The finishing touches are being put on a plan for uptown Charlotte’s “Missing Link” bike lane, and public feedback has been “very positive,” says Charlotte’s Bicycle Program Coordinator.
“The main thing we heard is they want more separation, and a continuous protected bike lane,” says Will Washam, the program coordinator for Charlotte Department of Transportation. Washam and CDOT took plans for the the bike lane to “pop-up” displays for a day in July to get feedback from the public. “We got very positive reactions” about the lane, says Washam.
The protected bike lane would connect two popular bike and pedestrian paths that run through uptown Charlotte: Irwin Creek to the west, and Little Sugar Creek to the east. These two creeks and the ridge in between have been credited for giving Uptown its diagonal grid of streets, and even its nickname — “Uptown” vs. “Downtown.” Currently, there are 34 lanes of traffic for cars to cross the ridge between the two creeks and their adjacent greenways, but no dedicated bike path.
Charlotte transportation planners want to change that — to create the “Missing Link.” Each street through Uptown was evaluated for its potential as a bike route until 6th Street emerged as the best choice, says Washam. Width of traffic lanes, sidewalks, and on-street parking were considerations when choosing the route, as well as which street could handle a reduced volume of cars with the least impact. Washam says planners didn’t want to sacrifice sidewalk space, which is heavily used by a high volume of pedestrians in Uptown, as compared to other parts of town.
Planners tested out the track last year with positive results. The design uses mostly 6th Street and a few blocks of 5th street. In some places, a full concrete barrier separates cyclists from cars. In others, depending on how much space is available, permanent plastic pylons will be used. Decorative concrete planters or concrete parking bumpers could also be incorporated, along with street markings, painted lanes, and special traffic signals just for the bike lanes to keep them safe from cars at intersections.
“Safety and aesthetics are big considerations,” says Washam.
Designers will finish up the planning stage for the protected lane in September, says Washam, then move on to conceptual designs, including a few alternatives.
“The beauty of the project is there is already space,” says Washam. A timeline for the finished project would depend on finding funding, which could come from a combination of sources, he says. The goal would be to build a usable space for a reasonable cost.
Look for a funding plan and a finished design by this time next year, says Washam. Construction would follow based on when the funding is available.
All that will be “missing,” then, is a good pair of wheels.
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