Decatur’s Bike Lane Receives CL Award
Decatur Metro | September 23, 2011How did I miss this? Wait. How did YOU ALL miss this?!
Though far from being the two-wheelers’ playground it could be, Atlanta’s made some inroads when it comes to cycling. The most welcome addition to the metro region’s disparate bicycle network: Decatur’s new bike lanes along West Ponce de Leon Avenue and West Trinity Place. Wide and well-marked, the lanes clearly show where cyclists are supposed to pedal and motorists are supposed to yield. Designers even threw in a “bike box,” an area that allows cyclists to skip in front of cars at the red light and make a safe turn across traffic when the light changes to green. Decatur could’ve just tossed down a strip of paint on a busy road, but it went one step further and placed West Ponce on a “road diet” — actually reducing the number of automobile lanes in order to discourage drivers from roaring down the street. Sure, it’s one small $550,000 project. But it’s a great step for a city that’s building on its reputation as a paradise for progressives.
Group A- PEOPLE ON BIKES ARE DEVIANT TERRORIST SCOFFLAWS AND ONE OF THEM RAN A STOP SIGN LAST WEEK AND KILLED MY ENTIRE FAMILY AND OUR DOG, MISTER PICKLES.
Group B- PEOPLE IN CARS ARE LAZY, FAT, LAZY, AND FAT. THEIR ADDICTION TO FOSSIL FUELS CREATES SMOG AND SUPPORTS TERRORISM.
Did I cover everything? =P
Which group looks best in spandex?
Trick question; nobody looks good in spandex.
…on a more serious note, this is pretty awesome. I have long held the opinion that the solution to Cars v Bikes is to simply keep each out of the other’s way. Putting some thought behind bike lanes is certainly a step in the right direction.
I was considering starting cycling, but this blog has made it to where I get a migraine every time I think about a bicycle….
What cost half a million dollars?
“Sure, it’s one small $550,000 project. But it’s a great step for a city that’s building on its reputation as a paradise for progressives.”
Um, yes, since that is what we were talking about. But what cost half a million dollars exactly? They closed a lane and painted the street. Why so expensive?
Apologies, I misinterpreted your question. A while back I asked the same question about the 250k sidewalks. There were a few responses but nothing concrete.
My opinion is that the road fixers/builders and their government clients are too cozy. It sounds exorbitant for something that would seem fairly simple in the big scheme of projects, but I’m sure there’s a good bit more involved than what’s obvious.
Asphalt resurfacing is a labor intensive and costly process.
Those white plastic turtles did
For half a mil, we should have gotten real turtles….
They’re Clavicle Snapping Turtles. Very very expensive, but only if you hit one with your bike.
Congratulation, and well done, Decatur!
(s)
I didn’t miss it, now apologize jackass.
Yikes.
Jacklass is meant in jest, but I DID point it out in the comments of the other post.
Indeed you did! Geez…I am sort of a jackass!
A true jackass would never admit it. Cheers!
The project cost half a million because they had to mill the street to remove the top layer of asphalt and then repave the whole stretch – that’s what cost the bucks. Rest of the project was mostly paint (& turtles).
Fred Boykin
milling and repaving because it needed to be done for general vehicular traffic?
Did the reporter understand the cost breakdown of the scope of work? Folks cringe at the thought of $500k for painting bike lanes.
24th of Sept fireworks: Decatur’s own stimulus spending program. Keep shovel ready pyrotechnicians employed