Bridge lane
 

On the Richmond San Rafael Bridge in place of a "parking lane" on one side they installed a protected bike lane. This bridge has two layers with this bi-directional bike lane on only the bottom layer.

Already the drivers are crying that if they get a "fender bender" during commute hours it slows them up too much to have to pull into the parking lane across one additional lane.

Drivers now are so Whackadoodle that they ASSUME that there will be wrecks in the commute traffic. It would never occur to them for one second that if they drive carefully, instead of weaving from lane to lane as fast as they can possibly go, that fender benders would seldom happen and if they would allow cars in the other lane to move through to the damaged vehicle lane that there would be extremely little traffic problems. On 5 lane freeways we have cars in the far right hand lane doing 85 mph when traffic is trying to enter there.

Instead we have perhaps 10% of the drivers going a minimum of 15 mph over the speed limit and cops doing nothing about it. In the last 8 or 9 years since I've been cogent enough to watch I HAVE seen the very occasional cop with a car at the side of the road but it might very well have been the cop simply calling a tow truck. The only time I saw a ticket book out was in a two car accident.

There are only two bridges left without protected bike lanes now. The San Mateo Bridge and the Carquinez Straits bridge. Also the Bay Bridge bike lane only goes as far as Treasure Island as they argue about how they can fit a bike lane on the old San Francisco suspension bridge side. They can't hang a lane off on the side of the bridge without a balancing bridge on the other side. They are talking about laying a bridge over the top of the double layer structure But that would require thought and San Franciscans are woefully inadequate when it comes to that practice.

Bridge lane
 

On 2020-02-03 14:19, Tom Kunich wrote:

[...]


There are only two bridges left without protected bike lanes now. The
San Mateo Bridge and the Carquinez Straits bridge.


I've never seen a cyclist on the Carquinez Bridge. That sounds like a
suicide mission to me, like this section on I-5:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bike/2...ream/lightbox/

Have you tried cycling the Carquinez Bridge?

[...]

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Bridge lane
 

On Wednesday, February 5, 2020 at 12:53:39 PM UTC-8, Joerg wrote:
On 2020-02-03 14:19, Tom Kunich wrote:

[...]


There are only two bridges left without protected bike lanes now. The
San Mateo Bridge and the Carquinez Straits bridge.


I've never seen a cyclist on the Carquinez Bridge. That sounds like a
suicide mission to me, like this section on I-5:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bike/2...ream/lightbox/

Have you tried cycling the Carquinez Bridge?

That is a scary bridge, but that's the wrong bridge. Carquinez Bridge is across the Carquinez Straights in the north Bay. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carquinez_Bridge The photo is the I-5 Pitt River Bridge over Lake Shasta. https://tinyurl.com/yx5tsb4w It's posted for bicycles, and I've seen cycle tourists on it once. I've been over it maybe 20 times or more commuting from Oregon to California. I thought the cyclists were nuts, but I think its the only option for getting over the lake.

I've ridden from Bay Area California to Oregon three times, but always on the coast. Way easier -- coming north through the Siskiyous would mean two solid days of climbing, a nasty climb over Ashland Pass, a brief respite in Ashland/Medford and then back into the mountains for a day or more before hitting the Willamette Valley. It's brutal in a car. Interestingly, in Oregon, you can ride on I-5 except in designated areas in cities.

-- Jay Beattie.

Bridge lane
 

On 2/5/2020 11:20 PM, jbeattie wrote:
On Wednesday, February 5, 2020 at 12:53:39 PM UTC-8, Joerg wrote:
On 2020-02-03 14:19, Tom Kunich wrote:

[...]


There are only two bridges left without protected bike lanes now. The
San Mateo Bridge and the Carquinez Straits bridge.


I've never seen a cyclist on the Carquinez Bridge. That sounds like a
suicide mission to me, like this section on I-5:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bike/2...ream/lightbox/

Have you tried cycling the Carquinez Bridge?

That is a scary bridge, but that's the wrong bridge. Carquinez Bridge is across the Carquinez Straights in the north Bay. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carquinez_Bridge The photo is the I-5 Pitt River Bridge over Lake Shasta. https://tinyurl.com/yx5tsb4w It's posted for bicycles, and I've seen cycle tourists on it once. I've been over it maybe 20 times or more commuting from Oregon to California. I thought the cyclists were nuts, but I think its the only option for getting over the lake.

I've ridden over similar bridges. Yes, they are scary - but when a
cyclist is unfamiliar with a route and find themselves confronted with
such a bridge, there can be no practical alternative.

FWIW, pedestrians encounter a similar situation much more frequently.
Locally, I had to lobby for months to get pedestrian space added to a
freeway overpass bridge when the bridge was getting a major overhaul.
That's despite the fact that the bridge is the only route over a freeway
from a residential area to a major shopping area.

If highway designers had been conscious of anything but cars, it would
have cost little (percentagewise) to add bike and even pedestrian
accommodation to the bridge in the photo. But when the interstate system
was being designed, bikes were only for kids.

--
- Frank Krygowski

Bridge lane
 

On 2020-02-05 20:20, jbeattie wrote:
On Wednesday, February 5, 2020 at 12:53:39 PM UTC-8, Joerg wrote:
On 2020-02-03 14:19, Tom Kunich wrote:

[...]


There are only two bridges left without protected bike lanes now.
The San Mateo Bridge and the Carquinez Straits bridge.


I've never seen a cyclist on the Carquinez Bridge. That sounds like
a suicide mission to me, like this section on I-5:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bike/2...ream/lightbox/



Have you tried cycling the Carquinez Bridge?

That is a scary bridge, but that's the wrong bridge. Carquinez
Bridge is across the Carquinez Straights in the north Bay.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carquinez_Bridge


That is the Carquinez bridge I meant. AFAIK you'd have to be on the
freeway and, worse, in a lane to cycle that. Death waiting to happen.

Even in a car I don't like anything south of the Carquinez Bridge. It's
a rat race down there, everybody seems to be in a hurry all the time.
Whenever I cross that bridge on the way home and reach it northern end I
take a deep breath. Due to conference services such as Zoom I didn't
have to go in a whole year and I am really thankful for that.


... The photo is the I-5
Pitt River Bridge over Lake Shasta. https://tinyurl.com/yx5tsb4w
It's posted for bicycles, and I've seen cycle tourists on it once.
I've been over it maybe 20 times or more commuting from Oregon to
California. I thought the cyclists were nuts, but I think its the
only option for getting over the lake.


I'd rather buy an inflatable kayak and cross the lake with the bike
strapped up front. Or cycle around.


I've ridden from Bay Area California to Oregon three times, but
always on the coast. Way easier -- coming north through the
Siskiyous would mean two solid days of climbing, a nasty climb over
Ashland Pass, a brief respite in Ashland/Medford and then back into
the mountains for a day or more before hitting the Willamette Valley.
It's brutal in a car. Interestingly, in Oregon, you can ride on I-5
except in designated areas in cities.


I try hard to avoid roads. It's not that I don't use roads but I do not
enjoy cycling there. Too many close passes at high speed.

This has an impact on which businesses I and my friends patronize. If
only reachable via many miles of nasty roads we don't go there. Same if
they don't let us take the bikes inside or park and lock them in a place
where we can see them.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Bridge lane
 

On 2/6/2020 1:11 PM, Joerg wrote:
On 2020-02-05 20:20, jbeattie wrote:
On Wednesday, February 5, 2020 at 12:53:39 PM UTC-8, Joerg wrote:
On 2020-02-03 14:19, Tom Kunich wrote:

[...]


There are only two bridges left without protected bike lanes now.
The San Mateo Bridge and the Carquinez Straits bridge.


I've never seen a cyclist on the Carquinez Bridge. That sounds like
a suicide mission to me, like this section on I-5:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bike/2...ream/lightbox/



Have you tried cycling the Carquinez Bridge?

That is a scary bridge, but that's the wrong bridge.Â* Carquinez
Bridge is across the Carquinez Straights in the north Bay.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carquinez_Bridge


That is the Carquinez bridge I meant. AFAIK you'd have to be on the
freeway and, worse, in a lane to cycle that. Death waiting to happen.


Google is your friend, or at least in this case, Joerg.
[Carquinez Bridge bike] gets you this right away:

https://baytrail.org/get-on-the-trail/bridges/

"Carquinez Bridge

There is a two-way twelve foot bicycle and pedestrian path on the west
side of the western (westbound) span. The distance is .6 miles."

https://baytrail.org/wp-content/uplo...576-300dpi.jpg

If you don't know, now you know.

Mark J.

Bridge lane
 

On 2020-02-06 13:33, Mark J. wrote:
On 2/6/2020 1:11 PM, Joerg wrote:
On 2020-02-05 20:20, jbeattie wrote:
On Wednesday, February 5, 2020 at 12:53:39 PM UTC-8, Joerg wrote:
On 2020-02-03 14:19, Tom Kunich wrote:

[...]


There are only two bridges left without protected bike lanes now.
The San Mateo Bridge and the Carquinez Straits bridge.


I've never seen a cyclist on the Carquinez Bridge. That sounds like
a suicide mission to me, like this section on I-5:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bike/2...ream/lightbox/



Have you tried cycling the Carquinez Bridge?

That is a scary bridge, but that's the wrong bridge. Carquinez
Bridge is across the Carquinez Straights in the north Bay.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carquinez_Bridge


That is the Carquinez bridge I meant. AFAIK you'd have to be on the
freeway and, worse, in a lane to cycle that. Death waiting to happen.


Google is your friend, or at least in this case, Joerg.
[Carquinez Bridge bike] gets you this right away:

https://baytrail.org/get-on-the-trail/bridges/

"Carquinez Bridge

There is a two-way twelve foot bicycle and pedestrian path on the west
side of the western (westbound) span. The distance is .6 miles."

https://baytrail.org/wp-content/uplo...576-300dpi.jpg


If you don't know, now you know.


Indeed, the new part seems to have a side path:

https://goo.gl/maps/kwvCJzbRsAcpDqQJ7

I never saw that, maybe because there was never anybody on it. Who
knows, some day it may be possible to safely cycle from Sacramento to
the Bay Area.

So, Tom, you could cross that one off your list without pretected bike
lanes :-)

The old one didn't have that AFAIR.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Bridge lane
 

On Wednesday, February 5, 2020 at 12:53:39 PM UTC-8, Joerg wrote:
On 2020-02-03 14:19, Tom Kunich wrote:

[...]


There are only two bridges left without protected bike lanes now. The
San Mateo Bridge and the Carquinez Straits bridge.


I've never seen a cyclist on the Carquinez Bridge. That sounds like a
suicide mission to me, like this section on I-5:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bike/2...ream/lightbox/

Have you tried cycling the Carquinez Bridge?

[...]

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

It is a protected bike path on the bridge with concrete barriers to separate them from the cars. Sort of like on the Oakland span of the bay bridge.

https://www.bicycling.com/culture/a3...e-controversy/

Bridge lane
 

On 2020-02-06 13:58, Tom Kunich wrote:
On Wednesday, February 5, 2020 at 12:53:39 PM UTC-8, Joerg wrote:
On 2020-02-03 14:19, Tom Kunich wrote:

[...]


There are only two bridges left without protected bike lanes now.
The San Mateo Bridge and the Carquinez Straits bridge.


I've never seen a cyclist on the Carquinez Bridge. That sounds like
a suicide mission to me, like this section on I-5:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bike/2...ream/lightbox/



Have you tried cycling the Carquinez Bridge?

[...]

-- Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

It is a protected bike path on the bridge with concrete barriers to
separate them from the cars. Sort of like on the Oakland span of the
bay bridge.

https://www.bicycling.com/culture/a3...e-controversy/


It's weird. I crossed that new span more than a dozen times over the
years and never noticed any pedestrians or cyclists. The barrier isn't
too high for that, just like on the bike path to Davis along I-80. That
one is very long so usually you see a rider or two when driving towards
the Bay Area.

https://goo.gl/maps/PFFSh6Jv1NfxUtxQ7

The problem with those paths is often the connecting infrastructure.
West Sacramento is not very bike-friendly but we have to cross it to get
to Davis.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Bridge lane
 

On Thursday, February 6, 2020 at 2:17:14 PM UTC-8, Joerg wrote:
On 2020-02-06 13:58, Tom Kunich wrote:
On Wednesday, February 5, 2020 at 12:53:39 PM UTC-8, Joerg wrote:
On 2020-02-03 14:19, Tom Kunich wrote:

[...]


There are only two bridges left without protected bike lanes now.
The San Mateo Bridge and the Carquinez Straits bridge.


I've never seen a cyclist on the Carquinez Bridge. That sounds like
a suicide mission to me, like this section on I-5:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bike/2...ream/lightbox/



Have you tried cycling the Carquinez Bridge?

[...]

-- Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

It is a protected bike path on the bridge with concrete barriers to
separate them from the cars. Sort of like on the Oakland span of the
bay bridge.

https://www.bicycling.com/culture/a3...e-controversy/


It's weird. I crossed that new span more than a dozen times over the
years and never noticed any pedestrians or cyclists. The barrier isn't
too high for that, just like on the bike path to Davis along I-80. That
one is very long so usually you see a rider or two when driving towards
the Bay Area.

https://goo.gl/maps/PFFSh6Jv1NfxUtxQ7

The problem with those paths is often the connecting infrastructure.
West Sacramento is not very bike-friendly but we have to cross it to get
to Davis.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

I don't remember any bike paths to Davis only sideroads.