How do we go about getting bike lanes for 15th St?

[Renaissance]

I'm not an avid cyclist.  But I don't know any avid cyclists who like the idea of bike lanes integrated with traffic and parallel parking.  Just sayin' . . . but good luck.   

[Conan71]

I wanted to revisit this thread.  There is room for a bike lane on both sides of 15th from Riverside all the way to at least Utica where businesses have on-street parking and the far right lanes are rarely used.  The bike lanes would be placed in those far right lanes next to the 'lane' for parked cars.  I didn't think there was room but on closer inspection there is, even with SUV's parked on the street.  The city sure isn't going to do this work but if others are interested we could get city approval and do it ourselves.  Same for 11th Street in the future, which is set up like 15th. 

I'm allergic to opening car doors...

[SXSW]

I'm allergic to opening car doors...

Just stay out of the door zone   

[Townsend]

Just stay out of the door zone  

Dammit...Kenny Loggins earworm

[nathanm]

There is room for a bike lane on both sides of 15th from Riverside all the way to at least Utica where businesses have on-street parking and the far right lanes are rarely used.

If the far right lane is already rarely used, it sounds like a great bike lane to me, and drivers will get less confused about the need to occupy the right lane before making a right turn, thus making it safer for cyclists. Bike lanes blow. Either fully separate the bicycles onto trails or leave 'em on the road.

I've ridden around some here in midtown since I moved up here a year and a half ago, and have yet to have an issue with drivers not respecting my space when I'm riding on the street (including both 11th and 15th). Similarly, I never had a problem with drivers on Memorial when I had to use the street to cross the Creek. In my experience drivers cause more problems on the side streets where there is a lot of on street parking. They try to force me into the door zone. Me no likey.

Just take the lane and you won't have issues. If you crowd the right hand side of the street like you're afraid, not only do you encourage drivers to pass when they really shouldn't, you run a greater risk of hitting debris in the road.

[SXSW]

Not related to bike lanes but parking along 15th: I noticed on a trip to Genghis Grill that there are NO PARKING signs posted on the north side of the street but meters on the south side starting at Panera.  The meters on the north side start at Full Moon just west of Trenton.  I wonder why on-street parking would not be allowed from Troost westward on the north side like it is on the south?  The only business that doesn't front the street on that stretch is the car wash next to Full Moon, and hopefully that goes away soon.

Genghis Grill and Chipotle both have entrances either facing 15th or to the side, instead of the parking lot which is a good thing and would make sense to have a few spaces available out front along 15th.  

[TheTed]

If we ever did get bike lanes, I assume they'd be subpar based on the general quality of street projects and attention paid to non-auto traffic in street design.

Taking the lane is much more preferrable to me. Lots more room to maneuver to avoid homicidal motorists and the constant string of jackholes who wait until arriving at the intersection to consider the fact that they're in the right lane and want to turn left or vice versa.

All of the downtown one-ways should have one lane striped as a bike/bus lane. There'd still be plenty of capacity for the cars. And it'd be relatively cheap to accomplish.

[SXSW]

If we ever did get bike lanes, I assume they'd be subpar based on the general quality of street projects and attention paid to non-auto traffic in street design.

Taking the lane is much more preferrable to me. Lots more room to maneuver to avoid homicidal motorists and the constant string of jackholes who wait until arriving at the intersection to consider the fact that they're in the right lane and want to turn left or vice versa.

All of the downtown one-ways should have one lane striped as a bike/bus lane. There'd still be plenty of capacity for the cars. And it'd be relatively cheap to accomplish.

Agree, that would be a great improvement.  A solid painted line and markings would be fine but to really be effective you would need to place those raised plastic bumpers to keep cars out unless they are turning into a parking spot on the other side.

[Conan71]

Agree, that would be a great improvement.  A solid painted line and markings would be fine but to really be effective you would need to place those raised plastic bumpers to keep cars out unless they are turning into a parking spot on the other side.

Horrible hazard to cyclists, just as much as parallel 1/2" pavement cracks and paved drop offs are...trust me you don't want raised plastic bumpers to "protect" cyclists.  If a cyclist had to take evasive action and hit one of these plastic curbs, he/she can get launched into traffic, rather than being able to swerve right back in over a line.  There's also enough cyclists who ride with their head up their arse who will hit them.  Those lines are entirely another hazard when they are wet.  Just guessing, but probably less than 5% of the roads I ride on have marked bike lanes and I'm fine with it.

[Ed W]

As I've said previously, Tulsa already has some bike lanes.  They're crap.  It doesn't stand to reason that they'll do a better job designing and maintaining them if there are more lane miles.

But there's a better way:

http://commuteorlando.com/education/classes.html

It's an improvement over LAB's program.  I'm hoping to get certification to teach it.

[Kenosha]

Here is my contribution to this thread:

[SXSW]

My dream start:

Biking lanes on both sides, one way roads with turning lanes would be at these locations:

Boston Ave. from the BOk tower to 21st St.

15th St. from Denver Ave. to Harvard Ave.

21st St. from Peoria Ave. to the river...beyond that something should be done all the way to Chandler Park. This is an often traveled route for bikers.

Peoria Ave. from as far North as deemed possible. Pine St.? to 41st St.

I agree with 15th from Denver to Harvard, with a connection to Delaware where the bike lanes from 3rd to 10th could be extended south to 15th.  I doubt there is much traction to get these on arterials such as 21st and Peoria, at least right now.  Much better luck with streets like 15th, Utica (from 3rd to 41st), 6th (from Houston to Delaware), Delaware from 11th to 15th, and Boulder from Brady to 18th through downtown.  13th would also make a good bikeway with designated lanes.

[Conan71]

I agree with 15th from Denver to Harvard, with a connection to Delaware where the bike lanes from 3rd to 10th could be extended south to 15th.  I doubt there is much traction to get these on arterials such as 21st and Peoria, at least right now.  Much better luck with streets like 15th, Utica (from 3rd to 41st), 6th (from Houston to Delaware), Delaware from 11th to 15th, and Boulder from Brady to 18th through downtown.  13th would also make a good bikeway with designated lanes.

I'm not for certain, but I believe 13th Street to Pittsburg or so was part of the original trolley system

http://www.batesline.com/archives/2009/12/15/TulsaStreetcars.html

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=http:%2F%2Fwww.batesline.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F12%2F15%2FTulsaStreetcars.kmz&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=47.215051,61.171875&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=36.060763,-96.02881&spn=0.23203,0.185925

[nathanm]

I'm not for certain, but I believe 13th Street to Pittsburg or so was part of the original trolley system

There's an oddly curved crack across the west lanes of Delaware making it obvious where one of the tracks used to run and that the house on the corner there wasn't built until after the trolley went away.

[SXSW]

I'm not for certain, but I believe 13th Street to Pittsburg or so was part of the original trolley system

http://www.batesline.com/archives/2009/12/15/TulsaStreetcars.html

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=http:%2F%2Fwww.batesline.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F12%2F15%2FTulsaStreetcars.kmz&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=47.215051,61.171875&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=36.060763,-96.02881&spn=0.23203,0.185925

13th is a great street for biking.  Hardly ever busy, 4 lanes, and goes straight into downtown all the way from Lewis.  If Starship wasn't in the way and they had a rail crossing it would go all the way to 77th E. Ave.