Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Boston Debuts "Sharrows On Steroids"


From Boston.com -- A new set of street markings on Allston’s Brighton Avenue aren’t simply an errant set of dashes installed by city staff with extra paint - they’re part of a national experiment to test innovative bike facilities.

I first noticed the markings last week while driving through Allston Village. Running down the right-hand lanes on both sides of Brighton Avenue are bike-priority icons, known as “sharrows” in cyclist parlance, hugged by two sets of dashed lines along either side that make the lane look more like an airport runway.

My first thought: Sharrows on steroids!

And Boston bike czar Nicole Freedman said that’s exactly what they are. (Well, except that the former Olympic cyclist wasn’t too happy about the doping analogy.) Officially, the markings have a more dignified name: Priority shared-lane markings.

Sharrows, or shared lane markings, indicate that cars must share the lane with cyclists. Transportation officials use them on roads when there’s no space, money, or political will to section off pavement for bike lanes. For that reason, the sharrows are often viewed in bike circles as low-hanging fruit: The wimpiest, least ambitious method of asserting space for people who ride bikes.

But when it came to Brighton Avenue, a road that is well-traveled by cyclists but too narrow for bike-only facilities, Freedman and her staff brainstormed if there was a way to beef up the garden-variety sharrow.  [keep reading]

Poster's note: Sharrows and "Bicycles May Use Full Lane" signs have enhanced safety on Newark's Main Street. However, according to comments on the Newark Bike Project's facebook page, bicyclists are still being harassed by motorists while legitimately taking the lane. Perhaps a more aggressive approach, and/or better enforcement is needed?

1 comment:

  1. A new set of street markings on Allston’s Brighton Avenue aren’t simply an errant set of dashes installed by city staff with extra paint - they’re part of a national experiment to test innovative bike facilities. human growth hormone facts

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