In case you haven't had enough.
City Councilperson Carla Smith (Grant Park area) is introducing a city ordinance amendment tonight at a meeting at City Hall that will effectively ban bike lanes in the Grant Park Historic District and may set a precedent for other areas of the city to attempt the same. (Ordinance is at http://apps.atlantaga.gov/citycouncil/2007/images/proposed/07O1909.pdf, bike lane stuff is on page 3) Basically (in the GP Historic District) if the road is wide enough to include bike lanes but there is a possibility of onstreet parking, bike lanes won't be allowed. And onstreet parking is generally possible everywhere, hence bike lanes prohibited. This is wrong for many reasons- #1- zoning is for private property, not public right-of-way. #2- Precedence- we don't want small areas of the city changing rules that effect everybody, and we don't want to further any more anti-bike legislation or projects than have already been happening. #3- this goes against the city's new Connect Atlanta Comprehensive Transportation Plan. Basically, it contradicts other (city-approved and otherwise) efforts to create an alternative-transportation friendly city.
Anyways, this would be an excellent opportunity for us to email our Councilpeople... again, that address is http://apps.atlantaga.gov/citycouncil/, click on the photos. You can email the whole group and address it to Lisa Borders, President, or email your own councilmember. If you like bike lanes or just support cycling, please let them know, and let them know you vote. :)
Why is Carla spear heading
Why is Carla spear heading this? There aren't any bike lanes in Grant Park (maybe if you count Ormewood as part of the NPU, even though it's not)... nor do I think there are going to be any added (It's not like we need them anyhow).
After reading the article it specifically talks about 'designated' on street parking... the only place I know of designated on street parking in the historic district is on the west side of the park on Cherokee, by the Zoo.
I believe residents on
I believe residents on Confederate were upset that they received parking tickets for parking in the bike lane. Rather than work something out on a street-by-street basis or come to some kind of compromise, the neighborhood is freaking out and Carla is using this to pacify them.
Not sure about the 'designated' part but I don't think Confederate's was designated.
I agree that there is not a huge need for bike lanes in GP but it's the fact that they're trying to change zoning to prohibit them that I think is dangerous.
Wait... you just typed
Wait... you just typed received parking tickets for parking in the bike lane.
WTF. Why are they ticketing on Confederate and not on Edgewood? It's the same precinct, so the cops can't use that excuse.
I guess because the police
I guess because the police like to park in them to go to Thumbs Up and that pizza place.
Too busy ringing up tickets
Too busy ringing up tickets for left turn violations off Boulevard.
Amen brother.
I once stopped and asked the ticket-writers about the cars/trucks parked in the bike lane--within eyesight--and was told it wasn't worth their time. Sure did a lot for my opinion of the APD.
City Councilperson Carla
City Councilperson Carla Smith might vapor lock on this but ...
see: http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/781816,CST-NWS-bike07.article
That is doable here.
That is doable here.
?
But is it enforceable anywhere?
Speeders speed approximately from origin to destination.
Cops can hang out at interestions or use cameras to catch folks running red-lights.
A wreckless bike/car interaction can happen any where in a city* and takes 3 seconds tops. It's a lovely gesture, but I'm scared it won't do much.
* yes, there will be hot spots, but you get the idea.
I meant to say,"for
I meant to say,"for starters". This would be an easy thing to ask for if "somebody" wrote to a representative. I am still brewing on the big picture in a neighboring thread. The better I can understand the parameters that our representatives are dealing with, the better equipped I will be to write to them about cycling in the city.