lanes on Montana Avenue??? some people in El Paso can't drive worth a damn! I wonder how they ever got their drivers license.

[texascycling]

This is great news for El Paso. Especially the bike lanes part. I've rode and raced bikes for the better part of a decade in both Austin and San Antonio on roads with 55 MPH-70 MPH speed limits...some even with abysmal shoulders, or none at all (timing is key), and have had no issues. Then again, people are generally used to knowing to expect cyclists on said roads. This is a win/win for El Paso in that regard

[Ms Kitty 98]

El Paso is not Austin or San Antonio so things are a little bit more dangerous here! you can't even change a flat tire along side the freeway without getting side swept and put into a body bag. Drunk Drivers are a major cause for traffic fatalities, every time a pedestrian or bicyclist or motorist gets killed or injured! it involves a drunk driver.

[texascycling]

Oh I know-I've lived in El Paso, and I know your points are valid! However, things like that can happen anywhere. In San Antonio in the past month, a six year old boy was hit riding his bike on the sidewalk by a 17 year old kid who was drunk and on a cell phone. Unfortunately the world isn't immune to idiocy as we all know, and being on a bike is really scary when you think about you're just having to trust the drivers around you to not be total fools!

[atrabilius]

I bet they end up making Montana a freeway after all, as far west as Airway, eventually, and maybe Airway and Airport from I-10 north to the Liberty Expressway as well.

[kidicarus89]

Originally Posted by texascycling

Oh I know-I've lived in El Paso, and I know your points are valid! However, things like that can happen anywhere. In San Antonio in the past month, a six year old boy was hit riding his bike on the sidewalk by a 17 year old kid who was drunk and on a cell phone. Unfortunately the world isn't immune to idiocy as we all know, and being on a bike is really scary when you think about you're just having to trust the drivers around you to not be total fools!

Yeah I think its more a problem of how our roads are designed that makes road cycling scary. They need to do something about Mesa Street because it is no fun riding your bike there without fearing being splattered on the asphalt.

[Ms Kitty 98]

Mesa Street is pretty dangerous as is! it has a speed limit on some parts of 55 MPH and in School Zones it drops to 40 MPH!
it makes no sense.

[Robert Breton]

Originally Posted by Ms Kitty 98

You sure right about that Kidicarus, I recall the Cypress Freeway in Oakland and the Embarcadero and Central Freeway in San Francisco during the Loma Prieta Earthquake; The Cypress freeway collapse crushing several motorist beneath it.
But once they bulldoze the Embarcadero and the Central freeway the San Francisco Skyline had a even more spectacular view, all three freeways were double deck. As for the bike lanes on Montana Avenue??? some people in El Paso can't drive worth a damn! I wonder how they ever got their drivers license.

Your absolutely right about many of the morons that drive around El Paso. They still haven't mastered that small lever on the steering post called a turn signal indicator. I also believe many of these we encounter daily have no drivers license or insurance. The best thing El Paso could do is impound every vehicle that is stopped without insurance. What one needs to survive driving in El Paso is an eagle eye while driving and uninsured motorist insurance. The city is to lenient to the drivers her legally or not.