Temporary Closure Expected on South Lamar Bike Lane

The Pathways Commission received an update Monday from assistant city engineer Reanna Mayoral on bike lane closures on South Lamar and a new potential bike lane on College Hill.

Bike lanes were recently completed on South Lamar Boulevard, but will be temporarily impassable while the city completes some required sewer line work along the lane. Pedestrians should also use caution along the route.
Recent roadwork on Leighton Road, just off College Hill Road, left space for a bike lane and Mayoral said engineering staff would be out today to measure that space. If it’s large enough, they will stripe the lane for use by bicyclists.
Meanwhile, the transition design for a bike lane on the Sisk Avenue connector attached to Highway 30 is still in the design phases. The city engineers are working with the state Department of Transportation to create a design that meets MDOT standards.
New city planner Andrea Correll attended the meeting, and introduced herself to commission members. She also laid out her thoughts on the directions they can take in reviewing the pathways ordinance and suggesting any changes they believe are necessary.
The group formed a subcommittee that will meet May 7 to work out the commission’s preferred direction and future plans, which will be presented to the Board of Aldermen in June.
The committee also started brainstorming ideas for Bike Month. Community rides resume Sundays at 3 p.m. from the Oxford Depot and Bike to Work Day is May 16. Members hope to work with local businesses to create a communitywide event.
Members want to educate local residents about how car drivers and bicyclists can live together safely. The training, on how car drivers and bicycle riders should make right turns in high-traffic areas, would mirror a flier from the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. Care needs to be taken by both bikers and drivers in turns such as the one from College Hill Road onto West Jackson Avenue.
– Gretchen Stone is HottyToddy.com associate editor. Gretchen can be contacted about this story at Gretchen.Stone@HottyToddy.com