Great idea - bad execution?

[Bruce K]

So the city where I work is installing marked bike lanes - a great idea as there is a bike share and scooter share program running.

But the lanes are fully painted

I can’t imagine the mayhem on damp/rainy days given how slippery paint can be.

I wonder who thought this up given there is a bike advisory group in the city.

BK

[Blue Jays]

Keep your fingers crossed they are introducing grip-enhancing, non-slip additives into the paint!

[unterhausen]

depends on the paint. Portland does that and there doesn't seem to be any problem. I can imagine the wrong paint being used though.

In rural French villages, they are substituting rock or concrete for the line on the side of the road. It sticks up an inch from the asphalt. I met someone who broke his finger after going down because of that. I hit one of those lines and my wheels ended up to the right of it, but somehow managed to stay upright.

[Lewis Moon]

There's a painted lane on the ASU campus on my route to work. It has copious amounts of grit in the paint.

[benb]

I would be more worried about how they configure the intersections.

If the bike path continues straight on the right side of the right turn lane the bike lane is a death trap.

[FlashUNC]

Lots of painted bike lanes in the East Bay. All using very gritty stuff in addition to the normal paint. Doesn't turn into a skating rink in the wet.

[RonW87]

Same in Toronto. Painted lanes. Grip is fine.

[blindwilly]

bike lanes in Boston and surrounding towns are green paint with no discernible difference in grip from unpainted asphalt. i don't think grip will be an issue

[Bruce K]

Right turn lanes and bike lanes “swap” as they approach intersections

BK

[adampaiva]

I encounter zero grip issues with the green painted bike lanes around NYC.

I do however wonder if they were painted red instead of green, maybe pedestrians (and maybe even but probably not double-parked cars) would be less prone to stepping out into the bike lane w/o looking or just walking along and treating it as an extension of the sidewalk.

[Bruce K]

The green areas seem to be only at intersections, cross streets, and major driveways.

Some parts of the bike lanes have white diagonal stripes.

Some parts have no painting except for the bicycle symbol and arrows.

I’m acyclist and I’m confused on exactly what means what. How are drivers supposed to know.

BK

[merlinmurph]

You're not alone, Bruce.

When I go into Boston, sometimes I'll see those bike "sharrows" in the road and have no idea what they mean. They don't demarcate a lane, it's just something painted on the road. I guess they just mean there may be a bike in the road. No ****. And I think the city gave themselves a lot of credit for painting them. Just stupid.

Edit: Really, I cant say s h i t here?

[Bruce K]

No Murph, you can’t....:rolleyes:

It’s a software thing.

BK

[SoCalSteve]

Santa Monica recently did this. I ride on them all the time with no issues. Granted, it doesn’t rain here often, but even if it did, they certainly don’t feel slippery at all.

[FlashUNC]

The green areas seem to be only at intersections, cross streets, and major driveways.

Some parts of the bike lanes have white diagonal stripes.

Some parts have no painting except for the bicycle symbol and arrows.

I’m acyclist and I’m confused on exactly what means what. How are drivers supposed to know.

BK

https://nacto.org/publication/urban-bikeway-design-guide/bikeway-signing-marking/colored-bike-facilities/

[Bruce K]

That sure looks like it.

I’m wondering when/where/how the city plans to educate drivers, cyclists, and bike/scooter share users as well as Law Enforcement.

Thanks for the link.

BK