Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 01/12/1995

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Feb. 8, 198,~ I Bikeway \ .\ Additional width to 14 feet to be provided at railroad crossing to allow cyclist to choose his own cFossing route. FIGURE K 45° CROSSING (Less Desirable) BIKEWAYS I II K. BRIDGES AND GRADE SEPARATION'S 1. C~neral Some ty]:~ of grade separaQon should be provided wherever a combination of vehicular volumes and speeds and bicycle volumes would warrant some type of phy~:cal separation. Where these conditions exist, and provision of a grade separation structure would not be feas/ble, ',he bikeway should be rerouted. Experience has shown that structures designed for pedestrian bye loads are satisfactory for b/cycle loading. 2. Highway Bridges with Bikeways Where off-road bikeways are located parallel to a highway, there are some conditions where it is necessary to carry the trai!s across a highway structure. On controlled access highways with high volumes of vehicle traffic, the bikeway should be carried outside of the normal br/dge shoulder and separated from the shoulder by a physical bar- der (concrete ban/er, railing or fence). On minor low.speed highways, where vek/c-.:lar volumes are not great and the roadway shoulder is carried across the structure, the bridge shoulders can be udEzed for the bikeway (one.way travel on roadway shoulders). Sometimes, it is necessary to widen exis:Jn? bridges to provide adequate width for bikeways. Where i: is anticipated that a bikeway w'fl] be provided in the future. new bridges should be designed to include the appropriate w/dth. Bikeways on highway bridges must be carefuDy coordinated with approach bikeways, to make sum all e]ements are compatible. For example, bicycle traffic bound in opposite directions is best accommodated by bike lanes on each side of a highway, tn such cases, a two-way bikeway on one side of the bridge would normal]y be inappropriate, as one direction of bicycle traffic would be required to cross the highway at grade twice, to get to and from the bridge bikeway. Because of the inconven- ience, many bicyclists will attempt to ride on the wrong side of the highway beyond the bridge termini. See L for approach and bridge typical sections. Consideration should be given to a bicycle pull-off abutting a bridge. In instances where the bridge is a c~st. a pull-off area has the added advantage of an overlook for enjoyment of the scenery and other interesting features of the crossir~g. I i I I I m I I I I I ! I m