New Striping on MLK and Detriot

[Weatherdemon]

What's up with the strange striping on these streets by the north leg of the IDL?

On Detroit, there is a bike lane along east curb, inside of that (west towards traffic) is a parallel parking 'lane', inside of that are traffic lanes.

As you near the IDL on ramp, the 'parking lane' turns into a narrow double/double striped lane with a 'jaunt' cutting between the double/double and the parking lanes to what is now the turn lane along the east curb.
MLK is the same just on the west side.

Very confusing to ask people to park in a street between driving lanes and bike lanes. I get that it's safer for the riders but people struggle enough driving in downtown and there is more confusion to deal with.

And, what in the heck on the new study saying we should go back, again, to two way streets?
How much money have we spent on studies to justify switching back and forth and the actual switching over the last 20 years? It seems we've switched back and forth 4-5 times.

[Dspike]

Recent thread on the protected bike lines on MLK and Detroit:

http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/index.php?topic=21476.0

[cannon_fodder]

You missed a 2 hour presentation on this last night.   

Protected bike lanes are a standard in many cities our size.  I will spare you the cut and pasting of images, but if you google protected bike lane, this configuration isn't unique.  The idea is that pedestrians and cyclists are protected from traffic by parked cars, additionally, the drivers side door opens 100% of the time - so having the bikes on the port side of a vehicle increases the risk of door collisions by a huge margin. 

Ironically, studies also suggest that the "confusion" period is the safest time.  Drivers tend to slow down and try to figure out whats going on.  Our downtown is currently designed as a freeway, with wide straight lanes, timed lights, and clear site lines encouraging drivers to speed through.  Turns out, that's not so good for cyclists, pedestrians, or reducing motor vehicle collisions.  At 25 MPH here's what the driver needs to know:  lots of paint means don't drive there.  Just like the angled back in parking (that is also not unique to Tulsa), drivers can figure it out.

The roads downtown have been one way for a generation now (or two).  During that time shopping has left downtown, residential left downtown, and recreation left downtown.  Now that those things are coming back and many hope even more comes - it isn't surprising that going back has been suggested.  Turns out if you have streets that encourage pedestrians, you get more pedestrians.  If you have infrastructure that tells everyone they have to drive, then everyone drives. 

[MostSeriousness]

There also is supposed to be green paint (or blue?) marking the cycling lanes, which would give a more visible area for drivers not to, ya know, drive on

[johrasephoenix]

Those bike lanes are progress.... it's just that they lead to the massive empty urban renewal area where there is literally nothing except grass and the memory of gross injustice.  Bike lanes to nowhere.

I still can't believe there is a 200 acre hole in the middle of Tulsa's urban core, immediately adjacent to its hottest downtown district.  It's unreal.   

[Weatherdemon]

Thanks for the replies and great points.

I'll leave it to the experts but until they put the cones out after a few days, people we're driving down the parking lanes.

It seems there should be some colors to help but hey, I figured it out.

[cannon_fodder]

... until they put the cones out after a few days, people we're driving down the parking lanes.

It seems there should be some colors to help but hey, I figured it out.

The speaker last night said the exact same thing happened in Boston when they first switched over.  A colored lane would help a ton, but costs $$$ and has to be redone as part of maintenance.

[Conan71]

Those bike lanes are progress.... it's just that they lead to the massive empty urban renewal area where there is literally nothing except grass and the memory of gross injustice.  Bike lanes to nowhere.

I still can't believe there is a 200 acre hole in the middle of Tulsa's urban core, immediately adjacent to its hottest downtown district.  It's unreal.   

If you are talking about the wasteland north of 244, I'm not sure what injustice you are referring to.  That wasn't gutted during the riots of 1921 if that was what you were implying.  That was all leveled in the 1980's or '90's as a result of urban renewal efforts.

[Red Arrow]

The roads downtown have been one way for a generation now (or two).  During that time shopping has left downtown, residential left downtown, and recreation left downtown.  Now that those things are coming back and many hope even more comes - it isn't surprising that going back has been suggested. 

So here we are.  If the streets had remained 2 way, suburbia never would have happened.   

[Red Arrow]

If there were a convenient, desirable, cost effective (to the public) way to get downtown, a lot of parking real estate could be turned into something desirable. 

Hint: A noisy, stinky bus that only runs every half hour to 45 minutes is not the answer.

[Red Arrow]

I still can't believe there is a 200 acre hole in the middle of Tulsa's urban core,

We are going to fill the hole with bicycles.

[Bamboo World]

Where is Detriot?

[dbacksfan 2.0]

Where is Detriot?

It's across the river from Windsor Ontario.

In Tulsa is the third street east of main.

[Ed W]

Oh joy. Tulsa gets magick paint.

[Bamboo World]

It's across the river from Windsor Ontario.

In Tulsa is the third street east of main.

My question was about Detriot, not Detroit.