Bicycling in Bloomington

 I didn’t post anything last week because I didn’t cycle all week. My grandchildren were visiting so I didn’t have time to ride. For various reasons, I drove to campus most days, too. However, I have three topics concerning Biking in Bloomington that I would like to share.

Another Bicycling Blog

Last week, I discovered another Bloomington bicycling blogger - Mitch Rice. Mitch’s blog - Biking the Hoosier Uplands - describes many rides similar to those I take south of Bloomington. Mitch also has the same appreciation for the joys of biking around Bloomington. It’s a good read.

Improving the Bloomington Bypass

Two additional bicycling issues regarding bicycling safety showed up last week. First, a member of the Bloomington Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Commission sent me a description of the State’s plans to upgrade the “bypass” around Bloomington’s east side (SR46). The plans will make it more difficult to use the road as a bicyclist or to walk along it as a pedestrian. The wider road, bigger turning radii, and other features will create more of a barrier between the east and west sides of the bypass for pedestrians and cyclists. The planned design is more appropriate for 1950 than 2007 which is consistent with much that happens in Indiana.

The bypass will have sidewalks but they will be within inches of the road. The high-speed traffic will discourage pedestrian use because pedestrians will have to walk so close to speeding cars. To quote from the document: “City standards for primary arterial streets call for sidewalks to be separated from moving traffic with an eight foot wide tree plot.  INDOT’s current design for the bypass has a maximum of twenty four inches separation, with many sidewalks directly attached to the curb.” Also, I wonder where the state will push the plowed snow - on the sidewalk? The City pushes snow on the sidewalks to discourage pedestrian traffic in the winter. I guess that’s how Hoosier government officials solve the wrong problem.

New Bike Lanes

Sometime recently, signs were painted on the right lanes of College and Walnut streets that seem to indicate that these lanes are for bicycles. The signs include a bicycle and 2 chevrons. I assume that indicates a bike lane. It’s seems wonderful that the City has taken 1 of 3 lanes from the cars and given it to bicyclists. However, during the day these lanes are usually blocked by double-parked delivery and construction vehicles. These vehicles create problems for bicyclists and the newly-designated lane does not solve that problem.

Overall, will the new bicycle lanes increase bicyclists’ safety? I don’t know but I am cautious. Bicyclists will have to learn to use the middle of lane; not the right side. By using the middle, bicyclists state that it’s their lane. Cars will need to pass bicyclists in the left or center lanes. When cars want to turn right, they will have to pass the bicycles similar to how they pass cars. If both drivers and bicyclists learn the appropriate use for the lane and how each should behave, it could be a success.

I am pessimistic because I don’t think either group knows how to use the lane appropriately and safely. It looks like an opportunity for the Bloomington Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Commission to start a community education project. Someone needs to teach bicyclist and drivers about using the bike lanes.