Sesquicentennial Anniversary

 Stuck my head in briefly at the Sesquicentennial Anniversary celebration this afternoon and was happy to see close to 300 people sitting and listening to the speakers. Also grabbed a copy of the new Historic Bike Tour brochure laying out historic spots around the community with a bike route to visit each of them. Hopefully copies will be racked someplace in the civic center.

Bikes

 Carbondale is a bike friendly community. We are on one of the major cross country bike routes, although I see far fewer cross country bicyclists today than I did 20 years ago. It would certainly be nice if the city acknowledges this with more wayfinding signage for bicyclists, including signs showing them where the repair stations are and how to negotiate through Carbondale while avoiding the heavy traffic on 13.

Bike Signs

 The bike path from the town square to SIUC was finished about 3 years ago, more or less. There is still no sign posted there to draw anyone's attention to it. i realize most people can check such things on their smartphones but it is still difficult to do so while cycling. Also, i fCarbondale wants to develop the image of a bike friendly commnuity , putting up signage indicating bike backs and other amenities would certainly help

Bike Path

 I noticed along with the widening of Hwy 13 east of Carbondale, IDOT is putting in an adjacent bike path. From what I remember, current Illinois law mandates, when expansion of roads like Highway 13 is undertaken, an adjacent bike path must be installed. A really good idea, esp. for a city like Carbondale, which positions itself as a bike friendly community and lies on one of the cross country bike routes.

Transmodal Center

 Sat is on the Q&A for the Downtown Transmodal Center this afternoon. Most of the discussion, although I got in about late, came from local contractors inquiring about how to place a bit for various contracts on the project. I did find out that, should the transmodal center come to pass, the building currently housing Carbondale Cycle will be demolished, with the city working to find another location for Carbondale Cycle. Too bad though, as I always thought it said a lot about Carbondale's status as a bike friendly community to have two bike shops directly across the street from one another.

1st Wish for the New Year

Maybe not the most important thing to you, but one thing I would really like to see is the city install a sign identifying the downtown bike path. It was put in almost a year ago and still no sign of a sign. Meanwhile, cyclists still use the sidewalks and bike the wrong way on one way streets.

Bike Path

Given all the time and money put into constructing a bike path running from the town square to SIUC, it might be a good idea to put up a sign letting cyclists know it is there. I still regularly see bicyclists riding north and south on the sidewalks through downtown. The bike path is certainly a lot safer and faster than dodging traffic in the street or pedestrians on the sidewalk.

Given that the city sought input on wayfinding (putting up directional signs) in the community, it seems putting up a sign directing people to the path makes sense.

Bike Path

Rather bemusing that we have a bike path running from the town square clear to campus and yet bicyclists continue to ride on the sidewalk on University and Illinois. Perhaps installing signage directing them to the path might get them off of the heavily trafficked roads through downtown.

Bike Friendly City Hall

According to this press release, Carbondale City Hall has recognized as a Bronze Level Bike Friendly Business. After reading it, I looking into what it would take to get a business designated as one. The 15 page application proved pretty daunting:

The League of American Bicyclists has named the Carbondale Civic Center/City Hall a Bicycle Friendly Business at the Bronze level.

This award is presented only to businesses who are dedicated to encouraging a more welcoming atmosphere for bicycling employees, customers and the community.

There are currently 1,315 Bicycle Friendly Businesses in 49 states and Washington D.C.

To learn more about the program or to apply, visit www.bikeleague.org/BFA.

Bicycle Survey

The city wants to collect more information on Carbondale residents use of their bicycles. You can access the survey here.

Bike Path

The bike path connecting the town square to campus, meaning that downtown cyclists will no longer have to ride on sidewalks on on heavily trafficked Illinois or Unverstity Avenue, is coming along nicely. This shot is taken looking north from College St. Currently, the concrete strip extends from the Square all the way to College.

Bike Focused City

Given how bike focused Carbondale  is, it has been rather surprising how long it has taken for the city to add the additional bike racks that have gone up around the downtown area in recent months and to provide bike paths throughout the city.  We have a national bike round that brings cyclists from across the country through the city and the cycling economy is strong enough to support not 2 by 3 bike shops, all located within less than 2 blocks of one another.

Under the Cole and Fritzler administrations, city budgets were either too tight or it was determined available money needed to go for other products so it is nice to see available money now going into making Carbondale a more bike friendly city.

Bike Path

The city's plans to improve bike access in the city are moving along. This part of the planned bike path runs between Main and Walnut parallel to the railroad tracks and will eventually link the town square with the university.

Bike Master Plan

Here's the current bicycle master plan that the i5 Group developed for Carbondale. Of course, the plan says that it is a starting point, not a static thing so do wonder how much was paid for a starting point, never mind that that city has had a bicycle master plan in place since the days of the Cole administration. In fact, that was one of the selling points of the Saluki Way tax, $500,000 for bike paths and greenways in the city.

Carbondale Bike Plan

Still working to make Carbondale a bike friendly city. Doing something with the bike lanes that begin and end in the middle on the block on Main would help, as would sharrows on several streets such as Poplar. Marking bike routes that avoid Main and Walnut would be good. I get worried someone will get hit every time I see a bicyclist, especially a bad one, on either of those two streets. 

Bike Racks

Still not thrilled about the requirement for new construction in Carbondale to install a minimum number of bike racks on its property or pay for the city to install them elsewhere. If it is a good idea, the city should install bike racks paying for them from the general fund or point out to the business owner the benefit of installing the racks.

If it is a good idea to have them, any reasonable business would install them. If it does not make sense for the business to have them, then don't make it put racks in.

Bike Parking

City council will take up bike parking as a consent item on tonight's agenda. Looking over the agenda, the new ordinance appears, as I read it, requires businesses to provide bicycle parking, which is just wrong.  If the city wants to encourage bike usage in the city, the city should provide bike parking, removing motor vehicle parking to do so.

Did speak with acting mayor Don Monty about this and the new regulations will only apply to new construction. Already existing businesses such as Mary Lou's and Jimmy John's will not be required to provide parking spaces but whatever goes in at the old American Tap location will. Either provide bike parking on their property or pay for a bike rack for the city to install elsewhere.

Bicycles in Carbondale

One of the big problems with expanding bicycling in Carbondale is that, unlike automobiles, bicycles do not generate any direct revenue with with to fund improvements tailored to their use. Autos have to pay for licenses on an annual basis, gasoline, which has a hefty motor fuel tax added, and parking fees, which go back into repairing lots. Though bicycles in Carbondale are supposed to register and pay a nominal fee for this, most bicyclists do not. Unlike cars, bicycles do not generate any revenues to pay for making Carbondale a more"bike friendly" city.

Ergo, any resources provided by the city for bicyclists, such as bike racks, lanes or signage, have to come out of either the city's general fund or motor fuel fund and, while it is good to encourage more people to bicycle, the less money comes into city coffers to maintain roads and infrastructure.

Bike Lanes

It appears that some funding has come to the city, with the result that that we will be getting two new bike routes striped out.  The city and IDOT will stripe one path along S. University from Walnut to Mill and the other along S. Illinois, also from Walnut to Mill.  Not certain how this will affect parking along the two streets but we should expect to see the bike lanes in place by late summer.

Bike Lane 2

The stretch of road in Carbondale that really needs a bike lane is the 2 block section of Poplar that runs betwix Main and Walnut.  Poplar serves as the major artery of transportation for those living in the near Northwest section of Carbondale to get to SIUC. The residential area north of Main has low enough traffic flow that bicyclists can move along the streets with safety, while Poplar south of Walnut has bike lanes on both sides of the street.

It is only that one short section of the street where both two wheeled and four wheels drivers funnel towards the university that is not relatively safe.  I regularly see bicyclists riding on the sidewalk (illegally) and cars swerving unnervingly close to bicyclists traversing that stretch.

I do not know if regulations regarding the width of roadways would allow part of the street to be marked off as bike lanes.  Widening the street to allow lanes is not an option, as there is very little setback of private property from the street.  Maybe the city could at least paint "sharrows" on the street, as Cape Girardeau has done on some streets.