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I volunteer on a Raleigh board/commission and we’re working on updating the city’s long range bike plan (and looking into installing more protected bike lanes or side paths/multi-use paths).
What’s on your wish list for bicycle projects in the near future in Raleigh? Or are there any general connections that you wish were easier or available? (Bonus if you can think of anything that wouldn’t require right of way acquisition or major construction that can be implemented in the near future!).
I'm not sure what qualifies as major construction, but in general, Raleigh needs to better connect it's bike lanes and trails to make them more functional. Bike lanes are often kind of an afterthought and often tend to disappear at busy intersections and turn lanes.
My preference is for more bike lanes separate from car traffic.
My dream would be to just copy and paste what the Dutch do. It really requires a holistic approach to transportation beyond just some bike lanes and sharrows. However, I'm grateful for anything that we can get.
This is something that I'm very interested in though and would be happy to have a conversation about.
Last edited by FaustoCoppi; 08-13-2020 at 08:07 AM..
Reason: Removed extra spaces
I'm not sure what qualifies as major construction, but in general, Raleigh needs to better connect it's bike lanes and trails to make them more functional. Bike lanes are often kind of an afterthought and often tend to disappear at busy intersections and turn lanes.
My preference is for more bike lanes separate from car traffic.
My dream would be to just copy and paste what the Dutch do. It really requires a holistic approach to transportation beyond just some bike lanes and sharrows. However, I'm grateful for anything that we can get.
This is something that I'm very interested in though and would be happy to have a conversation about.
Not just in the Raleigh area, I've had more bike lanes just disappear than I can count. It's just stupid in my opinion to have a bike lane, then NOT have one. Either continue it or don't designate it in the first place.
I've come across a bridge with a bike lane and then unceremoniously been dumped into dangerous traffic with no recourse.
I'm not sure what qualifies as major construction, but in general, Raleigh needs to better connect it's bike lanes and trails to make them more functional. Bike lanes are often kind of an afterthought and often tend to disappear at busy intersections and turn lanes.
My preference is for more bike lanes separate from car traffic.
My dream would be to just copy and paste what the Dutch do. It really requires a holistic approach to transportation beyond just some bike lanes and sharrows. However, I'm grateful for anything that we can get.
This is something that I'm very interested in though and would be happy to have a conversation about.
I think one thing that city staff is really keying in is making sure that any updated bike plan focuses on creating actual corridors and connections so that both ends of a continuous bicycle facility ends in either a key destination or connects to another segment of the bicycle network (or will shortly).
And we are definitely prioritizing buffered/protected bike lanes or multi-use paths to reduce conflicts between bicycles and vehicles. (aside from neighborhood streets which will likely still be mostly sharrow/striped bike lanes mostly)
I guess my question is - are there any connections/major corridor gaps that you personally see that you wish were filled in and available?
I think one thing that city staff is really keying in is making sure that any updated bike plan focuses on creating actual corridors and connections so that both ends of a continuous bicycle facility ends in either a key destination or connects to another segment of the bicycle network (or will shortly).
And we are definitely prioritizing buffered/protected bike lanes or multi-use paths to reduce conflicts between bicycles and vehicles. (aside from neighborhood streets which will likely still be mostly sharrow/striped bike lanes mostly)
I guess my question is - are there any connections/major corridor gaps that you personally see that you wish were filled in and available?
I'm glad to hear all of that.
Regarding the connections and not to be flippant but... all of them. Seriously, There are so many that just start and die off somewhere.
Selfishly, I want safe connections from north of 540 and Falls of Neuse into downtown. This can be done by providing connections from Falls Dam to Honeycutt (you now have to ride along Ravens Ridge with not even a shoulder and wind through the neighborhoods, then cross busy Durant). Also, better connections between Honeycutt and the East Fork Mine Greenway (I know it's not in your purview, but the dirt section needs to be paved).
Again, I realize I'm talking about greenways here, but I'm hoping you can help with the on-road connections between them.
Speaking of the places in between, better signage for the on-road bits between greenway connections would help too. For example, there's a spot off of the Crabtree trail that just dumps you into a neighborhood (actually turns into dirt single track that dead ends) and it's not clear how to link up to the next paved section. Great place for bike lanes. Another example are the neighborhoods just south of Strickland. I can never find my way to the path in there. Also, the area near the intersection of Six Forks and Newton Rd that's part of the East Fork Mine trail is pretty sketchy.
Avoid routing people onto major road arteries unless it's separated from traffic. That's just nuts. E.g., the short stretch of bike lane on Glenwood heading towards Crabtree that just disappears, going from nowhere to nowhere. In general, if it's a fast four lane road, don't try and stick a bike lane in the shoulder. Another example, routing people onto Durant between Simms Creek and Abbotts Creek.
Moving forward, I think the best thing Raleigh can do though is work to incorporate infrastructure into all the new developments popping up. Ensure that there are safe and continuous paths into local shopping centers from housing. Think Dutch in the approach. Dedicated paths, continuous sidewalks, and fewer spread out development islands surrounded by oceans of concrete.
Last edited by FaustoCoppi; 08-13-2020 at 10:08 AM..
Reason: Clarification, wording
I'm not sure what qualifies as major construction, but in general, Raleigh needs to better connect it's bike lanes and trails to make them more functional. Bike lanes are often kind of an afterthought and often tend to disappear at busy intersections and turn lanes.
My preference is for more bike lanes separate from car traffic.
My dream would be to just copy and paste what the Dutch do. It really requires a holistic approach to transportation beyond just some bike lanes and sharrows. However, I'm grateful for anything that we can get.
This is something that I'm very interested in though and would be happy to have a conversation about.
This 100%. I am in Durham and am really hoping this is going to happen here as well. I think we need to go beyond "city core is bike-able" idea. We need bike lanes that are extensive and connect three Triangle cities + RTP together. I should be able to hop on the dedicated bike lane that is safe and separate from car traffic along 15-501 and ride my bike all the way to Chapel Hill from Durham. Why can't we use the plans they had for light rail, re-purpose them and create bike-centered city? That bike lane should also connect Durham to Raleigh, or at least these bike lanes should be able to get us to a large Park-n-Ride type of places where you can lock up your bike, hop on the fast bus and get where you need to get quickly. That's the future really.
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