Yes it’s True!

If you have been on Montana in the last few days you may have noticed some of the lane markings on the new pavement for bike lanes. Not just bike lanes, but Buffered Bike Lanes like the ones that went in on Bicknell Ave, east of Main Street this past March.

Bicknell Buffered Lanes, Â Â Â Â Â Â Â East off Main St. (So. of Pico)

Chalk lines went in to line out the markings, and although they might not be exciting to some – I think this group may find them an exciting and beautiful sight indeed! Unlike the lanes on Bicknell Ave that connect a two block stretch between Main St. and 4th, the lanes on Montana will ultimately go from Ocean Ave to 17th Street and intersect with several north/south bike facilities now in place. Coupled with the current repaving project on Montana we should see paint laid down for the buffered lanes on Montana Ave. from 7th to 17th sometime middle of next week, current schedule is for Tuesday night.

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The lane configuration between 7th and 17th Streets will be:
7′ parking lane,
7’ buffered bike lane (3’ door zone buffer like Bicknell),
11’ vehicle lane,
10’ center left turn lane.

For the segment between Ocean Ave and 7th we are told to ignore the current chalk markings the city put in last December as they have adopted a better course of action in the following design configuration:
7’ parking lane,
7’ buffered bike lane, (as above)
10’ vehicle lane.

Although the city is attempting to coordinate the striping of this portion between Ocean Ave and 7th with the repaving and striping from 7th to 17th it is not likely that this portion will happen next week.

With this project there are a few trouble spots. One is at 7th St. where there are left turn pockets on Montana Ave.  The remaining available road area narrows so there is no room at 7th Street to continue the buffered lanes up to and through this intersection. The challenge here will be how to direct cyclist through this intersection clearly and safely. Sharrows? The city is currently working on design configurations to get through the “pinch” at 7th where the road narrows with the addition of the left turn pockets. The second is east of 17th where the road is currently too narrow for bike lanes. We have suggested and heard discussion of sharrows from 17th to 26th but currently do not know if that is the final plan.

We look forward to updating you with paint on the street, what designs the engineers are concidering at the intersection at 7th – and what will be done at the east end of Montana, east of 17th.

Happy Riding!!

Remember you can still send your ideas and suggestions for Bike Action Plan implementation, for this or any areas of the city to BikePlan@SMSpoke.org