Bike boulevard plan draws criticism

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The City released on Tuesday its recommendations for a bicycle boulevard on Nueces and Rio Grande streets after months of input from citizens groups, traffic engineering consultants and City of Austin Bicycle Program staff.

The infrastructure recommendations for the Downtown Bicycle Boulevard are:

Rio Grande - 4th Street to MLK, Jr. Boulevard:

Segment Recommendation

• 4th St to MLK Street resurfacing; 25 mph speed limit; spot ADA improvements; install shared lane pavement markings; install regulatory and place making signs as appropriate; tree planting as feasible; minimal parking modification as needed related to installation of traffic calming devices
• 4th St & Rio Grande Install a new hike and bike bridge over Shoal Creek to the Lance Armstrong Bikeway/Shoal Creek Hike and Bike Trail
• 5th St & Rio Grande Install a new traffic signal
• 5th St to 6th St Convert angle parking to back-in angle parking (reverse angle parking)
• 11th St to 12th St Install inset drop off/pick up zone for Pease Elementary; re-route Capital Metro Bus #3 if feasible
• 11th to MLK Re-route Capital Metro Bus No. 3 as per Capital Metro Service Plan 2020
• 12 St to 13th St Install inset drop off/pick up zone for Austin Community College
• 7th St to MLK Install traffic calming devices (an array of traffic circles, medians with speed cushions, speed cushions, and pedestrian curb-extensions); Implement “green streets” storm water treatment vegetation with traffic calming devices as feasible;
• minimal parking restrictions as needed
• MLK & Rio Grande Install “bicycle left only bay” for southbound bicyclists at the intersection of MLK, Jr. and Rio Grande

Nueces - 3rd Street to MLK, Jr. Boulevard:

Segment Recommendation

• 3rd St to MLK Install regulatory and place-making signs as appropriate; 25 mph speed limit if feasible
• 3rd St to 7th St Install a Great Streets cross-section with includes Great Streets sidewalks, motor vehicle lanes, and enhanced bicycle lanes
• 7th St to 13th St Install shared lane markings “sharrows”; remove some north/south stop signs if feasible
• 13th St to MLK Modify on-street parking to one-side of the street only and install enhanced bicycle lanes

The city of Austin is boasting about the plan they rolled out Tuesday.

"No, we're not gonna make everybody happy, but I feel like this is a plan that really strives to do that," said Annick Beaudet, Project Manager.

The League of Bicycling Voters, a group whose been pushing for the project, is not happy with the end result.

"We're obviously disappointed," said Rob D'Amico, President of the League of Bicycling Voters. "We've got a proposal for facilities that push bikes to the side. A plan that essentially abandons the vision that I think the bicycling community had for a Nueces Bike Boulevard."

No so said the city after the plan was released Tuesday.

 "The city disagrees with that statement," said Beaudet. "What we've proposed is absolutely in the spirit of a bike boulevard, and believe it will be a world class bike boulevard."

The LVB was rooting for Nueces as the designated bike boulevard, citing its flatter grade would be more inviting for less experienced cyclists. The City saw value in including Rio Grande as well, which include Pease Elementary and the Austin Community College Rio Grande campus.

"It's adding a route to our bicycle network," said Beaudet. "It's acknowledging schools so we can promote safe routes to schools."

Businesses along the route, who have been against the plan from the start, point out the new $670,000 cost is nearly twice the original proposed amount.

Beaudet said the new bridge and concrete work at the schools along Rio Grande are the big reasons more bond money will be spent.

"We have funding that needs to be spent on bikes and that's exactly what we're doing," said Beaudet.

The City said construction for Rio Grande recommendations could begin in the Fall/Winter 2010. The Nueces Street recommendations from 7th to MLK, Jr. Blvd are to be installed during the final stages of an upcoming City water line project, projected for Spring 2012.

The Public Works Web site will host the bicycle boulevard project’s final recommendation report, attachments and support materials. The staff recommendation is subject to change pending input from the City’s Boards and Commissions Process.

Stakeholders who want to provide input can attend one of multiple meetings held throughout April and May, leading up to a City Council briefing in May. Dates are listed on the website.