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

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I I I I ! i I I I I I ! I I I I I I Feb. 8,198,5 ~ I II I BIKEWAYS - Motorist expec~tion of entries to the crossing at pedestrian sqD~eds rather ~han at typical bike travel speeds. - Cyclist disobedience of STOP or YIELD controls. Independent off road bikeway crossing~ of roadways merit particular attentiO~r to design detail. Measures to alleviate some of the abo~e problems include the fo[lowing: - Provide proper ~/ght clearances. Sight clearance assessment must consid~ obstructions due to roadway cross-section profile (stee~ cuts or fills) as well as common obstructions such as folia~e~, - Locate the cross~ng a minimum of 250 feet from any roadway intersection~If such separation is impossible, the crossing should be b~rought into the intersection and treated as a bikeway at an ~ntersection. - Align the crossin~ to intersect the motor vehicle roadway at right angles. r_ -Mark the crossi~n~ g with "zebra" or "panda" pavement marking. "BIK~ XING" signs should be placed on the motor vehicle approaches 250 to 750 feet in ad- vance, with specific loc~fion depending upon roadway speed limit and proximity~< to adjacent intersections. Refer to MMUTCD. -Place "STOP A~IEAD" or "YIELD AHEAD" signs on the bikeway apb)roach approximately 150 feet in advance of the crossing: further if downgrades make bicyclist speed in excess of~0 MPH likely. - Provide a landin~ area on the bikeway for /ts approach to the roadwayi~ so bicyclist can be seen by motorist and bicychst can!comfortably wait for a gap to CROSS. Vii. TRAFFIC CONTR!OLs FOR BIKEWAYS A. INTRODUCTION The purpose of this ~ection is to inform individuals charged with the design, dOnstruction, and operation of bikeways of the basic conce~pts to consider on the use and application of traffic control devices. Further. the neces- sary official manuals are identified, which give standards on design and usage of !traffic control devices. The Minnesota Traffic Laws Concerning the operation of bicycles are listed for referen'ce. Signs and markings are the traffic control devices used most frequendy to regulate, warn, and guide bicycle traffic. The installation of ~affic signals are rarely needed solely for bicyclists. -37- Adequate signing is a critical requirement in success- ful bikeway design. Their proper use helps to warn bicyc. ILsts of hazardous conditions, establishes the right-of.way. excludes motor vehicles and/or pedestrians from the bike- way and warns motorists and pedestrians of the presence of bicycle traffic on shared facitides. However. too much signing is a nuisance ~md improper placement of signs cause some significant problems, especially on bikeways parallel to the roadway. Stop or yield signs placed to control the bicychn may in fact cause confusion for some vehicles on a t~rough street. It becomes hard to determine to whom the stop sign applies. If that potential exists, con- sider the following alternates: 1) Paint crosswalk and remove stop or yield sign. 2) Add louvers to sign to shield it from highway. Generally signing driveway entrances and commer- cial entrances should be avoided because of the potential confusion. Consult the District Traffic Engineer for assis- tance. B. SIGNS There are 3 main classifications of si?ns needed on bicycle facilities: 1. Regulatory Signs - give notice to the bicyclist of traffic laws or regulations. 2. Warning Signs . are used to warn bicyclists of conditions on. or adjacent to, bikeways and trails, steets. and highway that are potentially hazardous to them. 3. Guide Signs - Bike Route guide signs keep bicyclists informed of changes in route direct/on and reminds motorists of the presence of bicyclists. Destina- tion and distance guide signs furnish additional guidance. When signing at a roadway crossing, if the volume of the cross street is low, consider using the Yield sign instead of a Stop sign. Generally, bicyclists do not stop if traffic is not present and the Yield sign allows this practice. C. PAVEMENT MARKINGS Pavement marking lines are necessary to indicate separation of the lanes for motor vehicles and bicycles on streets and highways. Where bicycles and Pedestrians share a common off-road bikeway, lines are marked to separate the two ~affic flows. The frequent use of sym- bols and word messages stenciled in the bike lanes is a desirable method of supplementing and reinforcing sign messages.