Protected Bike Lanes in Albany report

PROTECTED BICYCLE LANES IN ALBANYA TRANSFORMATIONAL OPPORTUNITY

Presented to Mayor Kathy SheehanCity of Albany, New YorkNovember 16, 2015

Albany Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition

2KEY TERMS

Madison Avenue Road Diet: AplannedprojectintheCityofAlbanytoreducethenumberoftravellanesonMadisonAvenuefromtwomotorvehiclelanesineachdirectiontoonemotorvehiclelaneineachdirectionforthecorridorfromAllenStreettoLarkStreet.

Traffic Calming:Itisthecombinationofmainlyphysicalmeasuresthatreducethenegativeeffectsofmotorvehicleuse,alterdriverbehaviorandimproveconditionsfornon-motorizedstreetusers.1

Interested but Concerned:Theapproximate60%ofpeoplewhoareinterestinusingabicyclefortransportationbutarefearfulaboutridingadjacentmotorizedtraffic.

Marked Shared lanes (Sharrows):Thispavementmarkingincludesabicyclesymbolandtwowhitechevronsandisusedtoremindmotoriststhatbicyclistsarepermittedtousethefulllane.Therearenostripedbicyclelanesonstreetsmarkedwithsharrows.

Conventional bicycle lanes:Thewhitelinesofpainttoseparatepeopleonbicyclesfrommotorizedtraffic,sometimesknownasdesignatedlanes.

Protected Bike Lanes: Protectedbikelanesarebikelanesthatphysicallyseparatebicycletrafficfrommotorvehicletraffic.Theyaresometimescalledcycletracksorgreenlanesorseparatedbikelanes.

1 www.ite.org/traffic/

3KEY FINDINGS

TheimminentredesignofMadisonAvenuepresentsasingularopportunityforAlbanytoimplementitsfirst-everProtectedBicycleLane(PBL).Thishasthepotentialtobeatransformativeprojectforthestatecapital,andMayorKathySheehansupcomingdecisioniscrucialforitssuccess.Carefulanalysisrevealsthatalloftheproposedal-

ternativesthatlackPBLsareseverelydeficient.ThesharrowsofAlternativeAoffernoprotectedspaceforpeopleonbicycles,andtheexpansivetravellanesencouragedangerouscitydriving.AlternativeBsconventionalbicyclelanesputbicyclesdirect-lyinmotoristsdoorzone,thespaceinwhichacyclistisindangerofgettinghitbyanopeningcardoor.Onacommercialstreetwithfrequentparkingturnover,thisisasignificantsafetyhazardfordriversandcyclistsalike.Thealternativesthatincorporateprotectedbi-

cyclelanes(CandD)arefarsuperiortotheothers.PBLsarethe best choiceforAlbanybecauseofthe:

Economic benefits.ThereisstrongevidencethatPBLsbringcustomerstolocalretailshopsandraisepropertyvalues.

Safety benefits.PBLshelptoorderthestreetsothatallroadusersknowwhattoexpect,makingMadisonsaferforpedestrians,cyclists,drivers,andtransitusersalike.

Equity benefits.PBLsmakecyclingaccessibletomorepeople,whichinturnlowershouseholdtransportationcosts,strengthensindividualautonomy,andincreasesaccesstogrocerystoresandclinicsforlow-incomeandno-carhouseholds.

Health benefits.Manyneedlessinjuriesanddeathscanbeavoidedbyseparatingcyclistsfrombothvehiculartrafficandpedestrians.Inaddition,thegrowthofactivetransportationencourageshealthylifestyles.

Environmental benefits.Protectedbikelanesencouragetheuseofbicyclesovercars,reducinggreenhousegasemissionsandimprovingairquality.

Manyunderstandableconcernshavebeenraisedabouttheseambitiousplans.Nevertheless,protect-edbicycleslanesonMadisonAvenuearefeasible becausethefollowingchallengescanbemetwithtwenty-firstcenturycityplanning.

Parking.Ourdetailedsurveyofavailableparkingplacesinthefour-blockstretchofMadisonAve.betweenWestLawrenceandQuailshowsthatevenduringhighparkingdemandtimes,almost50per-centoftheon-streetparkingplacesareunoccupiedandavailable.

Snow.Thereareviableoptionsforaddressingsnowremoval.Short-terminvestmentinsnowremovalcanberecoupedbytheeventualreturnsinincreasedpropertyvaluesandprofitstolocalbusiness.

ThisreportcontainsresearchfromauthoritativesourcesandinformationfromtherecentexperiencesofsimilarlysituatedNorthAmericancitiesthathaveembracedprogressivecityplanning.WethanktheMayor,thecityadministration,andcitizensofAlbanyforturningtheirattentiontothepromiseofprotectedbicyclelanesonMadisonAvenue.

1INTRODUCTION

AlbanysProtectedBicycleLaneCoalitionwasfoundedinthespringof2014inanticipationofthecitysupcomingdesignfortheMadisonAvenueRoadDiet.TheCoalitionsawtheuniqueopportunitytobuildAlbanysfirstProtectedBikeLane(PBL)sincetherewasalreadyaplantoreducethenumberoflanesonthiswideavenue.Protectedbikelanesarebikelanesthatphysicallyseparatebicycletrafficfrom

motorvehicletraffic.Theyaresometimescalledcycletracksorgreenlanesorseparatedbikelanes.Weusethetermprotectedbikelanesbecauseitreadilycommunicatestheprotectionfromstreettrafficthatmakesbicyclingmoresafeandinvitingtowould-becyclistsandmakesbusyroadseasiertonav-igateformotorists.Protectedbikelaneshelptoorderthestreetsothatallroadusersknowwhattoexpect.PBLsmakebikingaccessibleformorepeople,whichlowershouseholdtransportationcosts,strengthensindividualautonomy,andincreasesmobility&accessforlow-incomeandno-carhouseholds.PBLsarespringingupalloverNorthAmerica,andforgoodreasons.Protect-

edbikelanesencouragethemaximumnumberofinterestedbutconcernedpeopletochoosebicyclesovercarsforlocaltrips,benefitingretailshopsandincreasepropertyvalues,thusexpandingthetaxbase.PBLsmaketheroadsaferforeveryonepeoplewalkingorridinginbuses,incarsoronbicycles.PBLsalsoreducegreenhousegasemissionsandimproveairqualityandhealth.Thereisanincreasingdemandforprotectedbikelanesacrossthecountry

demonstratedbyexponentialgrowthofthelanesinrecentyears:from2010through2014,thenumberofprotectedbikelanemilesintheU.S.nearlyquadru-pled.Theyarepoppingupeverywhere,andwewanttohelpAlbany,theCapitalofNewYorkgetontheprotectedbikelanemap.SomeoftheplaceswheretherearecurrentlyprotectedbikelanesareNewYorkCity,Chicago,IL,Memphis,TN,Minneapolis,MN,Austin,TX,Denver,COandCambridge,MA.

One-way parking-protected bike lane in Cambridge, MA

Photo: The Green Lane Project

PBLs make the

road safer for

everyone people

walking or riding

in buses, in cars

or on bicycles.

PBLs also benefit

retail shops and

increase property

values.

2April 2014

May 2014

August 2014

September 2014

Fall 2014

April 2015

May 2015

Summer 2015

Summer 2015

Summer 2015

Founded

Started hard copy petition.

Launched Facebook presence:

facebook.com/AlbanyProtectedBikeLanes

Presentation to Mayor Sheehan on the

benefits of Protected Bike Lanes and request

that Protected Bike Lanes be considered for

upcoming Madison Avenue Road Diet design.

Began series of Protected Bike Lane

presentations to neighborhood groups,

community stakeholders, business owners and

student groups our presentations were met

with overwhelming support and interest.

Presented Streetfilms Mini-Film Festival at

Madison Theatre featuring guest speaker and

Streetfilms filmmaker, Clarence Eckerson, Jr.

The festival addressed a range of questions

about how we get around in the modern city.

Some of the videos were focused on Protected

Bike Lanes, and others discuss broader topics

such as land use, Complete Streets, pedestrian

safety, and equity and social justice priorities.

Launched our social media photo campaign

where we spoke to hundreds of city residents

who want to see Protected Bike Lanes on

Madison Avenue and other high traffic volume

streets

Launched online petition that garnered over

500 signatures in 3 weeks.

Rallied in support of Protected Bicycle Lanes and

delivered hundreds of postcards to the Mayors

office in support of Protected Bicycle Lanes.

Converted two parking spots into a mock

protected bicycle lane for Park[ing] Day on

Washington Avenue. It was a big hit.


PROTECTED BICYCLE LANE COALITION TIMELINE:

3EXPONENTIAL GROWTH OF PROTECTED BIKE LANES: ALIGNMENT WITH NATIONAL AND REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION TRENDS

InMay2015,theCityofAlbanySustainabilityAdvi-soryCommittees(SAC)TransportationSubcom-mitteeissuedanannualreportindicatingaprimaryrecommendationthatprotectedbikelanesshouldbeinstalled.TherecommendationswithintheTrans-portationSubcommitteesreportlayoutthemem-bersprioritiesfortheCityofAlbanyasitrelatestosustainabletransportation.TotherightisanimageofaparkingprotectedbikelaneexamplethattheTrans-portationSubcommitteeutilizedintheirreport.ThePBLCsrecommendationofAlternativeD:One-waySeparated[Protected]BikeLanesreflectstheexactreplicadesignthatwasrecommendedbytheCitysTransportationSubcommittee.TheSubcommitteebelievesthataddingparkingprotectedbikelanesissaferforallwhousetheroad,peoplewhodrive,peoplewhotakethebus,peoplewhobikeandpeoplewhowalk.ThereportnotesthatPBLspromoteeco-nomicandenvironmentalsustainability1.InAugust,theSACenthusiasticallyvoicedtheir

supportforAlternativeD.Specificallytheirletterstated:We,astheChairandCo-Chair,believeverystrong-

lythatone-wayseparatedbicyclelanesprovidethegreatestopportunitytosupportbicyclingasaviablemodeoftransportationintheCityofAlbany.Sepa-ratedbicyclelaneswouldprovidethesafestbicyclingenvironment,withtheone-waymodelofferingthelargestproposedwidthsandlowestriskofcollisionwithvehicles,pedestrians,orothercyclists.TheimplementationofAlternativeD,althoughnotatra-ditionalprotectedbicyclelane,istheclosestcomple-

A Parking Protected Bike Lane

menttothatmodelandwould,therefore,accomplishthisidentifiedpriority.We,therefore,urgetheCityofAlbanytoembracethisopportunity.2

AlbanysBicycleMasterPlanwasanimportantundertakingthatestablishedthatthecityofAlbanyhasadesiretobecomeamorebicycle-friendlycity.Thedocument,publishedin2009,waswrittenpriortotheexponentialgrowthofprotectedbikelanesacrosstheU.S.TheProtectedBicycleLaneCoali-tionurgesthecityofAlbanytorevisitandrevisetheBicycleMasterPlanandbuildinabicyclenetworkthatincludesProtectedBicycleLanesonhightrafficvolumestreetsthatreflectscurrenttrendsacrossthecountry.

1 City of Albany Sustainability Advisory Committee Annual Report: 2015 Transportation Subcommittee Report www.albanyny.org/Libraries/MOE_S/2015 _Transportation_

Subcommittee_Report.sflb.ashx

2 City of Albany Sustainability Advisory Committee, Submitted letter of support via email to City of Albany Traffic Engineering Unit, August 15, 2015.

Image: www.zdnet.com/article/protected-bike-lanes-safer-than-street-study-confirms/

4THE CAPITAL DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE (CDTC) SUPPORTS THE CONCEPT OF PROTECTED BIKE LANES

OneoftherecommendationswithintheCDTCsNewVisionsBicycle&PedestrianActionPlanistodevelopandmaintainbicycleinfrastructure.Weshouldnotignorethisrecommendation.ItisCDTCsphilosophythatdespitefiscalorotherchallenges,incrementalprogressshouldbemadetothevisionofacomprehensivenetworkofbicycleandpedestrianfacilities.3TheCDTCunderstandstheshort-termandlong-termbenefitsofincorpo-ratingbikeinfrastructure:Itissafetosaythatwehavemovedbeyondtryingtoconvincepeopleofthebenefitsofwalkabilityandsafebicyclingfacilitiesandarenowrespondingtopublicdemandforthem.Achangeintransportationpolicywillhavepositiveeconomic,healthandsafetyimpactsforallusersofthetransportationsystem.3TheCDTCsPlangoesontosaythatCDTAisreportingover74,000bikeboardingsonitsbusesannually.Thisisaconsider-ableincreasefromthejustlessthan40,000board-ingsin2008whenCDTAfirstinstalledbikeracksonitsbuses.Thiswouldsuggestthatmorepeoplearebicyclingregion-wide.Safebicyclingandwalkinginfrastructureisntimportantbecauseitstrendy,itsimportantbecauseitmattersthemostforpeoplewhodonothaveaccesstoavehicle.TheCDTCwillcontinuetoprioritizetransportationinvestmentsthatincludesafebicycleandpedestrianfacilitiesanddeveloptoolsandprogramstohelpcommuni-tiesprepare,designandmaintaincommunitiesthatareaccessibleandsafeforallroadusers.3

Capital District Transportation Committee

New Vision Plan

1. It is CDTCs philosophy that despite fiscal or other challenges, incremental progress should be made to

the vision of a comprehensive network of bicycle and

pedestrian facilities.

One of the recommendations of the CDTC is to

develop and maintain bicycle infrastructure. We should

not ignore this recommendation.

2. It is safe to say that we have moved beyond trying to convince people of the benefits of walkability and safe

bicycling facilities and are now responding to public

demand for them. A change in transportation policy

will have positive economic, health and safety impacts

for all users of the transportation system.

3. CDTA is reporting over 74,000 bike boardings on its buses annually. This is a considerable increase from

the just less than 40,000 boardings in 2008 when

CDTA first installed bike racks on its buses. This

would suggest that more people are bicycling region-

wide. Safe bicycling and walking infrastructure isnt

important because its trendy, its important because it

matters the most for people who do not have access to

a vehicle.

4. The CDTC will continue to prioritize transportation investments that include safe bicycle and pedestrian

facilities and develop tools and programs to

help communities prepare, design and maintain

communities that are accessible and safe for all road

users.

3 Capital District Transportation Committee: New Visions Bicycle & Pedestrian Action Plan www.cdtcnewvisions.com/assets/Bicycle-Pedestrian-White-Paper-September-2015.pdf

ALIGNMENT WITH NATIONAL AND REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION TRENDS (CONTINUED)

5InMay2015,theFederalHighwayAdministration(FHWA)issueditsfirst-everprotectedbicycleguidelinescalledtheSeparatedBikeLanePlanningandDesignGuide.Intheirannouncementoftheguide,FHWAstated,TheselanesareanimportanttoolcommunitiesacrosstheU.S.canusetobuildsafe,comfortable,andconnectednetworksofbicy-cleinfrastructurethatmeettheneedsofpeopleofallagesandabilities.Theannouncementgoesontosay,FHWAsguide

outlinesplanningconsiderationsanddesignop-tionsforthisinnovativebicyclefacility.Itprovidesinformationononeandtwo-wayfacilities,outlinesdifferentoptionsforprovidingseparation,andhigh-lightsmid-blockdesignconsiderationsincludingdriveways,transitstops,accessibility,andloading


zones.Intersectiondesignisalsotakenintoconsid-eration,includingtherelatedoperations,signaliza-tion,signage,andon-roadmarkingconcerns.Bestofall,withtheSeparatedBikeLanePlanning

andDesignGuide,wereprovidingcommunitieswithcasestudieshighlightingnotablepracticesandlessonslearnedacrossthecountry.1

Writingaboutthenewguidelines,PeopleforBikesGreenLaneProjectinterviewedaColoradoDOTprofessionalwhobelievesThebiggestwinnerswillbecities,statesandotheragenciesthatdontyethavein-houseexpertiseinthemanynuancesofprotectedbikedesign.Ithinkitwasreallygoodthattheyjumpedonit

whentheydidandprovidedsomedirection,par-ticularlyforcommunitiesthathavenoideahowto

FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION EMBRACES PROTECTED BIKE LANES

1 FHWA 2015 FHWA Introduces Separated Bike Lane Planning and Design Guide - https://www.transportation.gov/fastlane/fhwa-introduces-separated-bike-lane-guide

Phtoto: From FHWA announcement

6ALIGNMENT WITH NATIONAL AND REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION TRENDS (CONTINUED)

approachit,shesaid.Youfrequentlywillhavealocalplannerorengineerwhomayneverhaveheardofit.Itslike,Whatareyoutalkingabout?Andthiswillhelpwiththat.2

Apparently,manystateandlocalagenciesdidntseemtograspthatthefederalgovernmentsupportsusingfederalmoneytoimplementProtectedBikeLanes.StreetsBlogUSAreportedthefollowinginAugust2015whentheFHWAissuedadocumenttoclarifytheirposition,TheFederalHighwayAdmin-istrationwantstocleartheair:Yes,stateandlocaltransportationagenciesshouldusefederalmoneytoconstructhigh-qualitybikingandwalkinginfra-structure.StateandlocalDOTsdeployanarrayofexcuses

toavoidbuildingdesignslikeprotectedbikelanes.Itsnotinthemanualisafavorite.Soisthefedswontfundthat.Whethertheseexcusesarecynicalorsincere,

FHWAwantsyoutoknowthattheyrebogus.StreetsBlogreportedthedocumentfromFHWA

toucheduponsevenitemsincluding,

1. Federal funds CAN be used to build pro-tected bike lanes.Incaseanydoubtremains,FHWAprinteditsowndesignguideforprotect-edbikelanes.Itsokaytousefederalmoneytobuildthem.

2. Federal funds CAN be used for road diets.FHWAcreatedawholewebsitetohelpstatesandmunicipalitiesimplementroaddietsthatreducelanesformotorvehicletraffictoimprovesafety.FHWAwantslocalagenciestoknowthatfederalmoneycanbeusedonthem.

3. Engineers are allowed to use design guides other than the AASHTO Green Book for projects that receive federal funds.

TheAASHTOGreenBookpublishedbytheassociationofstateDOTsisabehemoth,butitscrustyoldstreetdesignstandardsarenttheonlygameintown.TheprotectedbikelanetemplatesinthedesignguidepublishedbytheNationalAsso-ciationofCityTransportationOfficialsaretotallykosher.Goaheadandusethem.FHWAsaysitsupportsaflexibleapproachtotheplanninganddesignofbikeandpedestrianfacilities.ThatmeansItsnotintheGreenBook,sowecantdoitisntavalidexcuse.PeterKoonce,atransportationengineerwiththe

CityofPortland,saidthisclarificationshouldmakedesigningqualitybikeinfrastructureeasier.Agencieslikeoursoccasionallyencounterresis-

tancetotheuseoftreatmentsintheNACTOUrbanBikewayDesignGuide,theFHWASeparatedBikeLaneGuide,orotherGuidancedocumentsfromreviewingagenciesbecausethereisalackoffamil-iaritywithnewtreatments,thusadifficultytoapplyengineeringjudgment,hesaid.Anexampleofthisisbicycletrafficsignals.4.HighwayfundingCANbeusedforbikeand

pedestrianinfrastructure.ItsnotonlytheTransportationAlternativesPro-

gramthatcanbeusedtofundbikeandpedestrianinfrastructure,FHWAsays.Manyothersourcesoffederalfundingcanbeusedtosupportsaferbikingandwalkingintherightcircumstances,includingfundsfromthehugepotintheSurfaceTransporta-tionProgram.

2 2015 Green Lane Project - http://www.peopleforbikes.org/blog/entry/the-feds-jump-on-board-protected-bike-lanes-are-now-official-federal-policy

7WILL NEW YORKS 1ST CAPITAL GET PROTECTED BIKE LANES BEFORE ALBANY?

TRY IT, MAYBE YOULL LIKE IT: POP UP PBLS AND PILOT PROJECTS

ProtectedBikeLanesareinchingclosertohome.TheyareonthehorizoninourstatesfirstCapital,KingstonalongtheHudsonRiverjust60milessouthofAlba-ny.KingstonsplanlooksquitesimilartooneoftheoptionsprovidedbyAlbanysconsultanta2-wayPBL.

1 2015 Green Lane Project - http://www.peopleforbikes.org/blog/entry/with-maryland-dot-grant-the-pop-up-protected-bike-lane-goes-mainstream

Images: November 2015 Final Draft Master Plan Building a Better Kingston; The Green Lane Project

Pop-upprotectedbikelaneshavebeenbeingbuiltatopenstreetsfestivalsbyactivistsoverthelastseveralyears,andtheyarealwaysabighit.NowtheideahasspreadandthestateofMarylandisfundingaone-weekplanter-protectedbikelaneinBalti-more.TheGreenLaneProjectreportedabouttheproject,herearesomeexcerptsfromthearticle:The$10,850grantfromtheMarylandDepartmentofTransportation,announcedSept.29aspartofa$15milliongrantcycle,isasignthattheon-streetdemoisbecomingacommon step in the processofplanningstreetredesigns.

Werenotcommittingtohaveacompletebuy-intotrysomething,saidCaitlinDoolin,abicycleandpedestrianplannerfortheCityofBaltimore.Wecantakeitoutifitdoesntworkormodifyitorwhathaveyou.

WecongratulateKingstonontheirworkmovingforwardwithaplanfora2-wayprotectedbicyclelanethatwillincreasetheeconomicvitalityofBroadway,andprovideincreasedsafetythatwillencouragetheinterestedbutconcernedtostartriding!

WewerereallyinterestedinitbecauseitsawayforBaltimoreCitytotryoutanewinnovativetreat-ment,getsomequickfeedbackfromthecommuni-ty,shesaid.Cycletracksandthatkindofstuffitsallnew,andthedesignsarechangingquickly.1


A pop-up bicycle lane.

8Pilot PBL projects are a longer term than their pop up cousins. Pilots have offered cities a great way to test the waters of protected bicycle infrastructure.TheGreenLaneProjectspoketosomeofthe

peopleincitieswhoimplementedpilotprojectsandwroteanarticleonsomeofthekeyfactorstoasuccessfultestrunPBL.Excerptsfromthestory:

Anypilotprojectoflessthanayearisunlikelytoaccuratelycapturehowaprojectisworking,saidMikeGoodno,bicyclecoordinatorfortheDistrictofColumbia.Ittakesamonth,Ifind,atleast,justforpeopletogetusedtothesechanges,saidGoodno,whoseprotectedlanepilotprojectson15thStreetandPennsylvaniaAvenueinWashingtonDCweretwoofthecountrysfirstmoderndesignsoutsideNewYorkCity.

Publicfeedbackandtechnicalobservationsledthecitytomakemajorchangestobothprojectsaftertheyopened:movingPennsylvaniaslanestothecentermedianandconverting15thfromaone-directiontoatwo-directionprotectedlane.Af-terthosechangesweremade,bothprojectsdrovelargeandcontinuingincreasesinridership.

PortlandprojectmanagerRossSwansonagreedthatpilotsshouldlastatleastayear.Atwo-yearpilotprotectedlaneonMultnomahStreetgavethecitythechancetotestthedesignduringwhatturnedouttobesnowiestwinterinyears.Iftherewasageneralminimum,youvegottotestallfourseasons,Swansonsaid.

Anotherruleforsuccessfulpilots:chooseseveralmetricsthatcapturethegoalsprojectandbepublicabouttheresults.

Nothingshouldbeviewedbasedononegoal,Swansonsaid.Otherwiseyouvegotamyopicprojectandyouregoingtobecaughtblindonsome

otheraspectyouwerentlookingat.OnSwansonsMultnomahproject,wheretwooutoffourgeneraltravellaneswereconvertedintoprotectedbikelanes,thenumberscameoutfine.Biketrafficrose,autospeedsfell,intersectionskeptflowing.Butitwasntjustatransportationproject.Thecityalsowantedtomakethestreetmoreviablefornearbycommercialdevelopment.

Ayearaftertheprojectlaunched,anadjacentreal-estatedeveloperreleaseditsdesignfora$250millionmixed-useproject,oneofthemostbike-orienteddevelopmentsinNorthAmerica,andthecityslargestmallsaiditwasweighingaremodelthatwouldopenanewentrancefacingMultnomahssidewalk.

Pilotprojectmanagerssaidthatthoughpeoplewillalwaysaskforspecificnumericalgoals,itsbettertoavoiddrawingahardlinebetweensuccessandfail-ureandsimplysetouttomeasurethedirectionandmagnitudeofchange.Ifyousetyourtimelinetooshortbutyournumbersareright,youmaygetthembutyoumaybeayearoff,Swansonsaid.

Peopleunusedtopilotprojectsbothinsideandoutsidecitygovernmentsometimesassumethattheyrejustacynicaltoolforcircumventingopposition.

Itstruethatpilotprojectfansaretryingtomakeaction,ratherthananalysis,thenormincitygov-ernment.Buttheysaygoodpilotprojectmanag-ersapproachthepublicwithanopenearandenoughofabudgettoreacttowhattheylearn.

Whatsreallyimportantwiththepilotsisthatyouhavesubsequentpublicinvolvementmeetings,Wagenshutzsaid.BeforeanypilotprojectbeginsinDC,Goodnosteampreparesanoperationalchangesmatrixwhichgoestorelevantcitystaff,makingiteasyforpublicofficialstoaccuratelydescribeaprojectanditsgoals.


9InNYC,afterover30milesofprotectedbikelaneswerebuiltfrom2007to2013,overallacrossthecitytheDepartmentofTransportationfoundthefollowing:

Crasheswithinjurieshavebeenreducedby17%

75%decreaseinaverageriskofaseriousinjurytocyclistsfrom2001to2013

Cyclistinjuryriskhasgenerallydecreasedonpro-tectedbicyclelanecorridorswithinthisstudyascyclistvolumesriseandcyclistinjuresdecrease6

Government is charged with keeping its residents safe - Protected Bike Lanes provide the greatest safety on high traffic volume roads. Whilesomelocalgovernmentshavepassedlawsrequiringbicy-clehelmets,arecentstudyshowsthatgoodbicyclefacilitiescontributemuchmoretopublichealththanhelmetlaws.ANovember10,2015CityLabarticlepointsout,Atapersonallevel,ifthatswhatittakestogetyouriding,byallmeans,helmetup.Butatthelocalgovernmentlevel, its time to recognize that other safety measures have far greater public health benefitsin particular, well-designed infrastruc-ture that separates riders from general traffic.1

Protected Bike Lanes feel safer,especiallyfortheinterestedbutconcerned.96%ofpeopleusingprotectedbikelanesintheU.S.believetheyincreasedsafetyonthestreet.2

InWashingtonDC,90%ofuserssaytheyfeelsaferbicyclingonPennsylvaniaAvebecauseofthenewprotectedlanes.3

Studies demonstrate Protected Bike Lanes are safer for people who walk, drive and ride bicycles. InVancouverandToronto,ProtectedBikeLanesreducebike-relatedintersectioninjuriesbyabout75%comparedtocomparablecrossingswithoutinfrastructure.4

Becausetheyshortencrossingdistances,controlturningconflictsandreducetrafficweaving,NewYorkCitysprotectedbikelanesreducedinjuryratesforpeoplewalkingontheirstreetsby12to52percent.5

One-way parking-protected bike lane in Chicago.

1 City Lab, November 10, 2015 - The Latest Evidence that Helmet Laws Dont Help Bike Safety2 Monsere, C., et al., 2014 - Lessons from the Green Lanes (National Institute for Transportation and Communities)(via Green Lane Project article)3 District Department of Transportation, 2012 - District Department of Transportation Bicycle Facility Evaluation4 Harris et al, 2013 - Comparing the effects of infrastructure on bicycling injury at intersections and non-intersections using a casecrossover design. Injury Prevention5 NYCDOT, 2013 - It turns out that protected bike lanes are fantastic for walking safety, too (via Green Lane Project article)6 NYCDOT, 2014 - Protected Bicycle Lanes in NYCPhoto: The Green Lane Project

SAFETY AND PROTECTED BIKE LANES

New York Citys protected bike lanes reduced injury rates for people walking on their streets by 12 to 52 percent.

10

PROTECTED BICYCLE LANES SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Theresnodenyingthetremendouseconomicbene-fitsthatprotectedbikelaneshavegeneratedwhencitieshaveimplementedthem.Forexample,

OnSaltLakeCitysBroadway,replacingparkingwithprotectedbikelanesincreasedretailsales.Ageneralstreetupgraderemoved30%oftheautoparkingfromnineblocksofthemajorcommer-cialstreetbutimprovedcrosswalks,sidewalksandaddedprotectedbikelanes.Inthefirstsixmonthsofthenextyear,retailsaleswereup8.8percentoverthefirstsixmonthsoftheprioryear,comparedtoa7percentincreasecitywide.Afterthechanges,59%ofbusinessownersonthestreetsaidtheysupportedthem;only18%opposed.1

Protected bicycle lanes have helped to in-crease the tax base.ThevalueofpropertieswithinoneblockoftheIndianapolisCulturalTrailincreased148percentafterconstructionmorethandoublinginvaluefrom2008to2015.The$63millionpublicandprivateinvestmenthelpedcreate$1billioninadditionalassessedpropertyvalue.1

Protected bike lanes can be part of street re-designs that greatly boost retail performance.Aftertheconstructionofaprotectedbikelaneon9thAvenue,localbusinessessawa49%increaseinretailsales.Onotherstreetsintheborough,theaveragewasonly3percent.1

1 People for Bikes; Green Lane Project - Statistics Library: www.peopleforbikes.org/statistics/category/protected-bike-lane-statistics2 CityLab: www.citylab.com/commute/2015/10/the-poor-bike-the-rich-bike-share/413119

PROTECTED BIKE LANES ADDRESS EQUITY

1in4householdsinourcitydonothaveaccesstoacartogettowork,thedoctor,orshopforgroceries,andwemustprovideinfrastructuremakesitsafeforpeopletowalkandridebikes.Nationaldatatellsusthatpeoplewithlowerincomeridebicyclesfortrans-portationathigherratesthanhigherincomepeople.2

Protected Bike Lanes make riding a bicycle accessible to more people, which in turn lowers household transportation costs, strengthens individual autonomy, and increases access to grocery stores and clinics for low-income and no-car households. TheMadisonAvenueRoadDietcorridorincludes

twojobcenters(CollegeofSaintRoseandAlbanyMedicalCenter),manymedicalanddentalofficesincludingSt.PetersDentalClinic,andtwogrocerystores.Peopleofallincomelevelsusethecorridortogetwheretheyneedtogo.TheProtectedBicycleLaneCoalitionseesMadisonAvenueasastartingpointforourcitytobuildprotectedbicyclelanes,andwillcontinuetoadvocateforprotectedbicycleinfrastructureonhightrafficvolumeroadsinneigh-borhoodswithhighpovertyrates.

11

THE HIGH COST OF BICYCLE INJURIES IN ALBANY

Tri-StateTransportationCampaignanalyzeddatafromNYSDepartmentofHealthintheirAugust2015article,The High Cost of Bicycle Crashes in Albany.1ThebelowexcerptsdemonstratethatinjuriestopeoplewhoridebicyclesinAlbanycomewithaheftypricetag.It is important to note that the below costs do not even touch the surface of the cost of sending local emergency responders to crashes that could be prevented by building safer infrastructure.

DatacompiledforTSTCbyNYSDOHsBureauofOccupationalHealthandInjuryPreventionfoundthatemergencyroomandhospitalcoststotreatbicyclecrashvictimstotaledinexcessof$2millionoverathree-yearperiod(2010-2012)inAlbanyCounty.Approximately13percentofbicyclistsinvolvedincrashesinthecountycometoemergencyroomswithaTraumaticBrainInjury(TBI).TBIpatientsaccountfor42per-centofbicyclistshospitalizedfortreatment.Themeanchargeperbicyclistemergencyroomvisitis$1,838,andacyclistwhohastobehospitalizedwillincurawhoppingchargeof$56,442.

Whiletwomillionisalargenumber,itdoesnotaccountforawholehostofotherpubliccosts.Medicalandotherexpensesofcyclistswhodiedincrashesarenotincluded.Norarethecostsofrehabilitation,lostmobility,emotionalduressorlong-termdisability.Non-healthrelatedexpensessuchaspoliceandemergencyworkercosts,legalfees,lostworkproductivityandtaxrevenuesandfamilyimpactsarealsonottakenintoaccount.

GiventhatbicyclistsaredisproportionatelypeopleofcolorandlowerincomeandthattheNYSDOHdatashowschildrenarethemostlikelygroupofcycliststomakeERvisitsinAlbany,thesemassivecostsareanobviousequityconcernthatcouldbelargelyremediedbytheimplementationofprotectedinfrastructureforbicyclists.

...aportionofMedicarebills(whichcovermed-icalexpensesforlow-incomeresidents)mustbepaidbylocalgovernmentlocalgovernmentpays25percentofacutecarecostsandninepercentoflong-termcarecostsincurredwithincountyborders.

Albanyseesasignificantnumberofcrashesinvolvingpedestriansandbicyclistseachyear,andtheMadisonAvenuearterialisnoexception.TheCityofAlbanysJune2013MadisonAvenueTrafficStudy/RoadDietFeasibilityStudy,pre-paredbyCreightonManningEngineering,found481crashesintheMadisonAvenuecorridoroverathree-yeartimeperiodfromNovember2008toOctober2011,ofwhich32involvedpedestriansorbicyclists.Atleast16.4percentofallcrashesinthecorridorresultedininjury,andthereweretwofatalities.

1 blog.tstc.org/2015/08/14/the-high-costs-of-bicycle-crashes-in-albany

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THE MADISON AVENUE ROAD DIET AREA IS THE PERFECT CORRIDOR FOR ALBANYS FIRST PBL

Madison Avenue connects with 8 CDTA bus lines, linking key areas of Albany.

Despite (or perhaps because of) ample parking and highway-like automobile capacity, Madison has had a steady supply of vacant storefronts. PBLs could change that.

TheMadisonAvenuecorridorfromLarkStreettoSouthAllenconnectsdiverse,densely-populatedneighborhoodsofthousandsofpeople,manywithoutaccesstopersonalvehicles.Theneighborhoodswouldbewell-servedbyhighquality,safeProtectedBicycleLanesthatconnectthemtoplacestheyneedtogo.

Thecorridorishometo4businessdistrictsalongtheAvenue,includingtheburgeoningParkSouthareaoffNewScotlandAvenue.AlbanyMedicalCenter,ourregionslargestprivateemployerisacoupleofblocksofftheAvenue.TheCollegeofSaintRosescampusincludestheavenue,employshundredsofpeopleandeducatesthousandsofstudents.Itconnectstomanyrestaurants,2super-markets,andourcitysbeautifulWashing-tonPark.

Thehightrafficvolumecorridorconnectsmanypeopleto8buslines:10,11,13,18,734,100,114,138

AProtectedbikelaneonMadisonAvenuewillserveasamodelforotherPBLsonhightrafficvolumeroadsinthecity.

Photos: Albany Bicycle Lane Coalition; Capital District Transportation Authority

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WHAT ARE THE MADISON AVENUE OPTIONS?

This is not a preferred option of the Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition. There is no protected space for people on bicycles and the very

wide travel lanes do not promote slow, safe city driving. The width of the parking lane in this design alternative is 8 ft, however some

of the other design options have a 7 ft parking lane. It has been our experience when measuring City of Albany parking lanes that

they are generally 7 ft. lanes.

The Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition does not support Alternative A.

Alternative A: Marked Shared Lanes [Sharrows]

InJuly2015,thecityofAlbanyheldameetingwhere5designoptionsfortheMadisonAvenueRoadDietwereunveiled.Twoofthedesignsincludedprotect-edbicyclelanesTheProtectedBikeLaneCoalition

supportseitherofthoseoptionsasthepreferredtreatmentforMadisonAvenue.

Belowareouranalysesoftheproposedoptions.

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This is not a preferred option of the Protected Bicycle Lane

Coalition. In city after city, the white lines of paint to separate

people on bicycles from motorized traffic that constitute

conventional bicycles lane have not encouraged those people

who are interested in bicycling, but concerned about sharing

space with motorized traffic to start riding a bicycle. Additionally,

this option puts the bicyclist in the door zone which also puts

them at risk of getting hit by cars pulling out of parking spots.

A 2014 study showed that even when cities design wider

conventional bike lanes adjacent to parked cars, very few

bicycle riders ride outside the door zone1. An article about

the report notes, The on-street tests demonstrated that a

six-foot-wide bike lane offers no advantage over one thats

five feet wide, or even four feet wide. Regardless of the width,

bicyclists still ride in the center of the lane within the radius of

a typical car door swinging open. Dooring crashes are common

in urban areas like Chicago: In 2012, the last year for which data

is available, 18 percent of reported bike crashes were doorings.

While protected bike lanes werent studied in this research,

the authors observations show how proximity to moving traffic

contributes to doorings. For instance, the study concluded that,

as traffic volume increases, bicyclists move away from vehicles

in the travel lane and position themselves closer to parked

vehicles or the curb. Researchers observed the same response

as truck traffic increased in the travel lane. This puts bicyclists

in the door zone but with protected lanes, cyclists dont have

to ride next to motor vehicle traffic, and this isnt a problem.

Concerns about conventional bicycle lanes on roads with

parked cars are also expressed well in these excerpt from a

Cambridge, MA report2:

While bicycle lanes are an important component of the

bicycle network and can serve some users well, especially on

lower volume and lower speed routes, they are not comfortable

for riders of all ages and abilities on streets with higher traffic

volumes.... Providing facilities that separate bicyclists from

moving vehicles on routes with faster moving traffic that serve popular destinations, residential areas, schools, parks and employment centers will help encourage more bicycling for transportation.

.... Where on-street parking is present, bicyclists often do not feel comfortable riding outside of the door zone on busy streets closer to moving motor vehicle traffic, and may not have quick enough reaction times to avoid an opening car door when riding in the door zone. Although less common, passenger side doorings in bicycle lanes remain a risk, especially with

passengers exiting or boarding taxis. Even the most extensive educational and outreach efforts are not as effective as infrastructure design that eliminates the conflict altogether. Crash data in the City of Cambridge from 2004 to 2009 shows

that 20% of all crashes involve bicyclists being doored by

motorists, 87% of which are from the driver side door opening.

The Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition does not support

Alternative B.

Alternative B: Conventional Bicycle Lanes

1 Streetsblog Chicago, 2014 - Study: To Keep Bicyclists Outside the Door Zone, You Need a Buffer2 City of Cambridge, 2014 - CycleTracks: A Technical Review of Safety, Design and Research

NOTE: The Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition recognizes that conventional bicycle

lanes are needed in order to create a bicycle network on Albany streets and it

supports the addition of conventional bicycle lanes on appropriate streets. If the

city incorporates conventional bicycle lanes on lower traffic volume streets without

significant amounts of short term parking and frequent rates of parking turnover it

will demonstrate the citys commitment to becoming more bicycle-friendly.

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Alternative C: Two-Way Separated [Protected] Bicycle Lanes

This is a preferred option of the PBL Coalition. This Protected

Bike Lane option, provides protection for the person on a bicycle

in a parked car protected bicycle lane. This option preserves the

center turn lane for motor vehicles and maintains a significant

amount of parking for cars. The trade-offs for this option are

that the bicycle lanes are not as wide as in other designs and the

bicycle lanes are only on one side of the street, while there are

places to go on both sides of the street.

The Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition supports Alternative C.

PREFERRED

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Alternative D: One-Way Separated [Protected] Bicycle Lanes

This is a preferred option of the PBL Coalition. This Protected Bike

Lane option, provides protection on each side of the street for the

person on a bicycle in a parked car protected bicycle lane.

We have concerns about the motorized vehicle lane widths in

this option and encourage a redesign to include a center median to

reduce the motorized vehicle travel lanes to about 10 ft, a narrower,

more appropriate width for a city street. This concern is exacerbated

by the repeat of an 8 ft parking lane in this design which will likely

not be taken up by 8 ft wide vehicles. As stated previously, it has

been our experience when measuring City of Albany parking lanes

that they are generally 7 ft. lanes. Adding a center median can

serve to assist emergency vehicle travel, intermittent loading and

unloading, utility work and other temporary uses.

While the citys consultants have noted that this option has a

greater parking impact when compared to 3-lane alternatives,

our parking demand analysis demonstrates that there is enough

parking available at peak times of day within a reasonable walking

distance of destinations along the corridor. The PBL Coalitions

parking demand analysis is described in detail later in this report.

We also note that much of the reduction in parking in Alternative

D is directly related the addition of a left turn bay at intersections

to facilitate optimal traffic flow. Every intersection along the

road diet corridor does not experience an equivalent amount

of left turning motorized traffic, therefore the amount of

parking impact should not be assumed to be the same on each

intersection in the corridor. In some cases, variations on left turns

are directly due to road design for instance, there are two one-

way streets along the corridor as well as two streets where there

is only an intersection on the south side of the road. However,

there are also some intersections where we have observed and/

or anticipate higher volumes of cars turning left in peak driving

times necessitating more parking removal, while there are other

intersections where we continually observe very low volumes

of left turning cars during peak and non-peak times of day. For

example, in the current lane configuration it is very rare to see

even one car waiting to turn left when driving eastbound on

Madison and making a left onto Quail Street going north.

The Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition supports Alternative D.

We encourage the addition of a painted center median, and left

turn bays that reflect actual and anticipated left turns at each

intersection.

PREFERRED

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Alternative E: Buffered Bicycle Lanes

This is not a preferred option of the Protected Bicycle Lane

Coalition. While this option moves the bicycle out of the door

zone of the parked cars, it is not a design that provides a

physical barrier between the motorized traffic and the person

on a bicycle. Though not noted by the consultants, it appears to

us that the lack of a center turn lane may result in vehicle delays

outside of the intersections.

The Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition does not support

Alternative E.

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EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCESS & TRAFFIC FLOW

Albanysmajorthoroughfareshaveservedthecitywellinemergencysituationsinallseasons,manywithsmallerdoor-to-doorwidths(fromparkedcarononesideofthestreet,toparkedcarontheoppo-sitesideofthestreet)thanthoseproposedineitherofthePBLoptionsforMadison.

DOOR-TO-DOOR LANE MEASUREMENTS:

Delaware Ave: 22 ft

Western Ave: 24 ft

Madison Ave (Alternative D): 25 ft

New Scotland Ave (at Holland Ave): 31 ft

Infact,the12.5ftlanewidthsinAlternativeDarewiderthantheFHWArecommendedrangeof10-12ft.Theadditionofapaintedcentermedianwouldallowforgenerouspavementwidthforemergenciesandsnow,aswellasroomforprotectedbikelanes,allwhilekeepingthetravellaneswithintheFHWAguidelines.

PAINTED CENTER MEDIAN:

OVERCOMING PERCEIVED OBSTACLES

Illustrations: Jim Maximowicz/APBLC

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PARKING

TheProtectedLaneBicycleCoalitionspositionhasalwaysbeenthatparkingonbothsidesofMadisonAve.wouldbemaintained.Infact,theanalysisofvarioustypesofphysicalbarrierstoseparatecarsfromcyclistsshowsthatparkedcarsarethebestchoicebecausetheyprovidethemaximumamountofprotectionforthecostofimplementationi.e.paint.Thisisthereasonthatthecoalitionchoseparkinglaneprotectedbikelanes.Thatsaid,theCoalitionquestionstheestimated

lossofparkingspacesonMadisonresultingfromProtectedBikeLanes.Questionsinclude:

1. DotheavailablespacesonMadisonestimatedbytheconsultantsincludeonlythosethatarelegal,meaning20backfromintersections?ThefactisthatifNewYorkStateandCityofAlbanylawsareenforced*,almostallintersectionsalongMadisonwouldlosefourparkingspaces(Seetableatright).

2. WhatarethenumberofspaceslostforPBLscom-paredwiththeotherdesignsbeingconsideredbytheCity.

3. HavetheconsultantssurveyedthevacantspacesonstreetswithinareasonablewalkingdistancefromMadison?

4. HavetheconsultantsconsideredthedataincludedintheCityofAlbany,SustainabilityAdvisoryCom-mitteeReport2015thatsaysstudiesshowpeoplearewillingtowalk5minutes,orabout1/4miletowork,shoppingorotherappointments.Peopletendtobewillingtowalkalittlelonger,upto1/2miletobettertransitservices...andtorecreationalfacilities.

New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law

Title VII, Article 32, 1202(a)

2. [No person shall] Stand or park a vehicle, whether

occupied or not, except momentarily to pick up or

discharge a passenger or passengers:

a. In front of a public or private driveway;

b. Within twenty feet of a cross walk at an intersection,

unless a different distance is indicated by official signs,

markings or parking meters.

c. Within thirty feet upon the approach to any flashing

signal, stop or yield sign or traffic-control signal

located at the side of the roadway,

The City of Albany Code

Article II, 359-22

Parking, Standing and Stopping Restrictions

Except as otherwise designated by official signs, signals or

markings, the following restrictions will apply in the City of

Albany. Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other

traffic or when in compliance with law or the directions of

a police officer or official traffic control device, no person

shall:

B. Stand or park a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except

momentarily to pick up or discharge a passenger or

passengers:

(1) In front of a public or private driveway.

(2) Within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection unless a

different distance is indicated by official signs, markings

or where parking meters are installed.

* The Albany Police Departments Traffic Safety Committees Traffic Engineering subcommittee recommended that key intersections in the City be day lighted for the

safety of all users. Why this is a recommendation from the Albany Police Department rather than a directive to enforce existing laws is a question for APD to answer.

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The APBLC survey shows ample parking during peak weekday hours of 9am, noon, and 4pm.

PARKING (CONTINUED)

InAlbany,lollipopmetersarebeingreplacedbyki-oskpaystations.ThischangehasbeenimplementedonthesouthsideofMadisonfromS.AllentoW.Lawrence.AllalongMadison,thestreetmarkingsforparkingspaceshavedisappearedandhavenotbeenrepainted.Accordingtostandardguides,parkinglengthforparallelparkingis20perspace.AspotsurveybytheCoalitionshowsanaverageof18onstreetswithoutparkinglines.A2reduction(from20to18)resultsina10%increaseinthenumberofavailablespaces.

TheProtectedBicycleLaneCoalitionsurveyofavailableparkingplacesinthefour-blockstretchofMadisonAve.betweenWestLawrenceandQuailStsshowsthatevenduringpeakweekdayhoursof9am,noon,and4pm,almost50percentoftheon-streetparkingplacesareunoccupiedandavailable.Thissurvey,basedontheactualnumberofcarstakingupspacesratherthanona20spaceforeachcar,andnotincludingavailabilityofspacesonadjacentsidestreets,indicatesthattheimpactofestimatedlossofparkingmaybeexaggerated.

Map: Map data 2015 Google

21

DEALING WITH SNOW

TheProtectedBikeLaneCoalitionquestionstheCitysseeminglyinsurmount-ableobstacleofadditionaloperatingcostsofsnowremovalfromprotectedlanes,consideringthattheproposeddesignsdonotincludeaddingcurbs,anddorecommendplasticbarriersthatcanandshouldberemovedinthewinter.Weeklymoveovernightsandsnowemergenciesrequiringalternateside

ofthestreetparkingprovideunobstructedaccesstoprotectedbikelanes.WerecommendtwooptionsfordealingwithsnowremovalonProtected

BikeLanes.

OPTION 1: Roll maintenance costs (street sweeping and snow removal) into Citys operational budget.

Expertstellusthatthisistheoptionmostcitieschoose.Theincrementalcostsarenothighunlessthecitypurchasesspecializedequipment.Manycitiesthataremakingaseriouscommitmenttobuildingouttheirbikenetworksareupdat-ingtheirfleetwithsmallerplowsandsweeperstohandlethechangingneeds.ProtectedBikeLanesincreasepropertyvaluesandprofitsforlocalbusiness--

thusincreasingthetaxesfortheCity.Thisincrease,overtime,willoffsetmainte-nancecosts.

OPTION 2: Public-private partnership by raising funds from area businesses and tax-exempt organizations.

TheFederalHighwayAdministration,initsMay2015SeparatedBikeLanePlanningandDesignGuidecitesexamplesofpublic-privatecollaborationforstreetcleaningandsnowremoval.TheProtectedBikeLaneCoalitionpledg-estoresearchthoseexamplesandactivelyworktoraisemoneyfromprivatesources.OncelocalbusinessesseetheincreaseinprofitgeneratedbyProtect-edBikeLanes,theywillbemotivatedtocontributetothecostofkeepingthemopeninthewinter.

The immediate

increase in

operating

costs for snow

removal will be

outweighed

by the long-

term economic

benefits of

protected

bike lanes for

businesses and

home owners

and savings due

to a reduction in

the number of

accidents.

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CONCLUSION

ThisreporthasdiscussedthetransformationalopportunitythecityofAlbanyisfacinginthedesignselectionfortheMadisonAvenueRoadDiet.Theeconomic,safety,fairness/equity,healthandenvi-ronmentalbenefitsofthe2PBLoptions(Alterna-tivesCandD)areloudandclear.Carefulanalysisrevealsthatalloftheproposed

alternativesthatlackPBLsareseverelydeficientandwillnotencouragetheinterestedbutconcernedtoridebicyclesathighrates.ThesharrowsofAlternativeAoffernoprotectedspaceforpeopleonbicycles,andtheexpansivetravellanesencouragedangerouscitydriving.AlternativeBsconvention-albicyclelanesputbicyclesdirectlyinmotoristsdoorzone,thespaceinwhichacyclistisindangerofgettinghitbyanopeningcardoor.Onacom-mercialstreetwithfrequentparkingturnover,thisisasignificantsafetyhazardfordriversandcyclistsalike.ThebufferedoptionofAlternativeEdoesnotofferaphysicalbarrierfromtrafficforthepersononabicycletopromoteeconomicactivityatthelevelofaProtectedBikeLane.

Concerns about loss of parking and costs of snow maintenance must be looked at in context: Parking.Ourdetailedsurveyofavailablepark-ingplacesinthefour-blockstretchofMadisonAve.betweenWestLawrenceandQuailshowsthatevenduringhighparkingdemandtimes,al-most50percentoftheon-streetparkingplacesareunoccupiedandavailable.

Snow.Thereareviableoptionsforaddressingsnowremoval.Short-terminvestmentinsnowremovalcanberecoupedbytheeventualre-turnsinincreasedpropertyvaluesandprofitstolocalbusiness.

TheProtectedBikeLaneCoalitionwillraisefundsforashort-termpopupProtectedBikeLanetotakeplacenextspringtogatherfeedbackfromAlba-nyresidents,businessownersandvisitors.ItisclearthatProtectedBikeLanesaretheright

choiceforMadisonAvenue.TheProtectedBikeLaneCoalitionurgesMayorSheehanandherstafftomakeaboldmoveforthefutureofthiscityandselectaProtectedBikeLaneoptionfortheMadisonAvenueRoadDiet.

The Protected Bike Lane Coalition urges Mayor Sheehan and her staff

to make a bold move for the future of this city and select a Protected

Bike Lane option for the Madison Avenue Road Diet.


The Albany Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition thanks People For Bikes Green Lane Project for being

such a valuable resource for information about the benefits of Protected Bicycle Lanes.

Protected Bike Lanes in Albany report

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