Not Blocking or Parking in Dedicated Bike Lanes
Response: RE: Not Blocking or Parking in Dedicated Bike Lanes (reply) (Still not supportive)
At MBPAC Discussion on Legislative Issues In discussing this issue:
Not Blocking or Parking in Dedicated Bike Lanes
In order to encourage use of designated bicycle lanes by bicyclists and to improve the safety of those dedicated lanes for bicyclists, Bike Maryland proposes that a state-wide statute be enacted to prohibit drivers from driving, stopping or parking in dedicated bicycle lanes.
I was surprised to learn that MBPAC's initial position is to not support this legislation as it can be done with signs like these:
I suggested that it would be cheaper to sign where parking is permitted (like never.) The counter argument was but "No Parking" signs are cheap, something like $40 each (assuming we already have a pole to hang them on, otherwise it is more like $200 a piece including labor.) Well lets look at that. By my estimate Baltimore Metro (just a small part of the State) needs minimally about 300 miles of bike lanes to truly have a bicycles as transportation network just in the urban designated areas. So let's do the math: 2 signs per block * 2 sides of the road * 10 blocks per mile (in the city that's a higher number) * 300 miles * $40 a sign = $480,000. (Can I round that up to a half a million?) Not to mention under the State's current policies they will not allow Federal funding for signs. Even SHA gave up marking shoulders as bike lanes because of the expense of signs.
My argument I presented at the meeting was: what about bike lanes next to parking like in Roland Park (Starbucks), you can't sign "No Parking" there. I was countered with: but isn't double parking illegal? Which I countered with: but police need due cause to give tickets, if the cars are not blocking the car travel lane is there due cause to give a ticket without this law?
I feel very strongly that the facility that accommodates both cyclists and parking is a shoulder not a bike lane. Once it is designated a bike lane there should be no standing cars (unless to make a right turn.) That is best engineering practices IMHO and it would be very helpful if MBPAC would support this legislation.
So I am asking those that agree that parking should be prohibited in bike lanes to write to Michael Jackson mjackson3@mdot.state.md.us the State Director of Bicycle and Pedestrian Access and Jim Swift jks36@verizon.net the Chairman of the Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. (MBPAC) And please be polite! these folks are great supporters of our cause but all engineers are subject to "Oh, but I got an engineering fix for that problem." I have fallen victim to that kind of thinking myself from time to time. So please thank them for their support to date. And while I am at it I would like to give kudos to Carol Silldorff of Bike Maryland and her efforts in engaging this committee.
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