Linking to @trueurbanist 's post/video about building better biking infrastructure. I watched the video (the main presentation is in English) and I think the points that are brought here are well discussed.
One of the points I like is that there is no need to build bike lanes everywhere. The discussion then goes on about having streets where bikes and cars can coexist. Part of this is achieved by lower speed limits (in the video they discuss 30kph or 18mph) and by limiting through access to cars in neighborhoods. This lowers the speed and car count.
In one of my other posts (link here), I show a map where I use neighborhood streets to get to downtown Raleigh via Five Points. The full route is not marked as a “preferred route” on the bike map (Raleigh Bike Map), but it is something I find to be very comfortable riding in both during the day and in the dark (since it gets dark at 5 now).
Part of the reason I’ve been thinking about this is that I do bike quite a bit and I am very mixed on bike lanes. In some instances I love them; In others, I hate them. Bike lanes are good in that they set aside a lane for people biking. The problem with the bike lanes is that it has given drivers this sense of privilege that the bike lane is for the bike and the road anything outside of it is for the car. I think a lot of people are aware that bike lanes are too close to parked cars and of course the door can swing right into a bike lane. If you leave the bike lane, then people complain because “people don’t use the bike lane”.
The other problem I have with a bike lane is that if you are meant to be in the bike lane, it is very difficult to do a leisure commute with a friend or spouse (8-10mph). Riding bikes is fun, but what fun is it if you aren’t able to carry a conversation? Bike lanes do not allow this.
Today I went on a ride with a friend. We rode along the greenway and on some neighborhood streets. Our goal was to meet up with friends for brunch downtown. I actually avoided streets that had bike lanes to get a feel of what it would be like to bike on a street without one. Instead of riding on Milburnie Rd, we rode on Glascock St. Throughout the entire time we were riding, we were able to ride side by side comfortably. Realistically I blame the low traffic volume as we were only passed by 3 cars. I do not think we’d be able to do this on Milburnie (without angering people) since one of us would have been outside the bike lane. We rode at a very leisure pace (8-10mph).
Part of the ride (Click to make it bigger).
Staying on topic, I like the video’s explanation of trying to lower car volumes and speeds instead of putting bike lanes everywhere. I love that this something that seems that it could be implemented quickly and less costly (although admittedly I don’t know). A single bike lane doesn’t provide enough space for riders. In an ideal world, we would have very nice separated bike lanes that allow 2 people to ride side by side either for passing or for a nice conversational ride.
I would be curious how other people feel about this. I’m not sure of a speed limit map of Raleigh but it would be interesting to see which streets have lower speed limits at 25MPH. I know there have been quite a few speed limit reductions.
Editing to add. Shifter had made a video a few years back discussing space between cars and bike lanes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fztvoxj_pds