[MissoulaGov] Safe Routes to School- Bike Boulevard?

Tue Nov 24 13:32:05 MST 2009

The Downtown Master Plan talks about an enhanced bike treatment for Gerald.
This concept might help support the Master Plan. Rod

From: missoulagov-bounces at cmslists.com
[mailto:missoulagov-bounces at cmslists.com] On Behalf Of Jordan Hess
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2009 1:28 PM
To: Geoff Badenoch
Cc: missoulagov at cmslists.com
Subject: Re: [MissoulaGov] Safe Routes to School- Bike Boulevard?

Geoff, Bob, and All:

As someone who lives on Gerald, I love the fact that this street serves as a
Bike/Ped alternative route. There is a great deal of non-motorized traffic
between campus/University neighborhood and downtown that really makes the
neighborhood feel more vibrant and alive. I think this could only be
improved by creating some sort of bike boulevard. One option for
accommodating school buses would be to use bollards to create some sort of
bus only area near the school while allocating some of the street to bikes
and peds only.

Another concern on Gerald is the regular semi traffic coming from both the
Missoulian and food deliveries to the Bridge Pizza. While trucks typically
avoid residential streets, in this area there is no alternative, and set of
lower truck speed limits (10-15 mph?) and other safety regulations should be
implemented to make these deliveries safer.

Personally, however, the school bus and truck traffic is nowhere near as
offensive as the fraternity and high school traffic that zips along Gerald.
(Disclaimer: I am another student complaining about this demographic
group... not a stodgy old man.) A bike boulevard or greenway would help this
scenario immeasurably, not by simply rerouting the traffic to a different
street, but rather by diffusing it across the entire area. A bike boulevard
on Gerald would transfer much of this traffic back to Higgins where it
belongs.

I know these suggestions don't apply directly to many folks outside the U
district, but I think Gerald could be a model street for how to do bike
boulevards throughout the community, as there are many areas of town with a
different flavor of the same problem.

One good resource that Bob failed to mention is his own:
http://www.strans.org/greenstreets.html

Best wishes for a happy Thanksgiving,
Jordan Hess

On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 11:38 AM, Geoff Badenoch <geoffb at ism.net> wrote:

When I was in Hellgate High School last year, I saw some plans posted on a
wall that showed a re-working of the two blocks that border Hellgate on the
east.  The plans were both for beautification and improved circulation.
Don't know what became of them.

School bus circulation is a big problem to address if motor vehicles are
prohibited on Gerald.  That moves bus circulation and drop-off deeper into
the neighborhood.

As a cyclist, I love using Gerald as an alternative to the Brooks/Higgins
intersection.

Geoff Badenoch

-----Original Message-----
From: missoulagov-bounces at cmslists.com
[mailto:missoulagov-bounces at cmslists.com] On Behalf Of Bob Giordano
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2009 11:20 AM
To: missoulagov at cmslists.com
Subject: [MissoulaGov] Safe Routes to School- Bike Boulevard?

An option for a more complete 'safe routes to school' network is the
'bicycle boulevard.'  This is a lower volume neighborhood street that is
converted, with little money and time, to a bicycle, pedestrian, wheel
chair (and other non-motorized modes) priority street.

Imagine Gerald, which parallels Higgins, having more landscaping/play
areas/traffic calming, allowing residences to have car access onto the
street, but it would not be a thru street for motor vehicles (physically
prohibited).  Stop signs would be re-oriented to favor the 'boulevard'
when crossing other local streets. The presence of Paxson elementary and
Hellgate High makes Gerald Avenue a good candidate.

While 'bicycle boulevard' may not be the best name- others use the terms
'Home Street' or 'Green Street'- the point is a safe and livable route,
not just spot calming, without much impact on the motor vehicle system.

Imagine each neighborhood in Missoula having one mostly car-free street,
and these connect into a network.  Imagine these local streets being part
of a network along with trails, sidewalks and bike lanes, to further
Missoula's bike/walk system.  We've done some preliminary surveys and find
strong support among especially home-owners.  We are willing to help
anyone do something like this in their neighborhood.

Good further info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_boulevard

http://www.bta4bikes.org/at_work/bikeboulevards.php

--
Bob Giordano
Missoula Institute for Sustainable Transportation
www.strans.org, mist at strans.org, 406.880.6834

Bob Jaffe wrote:
> Just got some news on the safe routes to school grant.
> The proposal for FY11 is being put together and will be submitted
mid-december. If folks have ideas for things they would like to see in the
> program they can post them here or send them on to Phil Smith
> psmith at ci.missoula.mt.us<mailto:psmith at ci.missoula.mt.us>.
>
> There is a SR2S workshop planned for Dec. 1 6:30-8:30 at Lewis and Clark
school.

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-- 
Jordan Hess

Email: jordan at montanatransit.com
Mobile: 406-431-3222

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