Opinion of Road Diets
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Question: Opinion of Road Diets
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Horrible Plan
 
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Author Topic: Opinion of Road Diets  (Read 640 times)
Bojack Horseman
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« on: June 03, 2016, 06:46:21 PM »

Today was the day that in my town, the main road from the south end to the north end was repainted from the left, to resemble the right:



This is affectionately called a "road diet" in cities across the country. I'm looking forward to November so I can vote out the village idiots on our city council over this. I literally have no idea what they were thinking, considering the fact that precisely nobody rides their bikes on that road.
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Higgs
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« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2016, 03:04:43 PM »

Pretty horrible plan
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Nutmeg
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« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2016, 10:05:44 PM »

Perhaps no one rides a bike on that road because there is no safe way to do so under the current arrangement?
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Santander
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« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2016, 10:23:44 PM »

Perhaps no one rides a bike on that road because there is no safe way to do so under the current arrangement?
Someone is thinking.
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dax00
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« Reply #4 on: June 05, 2016, 10:53:51 PM »

Horrible.

And lanes don't need to be more than 9 feet wide.
Instead of: 11-11-ll-11-11
Do this: 4-9-9-ll-9-9-4
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RaphaelDLG
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« Reply #5 on: June 05, 2016, 11:22:12 PM »

Bike lanes are annoying, though bikers out of bike lanes are even more annoying.

A turn lane is essential.  The main road in my town lacks one and driving in the left lane is insanely frustrating because you get stuck behind someone waiting minutes to turn.
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dax00
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« Reply #6 on: June 06, 2016, 12:26:15 PM »

I like these:
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snowguy716
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« Reply #7 on: June 06, 2016, 03:52:30 PM »

THe new plan shouldn't result in much congestion provided that the intersections also have right turn lanes.  If they don't, then things will be a bit more backed up... but ultimately having a center left turn lane for both directions should mean you won't have any congestion from left turning vehicles in the main traffic lane.  And though this is a no-no by official rules, people often use the center lane as a merge in lane for left turning vehicles coming from businesses or driveways located directly on the main road between intersections.

This allows such vehicles to turn out into the road at a safer, clearer time on the side of the street they're crossing even if there are vehicles coming from the direction they're turning into.  Then they can wait and safely merge into the traffic flow.

Overall the only problem I would foresee is right turning vehicles potentially hitting cyclists waiting near intersections.
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traininthedistance
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« Reply #8 on: June 06, 2016, 04:20:49 PM »
« Edited: June 06, 2016, 04:28:16 PM by traininthedistance »

Required reading:

http://www.streetsblog.net/2016/06/06/finding-the-political-will-to-fix-four-lane-death-roads/

It wouldn't surprise me if this was in reaction to speeding drivers having killed a pedestrian or two on that road. And, of course, study after study has shown that business goes up along corridors where people walk or bike to get there, rather than just zoom through in their metal cocoons.

I obviously support this sort of measure anywhere and everywhere.
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dead0man
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« Reply #9 on: June 06, 2016, 04:34:43 PM »

I've been on a road diet the last week.  Hardees, Mt Dew and beef jerky.  I feel like sh**t for some reason.
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snowguy716
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« Reply #10 on: June 06, 2016, 04:36:21 PM »

Required reading:

http://www.streetsblog.net/2016/06/06/finding-the-political-will-to-fix-four-lane-death-roads/

It wouldn't surprise me if this was in reaction to speeding drivers having killed a pedestrian or two on that road. And, of course, study after study has shown that business goes up along corridors where people walk or bite to get there, rather than just zoom through in their metal cocoons.

I obviously support this sort of measure anywhere and everywhere.

Anywhere and everywhere is a bit of a stretch.  A 4 lane median separated rural highway is about the safest road you can have... and with wide shoulders it can also accommodate cyclists and pedestrians (though those are rare on rural highways)

I think the biggest thing is that you want traffic moving... not stopped... but also not moving too quickly.  And you want a faster transit alternative.  The problem with American cities is often even with these traffic calming road diets, you are not offering an alternative.  Now the buses have to drive slower as well.  And dedicated bus lanes are only feasible in the "bus"iest of areas (see what I did there)

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traininthedistance
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« Reply #11 on: June 06, 2016, 07:56:50 PM »

Required reading:

http://www.streetsblog.net/2016/06/06/finding-the-political-will-to-fix-four-lane-death-roads/

It wouldn't surprise me if this was in reaction to speeding drivers having killed a pedestrian or two on that road. And, of course, study after study has shown that business goes up along corridors where people walk or bite to get there, rather than just zoom through in their metal cocoons.

I obviously support this sort of measure anywhere and everywhere.

Anywhere and everywhere is a bit of a stretch.  A 4 lane median separated rural highway is about the safest road you can have... and with wide shoulders it can also accommodate cyclists and pedestrians (though those are rare on rural highways)

I think the biggest thing is that you want traffic moving... not stopped... but also not moving too quickly.  And you want a faster transit alternative.  The problem with American cities is often even with these traffic calming road diets, you are not offering an alternative.  Now the buses have to drive slower as well.  And dedicated bus lanes are only feasible in the "bus"iest of areas (see what I did there)



Sure, rural roads are a bit of an exception, as are limited access highways like the Interstate system.  You're not going to get much foot traffic along a farm or whatever (you might get recreational bikers, but people aren't going to use it as a primary form of transportation except in more built-up areas).  But traffic calming will still save lives in just about any context.

For the most part road diets don't even raise travel times much, anyway; the psychological perception of not being able to floor the gas pedal looms larger than any actual time loss, which tends to be pretty minimal.  Oftentimes having roads designed for 40 MPH speeding just means that you spend more time at stoplights.  And (as I've said many times before) I know that most people can't just give up their cars, not with our current zoning and transit funding, but there's still plenty of room for improvement on the margins.
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Grumpier Than Uncle Joe
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« Reply #12 on: June 07, 2016, 11:20:59 AM »

Awful.  Our douchebag Mayor has them all throughout the city limits.
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muon2
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« Reply #13 on: June 08, 2016, 07:06:41 AM »

As traffic calming devices go, road diets are far less obtrusive than speed tables and use less land than traffic circles. As dax00 notes, there are different ways to implement road diets. I like the hybrid of a center turn lane for both directions that become dedicated to one direction or the other near busier intersections.

I also want to concur with train's comment.
For the most part road diets don't even raise travel times much, anyway; the psychological perception of not being able to floor the gas pedal looms larger than any actual time loss, which tends to be pretty minimal.  Oftentimes having roads designed for 40 MPH speeding just means that you spend more time at stoplights.
I've been driving a hybrid for five years now. The engine and fuel feedback changes the way one drives, as you adjust to get high fuel economy. One thing I've noticed is that in urban and suburban driving it really helps to avoid quick starts and stops, yet it doesn't change travel time much at all - just the perception of travel time.
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CrabCake
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« Reply #14 on: June 08, 2016, 08:41:28 AM »

Perhaps no one rides a bike on that road because there is no safe way to do so under the current arrangement?

"Why did the city build a road in the first place? No one was driving cars through the roadless expanse beforehand?"
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