This is an even bigger coup for Bethlehem. I've never hesitated to criticize Mayor Willie Reynolds, but he and his staff should be commended for snagging this grant money while Easton argues about the Israeli invasion of Gaza and Allentown keeps trying to defund the police.
According to studies summarized in People for Bikes, which is obviously a tad biased, protected bike lanes substantially reduce both cycling and pedestrian injuries. They are reported to increase retail sales, nearby property values and even make motorists feel more comfortable. Moreover, people who might be reluctant to cycle on roads embrace protected bike lanes.
As nice as this sounds, there are also studies concluding that these bike lanes are actually unsafe, increasing the likelihood of a crash by between 117 and 400 per cent. The problem is that drivers do not look for or see cyclists in the dedicated lane and will turn right into them if turning at an intersection or into the parking lot of a business. Cyclists in turn are lulled into a false sense of security and are less likely to be vigilant.
I do a lot of cycling and walking. I've ridden on a few of these dedicated bike lanes in Philly and dislike my own experience. For one thing, motorists tend to ignore bike lanes and will both drive and park in them. I feel safest when I'm on the road, hugging as much of the right side of the road as I can (without smacking into someone opening a car door). I try to be highly visible and can usually stop or swerve if a car suddenly pulls in front of me, That's one advantage of being slow. To be honest, I make more mistakes than drivers, and they are mostly very courteous. So I'm unsure whether a dedicated bike lane is really needed, but am interested in what you think. My own experience is very limited.
While dubious about enhanced bike lanes, I'm all for enhanced crosswalks and wider sidewalks. I actually walk more than I cycle (in terms of time), and can attest that drivers simply do not see pedestrians. My only issue with wider sidewalks is that they should be permeable pavements with more trees to reduce city temperatures on hot summer days.
I''ll also agree that we should do everything we can to encourage mass transit.
38 comments:
Another $10 million down the toilet. Repave some roads or replace a worn out bridge.
I wouldn’t doubt that at all. Mixing moving vehicles with pedestrians on wheels is an increased risk. I predicted that’s what we have here on College Hill ,Easton , will end up being an unintended hazard - the newly developed “bump outs” are intended to help the little darling access for crossing Cattell street easier . I say that the college age students will assume they are safe standing essentially in the traffic lanes , many looking at their phones and not watching the traffic.,thus reversing safety effect. Traffic here at times is comprised of social habits developed from Patterson, New Brunswick, Long Island and the Tax refugees are
far from pedestrian precautionary driving habits, and unfriendly , combined with continuous “ near misses “by operators. Every day I observe commuter traffic running through red lights , do you think they yield to pedestrians, not very much. Riding a bicycle is worse.
Its a real good idea in my opinion. West Broad Street goes through a very livable, mostly residential area, there's no reason for the street to be so wide with such high traffic speeds. Younger people who are more likely than their parents to seek out good quality urban neighborhoods, will be drawn to West Bethlehem even more once W. Broad Street is reduced to an appropriate residential scale. Imagine, safely riding your bike just 5 minutes into downtown Bethlehem or 10 minutes to South Bethlehem. I'd much rather see money be put into a sustainability project like this one, than new highway construction in the suburbs (i.e. 222 bypass) that only exacerbate the suburban sprawl.
They should divide that money between all the residents and just give them a check.
Vanity spending for wypipo
I've had my bike on W. Broad dozens of times and the street is so wide, I've never felt unsafe sharing the road with motorists. If I had to choose, I'd probably prefer not to have dedicated bike lanes, but I do feel that W, Broad St. will function better for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians once the street is narrowed, speeds reduced and bike lanes dedicated. I'd love to see some pedestrian amenities created with the extra space generated by the reduced street width, maybe similar to those along Amsterdam, Columbus and Broadway avenues in the Upper West Side (i.e, benches, flower beds etc..). The W. Broad St. corridor into downtown certainly is nice and will surely be better.
You're right Bernie. Think about what this ten million dollars might accomplish if we would apply it to promoting "rail service" between Allentown, Bethlehem, Hellertown, on to Philadelphia? I know it would be a drop in the bucket for what would be needed to accomplish this goal but it would be a start. Lehigh and Northampton County chose to halt rail service to Philadelphia. At the time, it would have been cheaper for them to purchase a luxury automobile for all the users of the rail service to Philadelphia than it was to fund the financial demands of "SEPTA" for continuing the service to the Lehigh Valley. All the rails were removed and the railroad beds still remain. Today, it is known as the "Rails to Trails" program.
The legislature never created a bike lane. they try and try but never passes. nothing illegal about parking in one. Maybe one day
A protected bike lane and dedicated bike lane are not the same thing. Protected bike lanes separate bikes from traffic but cost a little more to build. Either way, I wish Allentown was going after grants like this and the Lehigh Valley planning commission was dedicating real money toward more of this.
Many cities much smaller than ours began building out this infrastructure years ago. The “Sharrows” painted on some Allentown streets 10+ years ago were a failure.
Let's just define terms. There is no such thing as a "grant." It is *always* money seized from one group and given to another. It may produce some benefit, or it may not, but it doesn't fall from the sky.
You rode on bike lanes in Philly? How did you make it out without getting mugged or shot? We know in DC your bike was stolen which is par for the course in that city.
wee willie had nothing to do with this. Someone in C&ED got this grant. willie just takes credit; it will be on his next campaign flyer. Hopefully the money will be well spent. Broad street can be very dangerous.
This is a terrible idea Bethlehem had bike lanes a while back and it was disaster...cyclist are to obey all traffic signals and signage but they think they are special, I have seen this first hand when driving where an idiot on a bicycle just rides thru a stop sign or traffic signal, they need to ride on sidewalks and be safe, the law is total bullshit and if you ride and get hit you certainly deserve to get hit at not cost to the driver of vehicle......
If you’ve been in NYC, Boston and big cities in Europe you know how much of pain these lanes are. Cyclists and pedestrians are constantly getting hit or near misses are occurring because people to don’t pay attention or just aren’t familiar and cyclists often feel entitled. This is just another woke move to appease a small group in society. People often joke that bicycles have been screwing up the roads for over a hundred years, but I say share the road, we don’t need special lanes to do that. The mayor and city council should spent less on this crap and more cutting expenses instead of passing taxes under the guise of recycling fees and storm water.
Well said all around.
9:45, I've never ridden in NYC, Boston and have never been to Europe. I am concerned about the perception that this is "another woke move to appease a small group in society." I agree that there are very few cyclists, pedestrians or mass transit users compared to the overall population. With the advent of ebikes, the number of cyclists has increased. But let me assure you that many cyclists do not consider themselves "woke." They come from all segments. I see plenty of old farts. There are people who really have no other means of getting around. There are people like myself who really do it because they love it. If more of us cycle and use mass transit or walk, that should make life easier for motorists. I am not sure about the bike lanes but like the idea of improving road crossings, making the street more narrow and enhancing mass transit infrastructure.
9:42, Speaking for myself and most of the cyclists i know, I stop at every red light and obey the rules of the road except at stop signs. If I am going up or down a hill with a stop sign, it is hard to come to a complete stop, so I basically do a quick stop to make sure that I can cross safely. I try very hard to stay to the right. If there are parked cars, I will be more to the center in case a car door opens suddenly. I avoid making sudden moves. If in a group, a person at the rear will shout "car back" if a car is approaching from behind. That is a signal to get in single file and not hog the road. I know some cyclists will hog the road and that is wrong and makes us all look entitled. Riding on a sidewalk is far more dangerous than on a street. There are many more obstacles and surface impediments and it is dangerous for pedestrians. In some jurisdictions, it is illegal. If I ride and get hit, believe me it is far more consequential to me than it is to you. Try not to be so hateful.
My law office has been at 133 East Broad Street for almost thirty years. The Broad Street corridor (both East and West Broad Streets) would benefit from replanning and redesign of some of its outdated and less desirable features, especially physical modification to convert it from a major roadway to a more relaxed street. There are plenty of restaurants and small businesses, but the environment of Broad Street is more about traffic and noise than sidewalk cafe.
Broad Street is, quite literally, a broad, wide street because trolley tracks ran down the middle of it until about sixty years ago. It has since functioned as a major east-west connector road in the City; traffic has increased since the elimination of the pedestrian mall between Main and New Streets. Traffic, including large trucks, moves along at 30-40 mph and sometimes faster, which can make it hazardous for pedestrians and bicyclists.
The City did a study several years ago, which I was involved in as a Broad Street business owner, but this is the first time I've heard of any steps being taken toward some of the planning and engineering ideas that came up in the study, which included traffic control features, bike lanes, lane reductions (there really isn't supposed to be a passing lane), crosswalk bump-outs and lights, and a tree-lined median strip continuing from New Street to Linden Street.
I think the bike lane is a great idea and am all in favor of using taxpayer money to actually improve our municipal infrastructure, especially the street I see every day looking out my office window. Trees, pedestrians, and bicycles would be a major improvement over heavy traffic and trucks. Also, please note that I am as far from woke as it gets.
I'd love a bike trail improvement and expansion for road bike tires.
Government wasting our money again --We are doomed with politicians running the show.
You ever leave the big city of Nazareth ?
Bernie, I rode my 10 speed touring bike everywhere in Bethlehem a long time ago while I was a student at Moravian College. I felt safe and obeyed the traffic laws. But today, with so many vehicle drivers distracted or just plain aggressive, I stay off the streets and go to biking trails. One of my cousins was killed on his motorcycle many years ago by someone who ran a stop sign. If they couldn't see a motorcycle approaching, they'll never see a cyclist.
This all being said, the big deal about this federal grant is pedestrian safety in my opinion. Pulling out of one of the 'Avenues' onto West Broad Street in a car can be challenging given the rate of vehicular speed on Broad Street, so crossing as a pedestrian must be really difficult at times.
On one of my early trips to London with its many wider roads, pedestrian islands in the middle of those wider roads gave pedestrians a safe haven as they crossed. Heavy iron railings protected those pedestrians while they waited to cross the second half of the avenue.
The late City Councilman Mike Schweder liked to remind me that these 'grants' were public funds, not a gift from elected officials. So, people are benefiting from the reallocation of our very own taxes as a result.
In the end, if pedestrians are made safer by the use of this funding, I think it's a very good investment. But, when you see politicians taking credit for it, it's little wonder people become jaded. The public who provide input and planners/engineers who analyze it are the ones who deserve the credit.
I loved riding my bike. I'm no longer young but younger than Bernie and the tractor trailers have taken over the roads. No longer safe for bicyclists.
I think this is an ambitious project that will struggle to meet a timely construction schedule. However, once complete people will appreciate it and utilize it. Compared with the bicycle bridge proposal from a couple years back this one is a slam dunk. I will be very surprised if they make it all the way to Stefko while keeping to the budget. Count me as skeptical, but optimistic. I wish the city success.
mccraken, the project starts on West Broad and goes to the Allentown border. It does not apply to East Broad.
Ah, I misunderstood. Well, this is really going to turn screws in Allentown if they do it well.
For about the same price (and about 1/3 the funds are already available), the connection between the Saucon Rail Trail and the South Bethlehem Greenway will be built. It’s in the planning stage. The railroad is the sticking point. The two projects compliment one another as a “both/and” for the city and region.
John Marquette
mccracken, I was not clear enough.
"No longer safe for bicyclists."
If that's how you feel, best to stay off the roads. People who are nervous make mistakes. Before I began riding roads regularly, I underwent a training course from the late Steve Schmidt, who took me across the Fahy bridge and through all kinds of traffic. Also, years ago, people in cars would swerve at me or yell at me to get off the road. But times have changed. Yes, there are a lot more tractor trailers. But motorists are far more courteous.
". But today, with so many vehicle drivers distracted or just plain aggressive, I stay off the streets and go to biking trails. One of my cousins was killed on his motorcycle many years ago by someone who ran a stop sign. If they couldn't see a motorcycle approaching, they'll never see a cyclist."
Dana, I refer to my comment above. If you feel unsafe, don't do it. But I can say drivers are far more courteous now than they were 10 years ago. I'm sorry about your cousin. Motorcycles are moving at a much higher rate of speed than a bike. I have had people pull out in front of me, but have always been able to react. My main road bikes are rim brakes. If you have disc brakes, you don't need as much room to stop.
I ride a lot with my grandson. He was uncomfortable on roads until we went to Philly for the Philly Bike ride. We rode to and from the course on Philly streets. He now seems to like it a lot more.
As Steve Schmidt often would tell me, the problem with trails is that they are not engineered. You don't see things as well as you do on the road. Don't get me wrong. I love the trails, too. I prefer them, but will take my bike for trips into Bethlehem or the grocer or the courthouse.
Lots of times, I head to the courthouse for a commute and then just keep going. I do not want work to interfere with a perfectly good bike ride, lol.
" the connection between the Saucon Rail Trail and the South Bethlehem Greenway will be built. It’s in the planning stage. The railroad is the sticking point. "
A few weeks ago, I did a night ride with the guys from Action Wheels. We were able to connect from the greenway to the Saucon Rail Trail, but part of our journey was on grass, then gravel, Saucon Park, a road alongside a nearby development and a rock trail for about 1/4 mile. We did this in the dark so I'm unable to be more specific. It was nuts, but lots of fun.
"I'd love a bike trail improvement and expansion for road bike tires."
Get an endurance bike. The tires are a bit wider and can handle the trails and the bikes are as fast as any road bike. Trek Domane or Cannondale Synapse are two that come to mind. A gravel bike does the trick, too.
Guess it's time to consider that. Tx!!!
Where will all the traffic go when West Broad Street is narrowed with bike lanes and bump outs for pedestrians? This project will increase traffic in the west Bethlehem residential area of Elliott Height. Market Street, 13th Avenue, West Lehigh Street to Southside Bethlehem. Sound familiar? We see the speeds and disregard for stop signs, children crossing enroute to schools and parks now. Imagine the increased traffic in a neighborhood rather than on Broad Street which is a wider more direct route to go from Allentown through Bethlehem. This project may make Broad Street safer but crossing Market Street, 13th Avenue and any other street in a quiet neighborhood will be impacted horribly. Cars speed down our neighborhood streets now. Wait until they do this project. How about using some of the funding for speed bumps and enforcement efforts.
Remember when Wee Wee Willie took all credit when wanting to oust churches for a homeless shelter? I do.
Maybe start actually repairing or replacing broken storm sewer pipes. Do not forget the storm sewer fee 'tax' that was imposed on the residents. Two guys sucking leaves and debris out of storm grates does not equate to our fees.
There's a real nice and scenic trail on the north side of the Lehigh River in Bethlehem. Urban bike lanes are more trouble than they are worth and the safety issues are myriad. Bikers and drivers are both guilty of such. Get your tail on the D&L if you want to bike.
8:01 you are spot on. Cars already are cutting to the Southside on 13 Ave. and race down 13th with out stopping. Why are we spending all this money on bike lanes which just makes it more dangerous.
Give the $10M to LCA and Klines Island. At least the millionz will be used to clean S up. Everyone that flushes to LCA will benefit.
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