Bike lane needed from Clinton Avenue to Orange Street

I agree with Brian. Brian, thank you for the details on these. Would someone in Fair Haven be willing to contact their Alderpersons and request these improvements?

The 2010 Elm City Cycling Bike Plan for New Haven recommended bike lanes where possible on Humphrey and Lombard and sharrows along the remainder. We recommended that they install D-series bicycle destination signs along the route and R4-11 "bicycles may use full lane" signs on either end of the narrow underpass beneath the railroad.

In September of 2010, sharrows were painted between East St and Front St. A bike lane in one direction and sharrows in the other were painted between State and Orange Streets. Humphrey St between State and East Streets awaits sharrows. Neither bicycle destination signs nor the "bicycles may use full lane" signs were installed. Funding is not currently allocated for the signs. Additional public pressure is required in order for bicycle destination signs and "bicycles may use full lane" signs to be installed.

Do people feel that sharrows are adequate, or is a buffered lane needed?

Some sharrows have been painted here, connecting Clinton Ave bike lane to the Orange STreet area, but I'm not sure if the route or signage are totally complete.

What do people think of the new routes? Are they helpful? There is a bike lane from Orange to State, but sharrows have been placed beyond that.

According to this article as well as our earlier conversations with the City, some of the planned bike routes (which had already been delayed by a year) were scheduled to go in last week.

Does anyone know what is causing the delay? Does anyone have an updated schedule for the Fair Haven route or know if it will be happening at all?

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/prepare_to_share/

According to NH Independent, bidding has been completed on the sharrows for Downtown and Westville, and they will be installed within a few weeks.

Anyone know when bidding will start for the sharrows to Fair Haven? Why is Fair Haven going to be done so many months behind Downtown and Westville (if at all)?

When will the city have a specific schedule for these improvements? April would be preferable to August.

Given that roads are funded by property tax, I agree there should be a special tax on drivers (based on miles traveled), and an even higher one on truckers, since these two groups cause by far the most wear and tear on the road.

Raising special taxes on drivers and trucks could help lower the property taxes for the rest of us, freeing up our household incomes for better things like education, health care and entertainment. The vast majority of New Haven residents do not drive a car to work every day so it's only fair that taxes would be structured in a more fair way.

MeAgain, no such law exists in Colorado nor in any other state. Good luck with your crusade though.

Alycia,

I agree totally with your comment. its the law. If you don't follow them you SHOULD be arrested.

We passed these laws and the police should enforce them.

Yes, Steve I talk to my legislators.
Thats why Colorado bicyclist are now restricted to the right most 2 feet of the pavement and are required to ride single file. Connecticut is next, get used to it.
Colorado went from hysterical car drivers and out of control bicyclist to a system that both sides now agree was a good decision.
Sounds like you have no respect for authority or the rules of the road.

MeAgain,

Your requirements for cyclists run from reasonable to absurd. I'll tackle a few:

-Demonstrate they can abide by ALL traffic rules.
Cars violate traffic rules constantly.

-Pay a road tax.
As stated, above, property taxes fund the roads. Also, if cyclists are required to pay an additional tax, then drivers should at a greater rate than bicyclists, since cars require more asphalt and they case more wear on the road.

-Be restricted to the right most 2 feet of the pavement.
Not only is this impractical, it is often quite unsafe.

-Run single file.
Riding two abreast can provide more safety than riding single file. Of course, holding up a line of traffic is not the goal. If that occurs, cyclists should move to single file.

-Learn what it means to be courteous and practice it.
Wow. Few drivers are courteous, so this should apply to all of us using the roads.

-Wear a helmet.
I agree, a helmet is of great importance.

Just as some cyclists could learn to use the roads more wisely, so can many drivers. If cars want access to the streets, they need to do several things:

Demonstrate they can abide by ALL traffic rules.
Carry proof of liability insurance.
Learn what it means to be courteous and practice it.
Wear a seat belt.

I'd like to reply to the utterly silly post by "MeAgain":

1. Local roads are NOT funded by gas taxes. They are funded by property taxes. Sorry. Saying otherwise doesn't make it so.

2. Last time I checked, speeding was a crime, and one that results in thousands of needless fatalities every year, including the deaths of many cyclists and pedestrians. If you want to talk about road users abiding by ALL traffic laws maybe you should start by looking in the mirror.

3. Bicycles already have "access to the streets" and if you don't like it, call your legislator. I'm sure they'll enjoy listening to your nonsensical rantings almost as much as I did.

If bicycles want access to the streets they need to do several things.

Demonstrate they can abide by ALL traffic rules.
Pay a road tax. (Contrary to previous replys, our roads are financed by gas taxes and license fees.)
Carry proof of liability insurance.
Be restricted to the right most 2 feet of the pavement.
Run single file.
Demonstrate they are at least 16 years old.
Learn what it means to be courteous and practice it.
Wear a helmet.