+1

The roads that HH and I both ride for our commutes are marked at 50MPH and traffic tends to be much faster. Sure, the roads are negotiable... by skilled experienced cyclists... but they don't make up the best part of my commute, that's for sure.

I've never found such roads a problem, and I've ridden them plenty in southern CA and elsewhere. The ones in my part of VA are less troublesome because the ramp radii are tighter, causing motorists to slow down to more manageable speeds (at least for an experienced cyclist). But these roads are still too intimidating for most cyclists.

An unnecessary interchange in Blacksburg VA cuts off one whole side of town from potential commuter cyclists. There's an alternate route on bike trails but it's a lot longer and slower, labrynthine, and not signed at all. If someone didn't show you the way you'd get lost. So much for bikeability on that side of town.

Bicyclists need access to arterial roads for the same reason motorists do -- they're more direct. Dozens of turns, and stops and starts, are a lot harder under one's own power. And unlike (perhaps) on freeways, we have a right to be accommodated on arterials.

Blacksburg also has a newer interchange with tighter turn radii (so motorists have to slow down), and bike lanes drawn all the way through it. Most cyclists would feel comfortable there.

So good design is possible.

Some interchanges in southern CA and northern VA are ridiculous -- with turns so wide that Biff in his Bimmer can take them at 60mph with one finger on the steering wheel and a phone in the other hand, only to have to stop at a red light 200 yards afterward. This overengineered nonsense must end.

I've never found such roads a problem, and I've ridden them plenty in southern CA and elsewhere. The ones in my part of VA are less troublesome because the ramp radii are tighter, causing motorists to slow down to more manageable speeds (at least for an experienced cyclist). But these roads are still too intimidating for most cyclists.

An unnecessary interchange in Blacksburg VA cuts off one whole side of town from potential commuter cyclists. There's an alternate route on bike trails but it's a lot longer and slower, labrynthine, and not signed at all. If someone didn't show you the way you'd get lost. So much for bikeability on that side of town.

Bicyclists need access to arterial roads for the same reason motorists do -- they're more direct. Dozens of turns, and stops and starts, are a lot harder under one's own power. And unlike (perhaps) on freeways, we have a right to be accommodated on arterials.

Blacksburg also has a newer interchange with tighter turn radii (so motorists have to slow down), and bike lanes drawn all the way through it. Most cyclists would feel comfortable there.

So good design is possible.

Some interchanges in southern CA and northern VA are ridiculous -- with turns so wide that Biff in his Bimmer can take them at 60mph with one finger on the steering wheel and a phone in the other hand, only to have to stop at a red light 200 yards afterward. This overengineered nonsense must end.


This is the kind of thing I was talking about... the over engineered road... as an arterial and the only road between two points... while you say you don't have any problem with these sorts of roads (mentioned at the top)... you probably fit the description of experienced cyclist. Now imagine you are inexperienced and this is all you face... Not very encouraging, eh? Very auto centric.