It is now conventional wisdom among bicycle planners that our bicycle
facilities must meet the needs of the 60% of the population that is
"interested [in bicycling for transportation] but concerned".
Fitchburg's new Nine Springs neighborhood, set to open next week, is
ready to address those concerns with a well-connected, traditional
network of local streets and 1.5 miles of "cycletrack" along its busiest
throughofares.
Cycletracks
(http://www.cityofmadison.com/bikeMadison/planning/modal/cycletracks.cfm) are
lanes dedicated to bicyclists, separate from parallel streets and
sidewalks. The Nine Springs cycletracks are separated from motorists by
on-street parking, a curb, and a buffer area for opening car doors, and
from pedestrians by trees and street furniture. The cycletracks are
identified by green-colored concrete and accomodate one-way travel on
each side of Lacy Road and East Cheryl Parkway.
Please consider riding out on your bicycle for the grand opening of the
Nine Springs Neighborhood, including the new interchange with the U.S.
Highway 14 at Lacy Road, the local road network, Swan Creek crossing,
roundabouts, and cycletracks. The ceremoney will be at 11:00 on October
18 at the top of the interchange. Bicycle access is (from the north)
via Syene and South Syene Roads from the Syene trailhead of the Capital
City Trail, (from the west) via East Cheryl Parkway from South Fish
Hatchery Road, and (from the east) via Rimrock Rd and CTH MM. You may
contact me for customized directions or with any questions. (There will
also be a press release with auto-oriented directions.) Please share
widely with the bicycle community. We'd like a big turnout!
Cycletracks are one type of separated bicycle facility. Raised bike
lanes are another type. The first raised bike lane in Wisconsin opened
last fall in Milwaukee
(http://bfw.org/2011/10/25/first-raised-bike-lane-in-wisconsin/), but
that project has parking curbside from the protected lane. As far as I
can determine, Fitchburg's cycletrack is the first in Wisconsin, but
transportation researchers are only now attempting to compile a
comprehensive list. For a recent perspective on cycletracks in and
around Madison, see
http://madisononabike.blogspot.com/2011/07/push-for-cycle-tracks-and-buffered-bike.html.
--
Steve Arnold, Fitchburg Alder, District 4, Seat 7
2530 Targhee Street, Fitchburg, Wisconsin 53711-5491
Telephone +1 608 278 7700 · Facsimile +1 608 278 7701
[email protected] · http://Arnold.US
Become a supporter: like http://facebook.com/ArnoldforAlder.
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