New road rules expand bike lanes in San Carlos
October 22, 2008
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| Bicyclists and vehicles share the road on Brittan Avenue in San Carlos. |
SAN CARLOS — Margaret Pye remembers the honking, shouting and tailgating she endured while commuting home.
The bicyclist grew tiresome of the treatment she received from drivers in San Carlos, and fought for equal access to the roads by lobbying city leaders for a unique kind of sign.
Instead of “share the road” signs, which Pye said are ineffective, the city recently installed “change lanes to pass” signs on the two-lane portion of Brittan Avenue that links El Camino Real to U.S. Highway 101. It notifies drivers that bicyclists have full access to a car lane: if drivers want to speed past them, they must switch lanes.
Once the sign went up this summer, the honking quickly stopped, she said.
“I believe the motorists understand and do what they’re supposed to do,” Pye said. “I think it’s been a significant difference.”
From bicyclists receiving access to full car lanes to slimming down drivers’ lanes to make way for bikes, local leaders are providing bike riders with more and more roadway access — and are about to be infused with tens of millions of dollars for more projects.
In addition to cities’ efforts, the City/County Association of Governments will soon release its first Peninsula bike map in 10 years, Executive Director Richard Napier said. It will outline ideal routes for bicycles while accounting for narrow roads, steep hills and bike lanes, he said.
From Jan. 1 through 2033, cities will also receive an estimated $70 million for bicycle and pedestrian projects under Measure A. Since San Mateo County voters approved the measure in 1988, the only bicycle-related funds allotted have been for printing previous bike maps, said Christine Dunn, spokeswoman for the county Transportation Authority, which distributes Measure A funds.
Even with limited funds, cities are finding creative ways to add space for bikes. “Lane diets” have been used three times in Redwood City to slim down car-lane widths in large roadways.
Share the road
Ways bicyclists are receiving more access on Peninsula roadways:
- “Change lanes to pass” signs
- “Share the road” signs
- Slimming down lane widths to make room for bike lanes
- Improving access between downtown areas and transit centers
- Bike access around freeways, such as Highway 101’s Ralston Avenue exit
- Bike-overcross proposals on several portions of Highway 101
- City and county bike maps
Sources: Cities, City/County Association of Governments
