Hi folks, the Mayor's advisory committee on bicycling (MACB) just called an emergency meeting for 3:30pm today on what is to be done to the Ala Wai Blvd to enhance bicycling.  I'm planning on attending, and would like to present any ideas that you can come up with. 

 

A few ideas have already been tossed around:

1.  Do nothing (of course)

2.  Shave off inches from each travel lane and add the extra space to the de-facto bike lane between parking and the right travel lane, creating enough space to stripe a bike lane.

3.  Move the right curb and parking over 4 feet (thereby eliminating the de-facto bike lane) and add a bike path on the promenade. (see http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/dts/wlcpalwaivision.htm )

 

4.  Remove parking and create a two-way bike path.

 

An idea I had elaborating on #3 was to stencil in bike arrows in the middle of the right most lane to make that lane a shared use bike/car lane (see http://bicycledriving.com/bfz/arrow.htm.   for an example).  All traffic lanes already are shared use lanes, but as you know, it is uncomfortable for both bicyclist and car driver to have a bicyclist trying to keep up with 35mph traffic.  Stenciling might make it more "legitimate".  Traffic can be slowed to 25mph by retiming the traffic lights.  Novice cyclists, or cyclists carrying heavy loads, can use the bike path on the promenade. 

 

 

If you have any thoughts or suggestions, send them to me by 3pm.

 

Aaron