Charlotte trying to be more bike friendly

[Bikeguy]

We completed the next to last CLT Bike Camp this afternoon. It was a hybrid camp of combining bikes and art. We rode to many instillations all over the city this week drinking in the known and the obscure. From an up close and personal tour of the Blumenthal, to a tour of Goodyear Arts in the Camp Northend Complex. Today was capped off by CDOT Planning describing what goes into designing a safe cycling experience at the new cycletrack on 10th Street. Parents, this is one hell of a camp. Do yourselves and your children a favor and check it out.

www.facebook.com/CLT-Bike-Camp-805270836245328/?hc_ref=ARR3qFYpzh3GsfHS-3ldhVCgnxlyXnJ17obUYx1vge2uIc7_2T93Qc0-VS62pXSJsSo&fref=nf

[kermit]

Even the AARP is into guerilla urbanism. If they can do it in Indiana we can certainly do it in Charlotte. This is a surprisingly helpful How-To article:

https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/getting-around/info-2018/build-a-better-block/

 

Edited August 12, 2018 by kermit

[kermit]

The September 30th Open Streets route is now available: West End to Southend via 3rd Ward:

One end is at the new Common Market -- I hope they are open by then! The other is at Blaze Brewing.

http://openstreets704.com/route/

Edited August 22, 2018 by kermit

[grodney]

8 minutes ago, kermit said:

The September 30th Open Streets route is now available: West End to Southend via 3rd Ward:

 

http://openstreets704.com/route/

Panthers are off that week, bye the way.  heh heh heh

 

[kermit]

Open Streets is today from 1-5.

Southend to West End (Blue Blaze)

http://openstreets704.com/

Edited September 30, 2018 by kermit

[tozmervo]

CROSS CHARLOTTE TRAIL UPDATE

CROSS CHARLOTTE TRAIL SEGMENTS (managed by the City of Charlotte) 

7th Street to 10th Street
Design for this project is 70 percent complete. The real estate acquisition phase will start sometime in 2019. During this phase, the City acquires the property rights needed to build and maintain the improvements that were identified during the design phase. City real estate agents will reach out to affected property owners with information regarding the City's real estate acquisition process. View the proposed alignment.

South Charlotte Connector 
This project received construction bids in September 2018, and the contract will be reviewed and considered by City Council during an upcoming Council meeting. Construction is expected to start in January 2019.

Brandywine Road to Tyvola Road 
On Nov. 19, large signs (pictured above) were placed at two locations along the alignment of the trail: at the intersection of Brandywine Road and Woodlawn Road and at the intersection of Park Road and Selwyn Avenue. The signs are intended to build awareness and excitement around the segment, which is expected to start construction next summer.

Design is almost finished, and right-of-way acquisition, which started in May 2018, should be done by the end of the year. Real estate agents have been working with affected property owners to acquire the property rights needed to build and maintain the trail. The design team consists of the City project team, Kimley+Horn (design consultant) and Crowder Construction (construction manager). Together, they continue to work toward completing the design, managing escalating construction costs and developing both the project schedule and construction plan. 

North Davidson Street to Matheson Avenue 
Design plans are 90 percent complete. Funding is not available at this time to advance the project beyond the design phase. This project may be included in a future bond referendum and will proceed when new funding is allocated.   

LITTLE SUGAR CREEK GREENWAY SEGMENTS (managed by Mecklenburg County) 

Huntingtowne Farms Park to I-485
Design for the section of the trail that runs through Huntingtowne Farms Park is complete and is being reviewed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, and permitting is underway. That section is expected to be completed in late 2019. For the segment that runs from Huntingtowne Farms Park to I-485, the majority of stream work and grading has been complete, and paving has been put in north of Sharon Road West. This section is expected to be complete in the spring of 2019.

I-485 to the President James K. Polk State Historic State 
Design is complete on this segment and permitting continues. A trail connecting this segment to the McMullen Creek Greenway will be phased separately. Both segments will likely be constructed in phases as construction easements and real estate acquisitions are finalized.

President James K. Polk State Historic Site to the SC state line
Design and permitting for this segment is almost complete. This segment, along with the segment from I-485 to the Polk site, will likely be constructed in phases after construction easements and real estate acquisitions are finalized. 

[videtur quam contuor]

I have biked to NoDa on the greenway and made my connection to East Trade, McDowell and 10th street. On a weekend it is not bad. My error on the return was to try to follow 12th to Davidson and that hill was just far too much. It was walkies for me. This route allows downtown access using a longer route though with less slope, always my choice.

[EllAyyDub]

While I am disappointed they couldn't get funding for a bridge, those two black lines running parallel to Independence / I-277 are quite intriguing...

[Merthecat]

On 11/28/2018 at 10:37 AM, EllAyyDub said:

While I am disappointed they couldn't get funding for a bridge, those two black lines running parallel to Independence / I-277 are quite intriguing...

Could it be the Silver Line alignment?

[SgtCampsalot]

Does anyone know of any bike resources for the Uptown-living type of Charlotte resident to convince people to buy/ride bikes?

I work with a lot of people who are new residents to Charlotte/Uptown and most of them  look at me sideways when I say they should get a bicycle to get around. There's such a big disconnect culturally between bicycles as recreation vs as transportation. It's a shame because Uptown is the perfect place for the latter.

The Re-Cyclery would be my go-to, but so many Uptown peeps don't like venturing outside of the loop unless it's some obvious on-the-map attraction.

Any advice?

Edited December 3, 2018 by SgtCampsalot

[Bikeguy]

The Recyclery would be my first choice as well, but you have to visit often as they price their bikes to sell.  You can put in either a request with the mechanics for a stlye of bike that fits, or put you name on a bike that they have in triage.  Outside of a used, reconditioned bike at the Recyclery, for new bikes there's Uptown Cycles on Morehead & Queen City Bicycle on Park Ave. , both of which are outside of the loop ( but just barely). 

 

[pathb]

 

[atlrvr]

I don't know what the costs are in terms of paint, but I wish ALL bike Lanes were painted entirely green like above.

[southslider]

2 hours ago, atlrvr said:

I don't know what the costs are in terms of paint, but I wish ALL bike Lanes were painted entirely green like above.

Only the conflict zones, like parking driveways, are painted green for heightened visibility. If the entire length were painted, then the color would lose its importance. 

[Crown]

Lime confirmed that they have phased out bikes from Charlotte. Lime riders were overwhelmingly choosing scooters as their preference via WSOC. 

Edited April 18, 2019 by Crown

[Bikeguy]

First peek at what will be a protected bike lane over the 7th Street bridge.

Edited April 20, 2019 by Bikeguy

[Desert Power]

OpenStreets is such a fun event!

[KJHburg]

WSOC does report on problems with parking in the new bike lanes including a US Post Office vehicle.

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/cyclists-frustrated-with-drivers-parking-in-uptown-charlotte-bike-lanes/949190733

[elrodvt]

I certainly would expect nothing else. Practically every street has a lane blocked at some point along it's length during rush hour. Evidently if you put on your flashers you're entitled. Uber pickup with no customer in sight, atm, you name it. Without some policing it's just not going to work without barriers.

Edited May 15, 2019 by elrodvt

[asthasr]

9 hours ago, elrodvt said:

Evidently if you put on your flashers you're entitled.

Why do people besides car drivers feel that they deserve a piece of the street? The street is just for moving cars and trucks as quickly as possible. Anything else is communism.

[southslider]

Even CATS buses park in the bike lane on E 4th by the County Jail.

[go_vertical]

I know I'm really tired of people blocking a lane of S Tryon with their hazards on because they are either picking up or dropping off someone at the Publix. With the way a lot of people dart out from behind someone trying to make a left turn I'm surprised a serious collision doesn't happen daily right there. 

[nakers2]

I follow most of the local news stations on Facebook, and the comments on stories about this issue are vile to say the least. I genuinely believe that cyclists are some of the most disregarded urban commuters out there. The common theme were the classic "maybe if they followed the rules of the road like everyone else, there wouldn't be an issue" and the "they should ride on the sidewalk!" to the counterpoint "make them ride in the street! Why should they get a special lane?" and a hodgepodge of misinformed statements about how they shouldn't ride during rush hour, and how the city is wasting money to support a "hobby." At the end of they day we need to educate people that people DO in fact bike to work (or scooter in some cases) that bike lanes DO make the roads safer for EVERYONE. Frankly I don't have an issue with someone parking, flashers on, in an OPEN bike lane, I've done it before, everyone has at one point I'm sure. In that case I see it in no way more disruptive than someone double parking. HOWEVER, with the protected lane, the only openings are where there's gaps for parking lots, side streets, loading docks, and garages, and I've seen already a number of cars that seem to wedge themselves in there, almost as their own form of refuge, but due to the bollards, it makes it difficult to go around, especially considering the bike lanes serve both directions, rather than on many roads where there's a lane on both side. Ticketed enforcement is necessary, and it needs to be done NOW, but the CMPD seems to find it difficult to even enforce driving laws, I don't see how they could accomplish this without pulling their collective heads from their asses. 

[asthasr]

Saw this on Twitter and couldn't resist sharing it here.

[Bikeguy]

This.....

"Last year we went to McDowell Nature Preserve, and it's really about sort of breaking the boundary in people's minds of about where it's achievable to get to on your bicycle," Charlotte Cadieux, co-founder at Charlotte Bike Camp, said. "All it takes is knowledge and skill, and practice. So we're showing kids how to reach any destination." 

 

www.fox46charlotte.com/amp/news/local-news/charlotte-bike-camp-teaches-youth-about-safety?fbclid=IwAR3m6XJZGUbNFdju2t9rofdcXoZ98UR67OX9HPey0sGufBaB050fdUKpA0c