Sometimes the good guys — that would be bicyclists — prevail.
After advocates mounted a bike protest ride and conducted a traffic count, the Seattle transportation department is agreeing to replace sharrows on Stone Way North with bike lanes.
Merchants along the road that heads north from the Burke Gilman Trail insisted last summer that four lanes were needed on Stone Way because of truck traffic. The city installed sharrows on the uphill portion instead of bike lanes, an action which bike advocates said created a dangerous situation.
1-in-7
Seattle Like Bikes! organized protest rides and the Cascade Bicycle Club said it would conduct a traffic count. The city said it would study the issue for six months.
That Cascade Bicycle Club traffic count revealed that one of every 7 road users was a bicyclist.
On Wednesday, the Seattle Likes Bikes! blog reminded the city that it had been six months. The next day, the blog reported that the city announced it would remove the sharrows on the uphill lane, make Stone Way two lanes with a center turning lane, and install bike lanes on the uphill portion.
Kudos to all
The road isn't wide enough for bike lanes on the downhill, south-bound lane, and that's apparently OK as bike can ride the same speed as motor vehicles on that side.
Congratulations to all the bike advocates who took part in this effort. It's also good to see that the city is willing to change its mind.
I happened to be down on Stone Way when those sharrows were being applied (picture above). I talked to the guys doing the work, and they said these decal-like markings can be heated and pulled up just as easily as they're melted onto the surface.
Here's the city's press release:
SEATTLE – The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) today announced its reconfiguration plan for Stone Way between North 34th Street and North 40th Street. Based on further analysis, the department will reduce the number of through-lanes on this portion of Stone Way from four lanes to two, install bicycle facilities on both sides of the road, and create a center two-way left-turn lane. This matches the reconfiguration plan originally proposed for all of Stone Way from North 34th Street to North 47th Street. The changes will be made, weather permitting, within the next several weeks.
“Stone Way is an important arterial street for motorists, the freight community and bicyclists. Our analysis of roadway usage and traffic patterns supports this new configuration, which will allow users of all types a safe and efficient route of travel,” said SDOT Director Grace Crunican. “We are confident that the new Stone Way will better serve the needs of all travelers and the surrounding community, and embody the spirit of the Complete Streets ordinance passed by City Council last year.”
SDOT will add a center two-way left-turn lane, create a northbound climbing lane for bicycles, and retain the existing bicycle/vehicle shared lane markings (sharrows) southbound. Several of the improvements support the use of Stone Way as a key bicycle corridor, a goal outlined in the Bicycle Master Plan. Additionally, because of the reduced number of through-lanes, SDOT will be able to install a crosswalk at North 38th Street to enhance pedestrian safety. None of the reconfigurations will affect on-street parking.
Based on community feedback and a traffic analysis submitted by the business community, SDOT had delayed implementation of the lane reconfiguration at the south end of Stone Way to perform additional analysis. It conducted traffic counts, reviewed submitted materials, and scrutinized available lane options. SDOT found that lane reconfigurations further north on Stone Way, in the six months since their installation, had not increased traffic volumes or congestion. This comprehensive review of Stone Way ultimately supported implementation of the original plan.
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