** "It is also least likely to discourage cyclists from selecting correct lane positioning when going straight through or making left turns. "

Frank, did you mean to write "incorrect" here?

I agree with your recommendations, and your letter looks great.

Gunnar is right about the parking, but I don't know if there is much to be done to prevent that, other than a curbing divider, but that is too excessive I am sure. Bigger cars would probably drive over that anyways.

Are they planning on putting a lane on both sides of Mon. Blvd. or just the uphill side going towards Evansdale?

See you next week,

Jake

On Aug 23, 2009 11:22pm, Gunnar Shogren <gshogren@gmail.com> wrote:
> What happens when there are big events at the Coliseum?
>
> No parking on the bike lane? Yeah right.
>
> Up and down the Blvd.
>
>
>
> Your recommendations look nice and all.
>
>
>
> Parking, parking, parking. It's all about parking for the cars.
>
>
>
> On Sun, Aug 23, 2009 at 11:08 PM, Frank Gmeindlfgmeindl@verizon.net> wrote:
>
> > Bicycle Board Members,
>
> >
>
> > Please review the Mon Blvd Bike Lane recommendations that I provided to Bill
>
> > Austin below and let me know if anything is wrong.
>
> >
>
> > Frank
>
> > Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles
>
> >
>
> > -------- Original Message --------
>
> > Subject: Re: WV DOH Response to Letter Concerning Closing of Rail Trail
>
> > Date: Sun, 23 Aug 2009 23:06:03 -0400
>
> > From: Frank Gmeindl fgmeindl@verizon.net>
>
> > To: 'Bill Austin' baustin@moncpc.org>
>
> > CC: Don Spencer dspencer36@comcast.net>
>
> > References:
>
> > moncpc.org>
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Bill,
>
> >
>
> > It might help me to understand what we're trying to do if you shared with me
>
> > the WVDOH letter to which you and Don are referring. I was not aware of it
>
> > until I received Don's message below.
>
> >
>
> > Does the MPO have a plan drawing of the existing Monongahela Blvd. between
>
> > Eighth Street and Patteson Drive? If so, could I get a copy and mark it up
>
> > to show the bike lane?
>
> >
>
> > I would use the 1999 AASHTO Guide to the Development of Bicycle Facilities (
>
> > http://www.sccrtc.org/bikes/AASHTO_1999_BikeBook.pdf ) and the 2003 Manual
>
> > of Uniform Guidelines for Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) Part 9 Traffic
>
> > Controls for Bicycle Facilities (
>
> > http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/htm/2003/part9/part9-toc.htm ) for guidance for
>
> > the markup.
>
> >
>
> > Pages 22-32 of the AASHTO Guide deal with bike lanes.
>
> >
>
> > Stripe width
>
> > Page 23 explains that a 6-inch solid stripe is common but some jurisdictions
>
> > have used an 8-inch stripe "for added distinction". I would recommend a
>
> > 6-inch stripe to minimize resistance from the WVDOH. All markings on the
>
> > bike lane should be white.
>
> >
>
> > Lane width
>
> > Page 23 and Figure 6 on page 24 indicate that we should designate a 5-foot
>
> > wide bike lane since parking is prohibited and there is a gutter and curb.
>
> >
>
> > Marking Symbols
>
> > Clearly marking the bike lane as one-way is imperative. Figure 13 on page
>
> > 31 provides templates for typical one-way arrows and bike lane symbols. The
>
> > arrow symbol and the bicycle symbol should be sufficient to communicate to
>
> > both motorists and cyclists that this is a bike lane and that bicycles are
>
> > to travel up it.
>
> >
>
> > Symbol locations
>
> > Figure 14 on page 32 shows recommended locations for the symbols with
>
> > respect to intersections. The text on page 31 also says, "additional
>
> > stencils may be placed on long uninterrupted sections of roadway".
>
> >
>
> > I would recommend placing the bicycle symbol and arrow symbol as shown in
>
> > Figure 14 beginning 6-feet from the north end of the driveway north of
>
> > Advance Auto. Because of the traffic volume entering and exiting Advance
>
> > Auto and the Exxon station, starting the bike lane further south would
>
> > jeopardize cyclists' safety and may present liability to the state and those
>
> > businesses.
>
> >
>
> > I would recommend repeating the bicycle symbol and arrow symbol every 250
>
> > feet after their initial location. 250 feet spacing is consistent with
>
> > MUTCD guidelines for other markings and signs and will provide a frequent
>
> > reminder to motorists that there's a bike lane to their right.
>
> >
>
> > Where to end the bike lane
>
> > Figure 10 on page 28 depicts typical bicycle and auto movements at major
>
> > intersections. This figure clearly makes the points I was trying to make to
>
> > you and Don when we were discussing where the bike lane should end near
>
> > Evansdale Drive. Page 29 shows preferred treatments for the bike lane when
>
> > it comes to a right turn lane as at the intersection of Mon Blvd. and
>
> > Evansdale Drive. I believe the treatment that is most likely to get WVDOH
>
> > buy-in is represented in Figure 10-d. This treatment requires no changes to
>
> > the existing markings. It is also least likely to discourage cyclists from
>
> > selecting correct lane positioning when going straight through or making
>
> > left turns.
>
> >
>
> > The AASHTO Guide provides limited guidance on where the bike lane should
>
> > end. Fortunately, the MUTCD provides some guidance.
>
> >
>
> > The MUTCD Section 9C.04 Markings For Bicycle Lanes states, "When the right
>
> > through lane is dropped to become a right turn only lane, the bicycle lane
>
> > markings should stop at least 100 feet before the beginning of the right
>
> > turn lane." While in our case, the right through lane is not "dropped" to
>
> > become a right turn only lane, the intent of this guideline is to provide
>
> > sufficient distance, 100 feet, for the bicyclist to merge into the right
>
> > through lane before autos begin to turn right. Therefore, I would recommend
>
> > that bike lane end 100 feet before the beginning of the right turn lane from
>
> > Mon Blvd. onto Evansdale Drive.
>
> >
>
> > Signage
>
> > The MUTCD Section 9B.04 Bicycle Lane Signs also provides valuable guidance
>
> > on signage. I would recommend placing the following signs at the following
>
> > locations (the letters and numbers in parentheses after the sign text
>
> > designate the specific sign number that can be found in the MUTCD):
>
> > 1. BIKE LANE (R3-17) AHEAD (R3-17aP) 6 feet after the intersection of
>
> > Eighth Street and Mon Blvd.;
>
> > 2. BIKE LANE (R3-17) at the beginning of the bike lane and every 1000 feet
>
> > thereafter (the MUTCD requires BIKE LANE signs to accompany bike lane
>
> > markings but "the signs need not be adjacent to every symbol to avoid
>
> > overuse of the signs";
>
> > 3. BIKE LANE (R3-17) ENDS (R3-17bP) at the end of the bike lane;
>
> > 4. BEGIN RIGHT TURN LANE, YIELD TO BIKES (R4-4) at the beginning of the
>
> > right turn lane;
>
> > 5. SHARE THE ROAD signs (SHARE THE ROAD (W16-1) plaque in conjunction with
>
> > the W11-1 (bicycle in diamond shaped sign) sign every 250 feet on both sides
>
> > along Don Knotts Blvd., Beechurst Av., the west side of Mon Blvd. between
>
> > Eighth St. and Evansdale Drive, both sides of Mon Blvd. between Evansdale
>
> > Dr. and the Edith Barrill (Star City) Bridge. (Please note that the Bicycle
>
> > Board recommended and the Traffic Commission approved these share the road
>
> > signs at the same time that the Bicycle Board recommended and the Traffic
>
> > Commission approved the Mon Blvd. bike lane.)
>
> >
>
> > I'm sure I overlooked some things. I hope you've discovered and noted them
>
> > as you read the above.
>
> >
>
> > I look forward to the next step.
>
> >
>
> > Frank
>
> > Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > On 8/23/2009 1:48 AM, Don Spencer wrote:
>
> >
>
> > Bill – Sorry to be absent from my computer so much this week. I appreciate
>
> > your meeting with us last Monday to work on the bike lane. I promise to stay
>
> > out of your way on this issue - as far as the MPO structure is concerned.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > If a local drawing is needed, I would rather have the Bicycle Board create
>
> > the drawing first and then have it taken to the City Manager and Engineer
>
> > for their review and action. The Bicycle Board has more experience in
>
> > understanding cycling issues than do the Engineering personnel – even though
>
> > they have resources which they can use to check out and confirm standards.
>
> > The DOH will have their own opinion too, but it is important for us to say
>
> > what we proposed…first.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Frank Gmeindl needs to be the point person – in my opinion.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Don
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > ________________________________
>
> >
>
> > From: Bill Austin [mailto:baustin@moncpc.org]
>
> > Sent: Friday, August 21, 2009 2:24 PM
>
> > To: 'Bill Austin'; dspencer36@comcast.net
>
> > Subject: RE: WV DOH Response to Letter Concerning Closing of Rail Trail
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Don,
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > I wasn’t sure you got this the last time I sent it. One key question I have
>
> > is will the City be able to provide a drawing of the typical section we are
>
> > proposing? Do you need to have the City Manager request it from the City
>
> > Engineer? I will be happy to work with the appropriate person on the
>
> > specifications. Please let me know who that is.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Thanks,
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Bill
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > From: Bill Austin [mailto:baustin@moncpc.org]
>
> > Sent: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 9:52 AM
>
> > To: 'dspencer36@comcast.net'
>
> > Subject: FW: WV DOH Response to Letter Concerning Closing of Rail Trail
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Don,
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Thanks for meeting with me yesterday. I was rereading the attached response
>
> > from DOH this morning and had several thoughts. Please take a look at the
>
> > next to last paragraph and the last paragraph on the first page. We need to
>
> > do several things, first we need to note the City Managers commitment to
>
> > placing the striping. Secondly, we need a drawing of THE typical
>
> > cross-section of the striping that needs to be installed. It should probably
>
> > be based on an ASHTO standard facility that has been constructed in West
>
> > Virginia. I am looking into that now. We will need a draft engineering level
>
> > product to share with the new technical committee by mid-September.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Please let me know your thoughts.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Thanks,
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Bill
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > From: Bill Austin [mailto:baustin@moncpc.org]
>
> > Sent: Monday, July 27, 2009 4:18 PM
>
> > To: 'Bellcom21@aol.com'; 'David Bruffy'; 'dspencer36@comcast.net';
>
> > 'gvmayor@comcast.net'; 'jlgoodwi@access.k12.wv.us'; 'Joe Fisher';
>
> > 'dulaneyoil@comcast.net'; 'Keller, Perry J'; 'bill@byrnehedges.com';
>
> > 'scmayor@comcast.net'; 'Moncom@aol.com'; 'djhstarcity@hotmail.com';
>
> > 'dulaneyoil@comcast.net'; 'statler4board@hotmail.com'
>
> > Cc: Mike Paugh
>
> > Subject: WV DOH Response to Letter Concerning Closing of Rail Trail
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Board Members,
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Please find attached a letter from Robert Pennington of the West Virginia
>
> > Department of Highways responding to the MPO’s recent correspondence
>
> > concerning the closing of the Rail Trail. We will continue to work to
>
> > coordinate with DOH on this issue.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Regards,
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Bill Austin, AICP
>
> >
>
> > Executive Director
>
> >
>
> > Morgantown Monongalia MPO
>
> >
>
> > 180 Hart Field Road
>
> >
>
> > Morgantown, WVA 26508
>
> >
>
> > 304-291-9571
>
> >
>
> > 304-692-7225 Mobile
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > _______________________________________________
>
> > Bikeboard mailing list
>
> > Bikeboard@cheat.org
>
> > http://cheat.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard
>
> >
>
> >
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> Bikeboard mailing list
>
> Bikeboard@cheat.org
>
> http://cheat.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard
>