[*BCM*] new Longfellow Bridge bike and pedestrian lanes

[Charvak Karpe]

Not wanting to cross a lane of traffic is a reason to not use the
center lanes on the Longfellow.  Why else do people not use them?  One
rainy morning, I saw joggers getting splashed on, running on the
shoulder, instead of moving in to the safety of the center lane.  Do
people assume that the lane being blocked off means it's dangerous, as
if a work truck will appear out of nowhere and steamroll them or there
will be a gaping hole in the pavement?  Or are people just obedient
and think it's better to obey the law and stay out of a blocked lane?
How many people have asked themselves why a lane would be blocked for
weeks without any work being performed?

I think the lane may be blocked off for a while.  A few months ago, I
commented on the new signs that restrict trucks to the right lane of
the bridge and how I'd sometimes ride the left lane for this reason,
even before it was blocked off.  The shoulder would be covered in
debris from construction trucks, making it unsuitable for bicycles.
Now, the bridge is close enough to falling down that they've had to
block a lane to limit weight on the bridge and slow the T down to 10
mph to reduce vibrations.  It will probably be a while before they fix
the bridge or reassess its load capacity, so my prayers for a
separated bike lane have been answered.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/153/398137071_24bb5f0492.jpg?v=0 is a
bike lane.  A shoulder with a bicycle painted on it is still a
shoulder designed to satisfy regulations on road construction.  But
some MassBike person once told me that the consensus is that turning
shoulders into bike lanes is safer than having separate bike lanes
because it helps traffic see the bikes and not hit them on right
turns.  After living in Amsterdam, I tend to prefer having a separate
lane for cyclists.  I think raised bike lanes could be a reasonable
compromise, because that would at least keep the debris and water from
accumulating there, which is the function of a shoulder, and prevent
cars from driving in them.
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=raised%20bike%20lanes&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi
 What kind of bike lanes would CMers like to see?  Make sure you talk
to your representatives or MassBike about your opinions and they don't
impose theirs on all of us because we don't speak out.

Westbound on the bridge, there are often lots of cars turning right
from Cambridge street to Storrow drive or I-93.  I've been nearly
clipped by people who speed up and try to go around often enough that
it makes more sense to move to the left while still on Cambridge
street and occupy a lane all the way to the bridge, where I can now
conveniently stay in the left lane.  The Motorcycle Safety
Foundation's course on motorcycling taught me to always consider my
position within my lane on the road.  A motorcyclist must always
evaluate potential hazards from both sides, consider speed
differentials, ensure there's room to move around, etc.  The same
mentality keeps bicyclists safe too.  We pay taxes and are entitled to
a safe place to bike, even if we don't have a motor spewing pollutants
as we make our way.  It's fine to occupy a lane, while being courteous
and letting people pass when safe because we're nice people.

I want to see more cyclists acting like tax-paying citizens who
courteously, yet assertively share the roads instead of crawling along
the sidelines covered in dirt and glass, in fear of autos, hoping they
don't get shoved into the kerb.

Charvak


On Sat, Jul 26, 2008 at 12:00 PM,  <>
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>
> Message: 1
> Date: Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:57:53 -0400
> From: "Ron Newman" <rnewman at thecia.net>
> Subject: [*BCM*] new Longfellow Bridge bike and pedestrian lanes
> To: list at bostoncriticalmass.org
> Message-ID: <488a1421.2ff4.0 at thecia.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> A couple of weeks ago, the state closed the left lane on each side of the Longfellow
> Bridge to motorized traffic.
>
> Which makes those lanes an excellent place to walk, or run, or ride a bicycle.
>  People don't seem to realize that yet.  This morning I saw at least 20 bicyclists
> still hugging the narrow eastbound shoulder instead of using the empty left
> lane.   I often see joggers on the shoulder, too.
>
> These lane closures won't last, but let's take advantage of them while we can!
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:05:08 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Jon Ramos <jontramos at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [*BCM*] new Longfellow Bridge bike and pedestrian lanes
> To: list at bostoncriticalmass.org
> Message-ID: <839312.55506.qm at web50001.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> EXCEPT THAT, you have to cross over the vehicle lane at each end of the bridge just to take advantage of this very short "safe lane".? I dont think its?worth crossing in front of speeding motorists for such a short distance.? I'll stick to the bike lane.
> I am, however, annoyed that the city closed the sidewalk portion... resulting in joggers / pedestrians in the rather narrow bike lane.
>
> I hope we ride the longfellow tonight...? taking over the single lane bridge?would be fun!
> See you?at Copley!
>
>