The Observation Deck

Ever since Lake Ave. got repaved I've been riding the bike on it almost daily, usually around 6:00 am, but sometimes mid-day. I ride the entire length of it from my house to Edgewater Park and back. It's smooth as glass (in Lakewood) and a real pleasure. But this morning I noticed that the city (?) marked a long section of Lake Ave. to reconfigure it for vehicle traffic. The markings (west to east) start a few blocks west of Lakewood Park and end around Nicholson or thereabouts. I didn't pay attention specifically. There are no markings in the immediate vicinity of the Park entrance.

I couldn't figure it out exactly. It looks like parking on both sides, one narrow lane each direction for motor vehicle traffic, a narrow center turn lane, and one bike lane in the northern half in the door zone of the parked cars. That lane did have a couple cycle markings. But again I didn't try to discern exactly what is being laid out. Maybe tomorrow. Or better yet maybe someone who knows can come on here and explain what's going on.

But regardless. Right now Lake is a pleasure to cycle. The only two lanes are very wide wide. They permit bikes to easily avoid parked cars, and they permit motor vehicles to pass bikes with plenty of room to spare even within the lane. Almost any reconfiguration of Lake can only make it worse for bikes. I wish they would just leave it alone. It just seems like the planners think they have to do something to "help bikes." But my rule is this: if you don't want to get hit, you have to be seen. And if you want to be seen you have to be where cars are. And of course it helps to wear bright colors.

But what do I know. And I would acknowledge that there are plenty of advocates for dedicated bike lanes. But reasonably experienced cyclists don't want them, certainly not on a road like Lake. Maybe it's a strategy to get the commuters to use Clifton. I don't know. But what I do know is that I like it just the way it is now. Please....

I think, that parking will be allowed on one side only with one lane in each direction and a bike lane.
Where there are apartment buildings, I think parking will be allowed on both sides of Lake.
Otherwise, where will those tenants park?

Yes, it will definitely make for more traffic on Clifton Blvd and no doubt, ALL of the motorcycle traffic.

Clifton Blvd should be renamed CLIFTON SPEEDWAY, because the traffic has increased, substantially. Especially, since the pandemic.

City Hall needs to seriously look at the situation that it has created on Clifton Blvd.
It is now the only east/west street with more than one lane in each direction.

So....what was once a pleasant street to live on, has become a nightmare.
Motorcycles and hotrodders are the norm. The noise factor is horrendous.

CITY HALL...are you reading this? Putting the lone police car out there as visibility doesn't mean a thing.

And, why not? Take for instance, that rule about not driving with a cell phone. The other day, while in my front yard, right in front of me, was a guy with a cell phone to his ear driving west, while a police vehicle passed him going east. Nice. One is breaking the law. The law..... is not paying attention.

people like roads in good condition. they like to break traffic laws at night.

OK so I've ridden Lake a couple times since posting above. It looks like portions of Lake between Lakeland and Nicholson are going to be re-striped as follows. From the south curb northward, (1) an eastbound dedicated bike lane, (2) an eastbound vehicle lane, (3) a westbound vehicle lane, (4) a westbound dedicated bike lane, and (5) on-street parking. A couple portions in that span look to be left alone, at least for now, particularly in front of Lakewood Park. Why? East of Nicholson where there are a lot of parked cars looks like it will be left the way it is, thankfully.

In my opinion, bike lanes are problematic. They usually make cyclists less visible to motorists, especially right alongside parked cars, and particularly at intersections (which includes all those driveways). Those "door zones" are problematic in their own right; cyclists using them occasionally get clobbered. Bike lanes make left turns difficult. Bike lakes collect debris. Delivery vehicles block them fully. And in less-experienced cyclists they infer a sense of safety that simply is not justified.

That said, we're all aware that there are plenty of advocates for dedicated bike lanes. I'm not one, and I hope that the City (or whoever is re-striping Lake) will make the police and the motorists aware that cyclists may also share all vehicle lanes with motorists, per Ohio law (interstates excepted). There is no requirement that cyclist must use bike lanes. Ohio law states that quite specifically, and for good reason.

Lake Avenue is very pleasant for cycling just the way it is now. There have been a LOT of cyclists on it this spring and summer especially now that is is so smooth. It's too bad they're going to mess it up. I wish they wouldn't. But like I said above, what do I know?

Just wait until e-scooters and bikes start showing up in Lakewood - they'll be on sidewalks, bike lanes, vehicle lanes . . .add to this "sidewalk dining" - a true recipe for disaster.

I remember a City Council meeting a few years back. Bike lanes are created with Federal funds. The main reason that cities add bike lanes is a money grab - plain and simple. Plus, the bike lobby is very influential in Northeast Ohio.

I would say if we are doing bike lanes, lets do them correctly...


Columbus


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Last week the remainder of Lake (west of Nicholson) was prepared for re-striping. It still is mostly configured like I indicated above, but at some of the intersections (e.g. the entrance to Lakewood Park) where obviously there can be no street parking, the westbound bike lane veers northward to the curb, then back again. Why?

I sure would like to know what problem is being solved by all the thermoplastic that is about to litter Lake Avenue. I sure can't think of one. In my opinion cycling will be made less safe and less fun with the dedicated lanes. And the State of Ohio must think so too because the ORC specifically permits cyclists to use the motorist lanes even when bike lanes are available. The motorist lanes will be narrower. And street parking will be confined to the north side only, requiring south-siders to cross the street after parking. Lake will have the feel of a five-lane commercial street. The bike lanes will require frequent cleaning, and the markings will require maintenance.

Jim IMO lanes you depicted are somewhat better. But turning across multiple lanes is still quite problematic both for cyclists and motorists. And you can see the debris right in the picture. Those lanes are on a one-way (motorists) street that looks like it may be pretty high-volume, which alters the equation somewhat. And the lanes are at least physically separated, as in this instance I would think they need to be.

Lake Avenue is a great place to cycle just the way it is, both for novice cyclists just having fun, and for experienced cyclists commuting or getting some exercise. It ain't broke, and it doesn't need fixed.