Saint Louis University places event parking sign within bike lane
Bike lanes in St. Louis just are not respected. I’ve written before about valet signs being placed in them (Valets at Lush Block Bike Lane w/Sign) and about them getting re-striped to the point where it is useless (World’s Narrowest Bike Lane Located in St. Louis). Now we have a major university joining others in ignoring the point of bike lanes: safety.
I spotted the sign after leaving a campus meeting last week. Two fellow students had biked to campus.
We need everyone to realize bike lanes are not wasted space you are free to block. They are used. Placing a sign in the lane presents a challenge to the cyclist. The sign is off center so one might go to the street side to go around. However, this places the cyclist close to passing vehicles. Going around the other direction is more off center but safer. Cyclists often face last minute decisions about obstacles, but our institutions shouldn’t add to the list.
– Steve Patterson
Did you move the standup out of the bike lane and into the parking area? That's going to be my new take on these things – move them where they should be.
I wanted to but doing so is no longer an easy task for me.
Ah, I read “Two fellow students had biked to campus.” and made the leap that they were with you at the time.
Sorry, yes two others of the 8 of us that had a meeting. Many more students bike to campus.
Bike lanes will be respected when many more cyclists actually use them. Alternately, situations like this will become less common if the city actually enforced their existing ordinances. But, in the bigger scheme of things, a temporary sign that partially blocks a little-used traffic lane isn't quite important as trying to reduce our murder rate.
“But, in the bigger scheme of things, a temporary sign that partially blocks a little-used traffic lane isn't quite important as trying to reduce our murder rate.”
True, but it's not like the two are exclusive. Especially since signs in the bike lanes is more easily fixed. And if we want people to use bike lanes, part of the equation is making them easier to use.
Agreed, as noted in my second comment. We have the tools (laws against this), but they're only as good as the enforcement behind them. “Broken windows” policing is the antithesis to this – instead of letting this, and many of the “minor” infractions slide, other cities actually have people dedicated to enforcing the “small” stuff, the quality of life concerns that can make urban living attractive, or not. Unfortunately, this isn't a 9-5 job, enforcement needs to happen 7 days a week, 14-18 hours a day. And since the police have bigger issues to deal with, especially outside of the 9-5 hours, the duty falls to dedicated code enforcement officers. Issue enough citations, collect enough fines, and guess what, behavior changes and the enforcement becomes self-suporting.
Denver has consolidated these efforts into the Office of Right-of-Way Enfocement and Permitting: “Right-of-way Enforcement and Permitting manages activities associated with private development and use of the City’s right-of-way. . . . The Enforcement section issues citations for on-street, off-street and private property parking violations. It administers vehicle booting and towing for the City, provides parking enforcement for sporting events, special events, holidays, concerts, and after-hours university events, and performs field checks and investigations of contested tickets.
http://www.denvergov.org/Default.aspx?alias=www…
Maybe it's something we need to see more of here . . .
STL is the worst bike friendly city I have ever lived in. No off road trails interconnecting the big parks, very few bike lanes and little respect or attention to cycling related matters.
That said other areas in the metro are doing a better a job, Madison County for example.
St. Louis bikers are also some of the biggest traffic-law scofflaws I've come across.
You have obviously heard of Great Rivers Greenway, which operates a $10 million/year budget to build exactly what you are complaining about. Granted, they are nowhere near complete, but GRG is a national model and is widely respected. Check it out: greatrivers.info
*obviously not
I'm well aware of GRG and it's grand vision. Can't wait until it's done. But I'm talking about STL City specifically.
I couldn't disagree with you more. While it may not be Portland or Seattle, it is a great city to bike in. I have lived and biked in a lot of cities, and I would choose riding here any time. With the exception of spring pot-holes, the roads are in decent condition. The drivers in the city are courteous to me. There are miles of bike lanes for people who are trepidatious of riding in traffic.
I live right across the street at the Drake apartments and I saw some college kids that moved it there.
Dont assume it is SLU's fault and I have only seen one bike on lindell/olive and they were in the road, not even in the bike lane.
Bike lanes are a good idea though. I just wish more people would use bikes or walk and not drive cars.
Bike lanes will be respected when many more cyclists actually use them. Alternately, situations like this will become less common if the city actually enforced their existing ordinances. But, in the bigger scheme of things, a temporary sign that partially blocks a little-used traffic lane isn't quite important as trying to reduce our murder rate.
Parking Signs should be properly placed. They should not be placed within bike lanes.
Parking Signs should be properly placed. They should not be placed within bike lanes.