Advocacy & Safety - Florida cyclists-Highway 1A1

I read this in Cyclingnews.com today, thought you might be interested..


Dude, where's my bike lane?

Cyclists in Florida are campaigning to have a decision reversed that has denied them a bike path along one of the few roads in Palm Beach County that is safe and highly used by bike riders.

State Road A1A winds along Florida's Atlantic coast. It has low speed limits, moderate traffic and is extremely scenic. As a result it's a hugely popular riding spot. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is planning to resurface State Road A1A in the near future. Knowing that there is a high level of bicycle traffic on A1A, FDOT, in accordance with Florida laws, planned to install a bicycle lane along the entire 27-mile length of the resurfacing project.

However, according to local cycling activists, plans for the bike lane have been thwarted by a group of local homeowners forming an organisation called Save Our Seacoast, Inc. Members of Save Our Seacoast have convinced Florida governor Jeb Bush to block the installation of the bike lane. Cycling campaigners allege that Save Our Seacoast is motivated by the self-interest of these homeowners, who have encroached into the public right of way with driveways, landscaping and privacy walls.

Activists are calling on Florida residents to write to Governor Bush requesting that this decision be reversed and a bike lane be installed along A1A. The Governor's address is:

Jeb Bush, Governor
Executive Office of the Governor
400 S. Monroe Street
The Capitol
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0001

Email: jeb.bush@myflorida.com

Jay

I read this in Cyclingnews.com today, thought you might be interested...

Well,

not that Iapprove of the protestors motivations, but I hate bike paths. They are more unsafe than a good wide road IMHO. Why not just make the lanes a lot wider and let bikes & cars share the road instead.

take care,

Jester

Ohhhh that sucks bad, i'll email Bush right when I'm done writing here!! I sometimes ride A1A for about a 10 mile streatch just south of St. Agustine, around Fort Matanzas. Its a nice ride along the coast. I don't know if the streatch I ride has a "bike path" per say but it does have 2.5 feet of pavement on the edge of the road.

ok off to write the gov........

Yeah, especially "scenic routes"-people are looking at the scenery, not the cyclists!

Well,

not that Iapprove of the protestors motivations, but I hate bike paths. They are more unsafe than a good wide road IMHO. Why not just make the lanes a lot wider and let bikes & cars share the road instead.

I hate bike paths too, but I think the article was referring to a bike lane, so that's a little different. To be honest I really can't see how installing a bike lane there is actually going to do any damage to the area, I really don't understand what the protesters are getting at. I rode the Great Ocean Road in Victoria last year (similar type of terrain), and noted the sections of the road that had shoulders vs those that did not. Again, we're not talking about ripping a large volume of trees out of the ground here.

I hate bike paths too, but I think the article was referring to a bike lane, so that's a little different. To be honest I really can't see how installing a bike lane there is actually going to do any damage to the area, I really don't understand what the protesters are getting at. I rode the Great Ocean Road in Victoria last year (similar type of terrain), and noted the sections of the road that had shoulders vs those that did not. Again, we're not talking about ripping a large volume of trees out of the ground here.

Actually that's not entirely clear from the original post. It uses both terms seemingly interchangeably. This isn't uncommon, I once spent several minutes trying to explain the significant difference between the two to a senior sergeant that had pulled me over.

If it's a path, then the residents response sounds like a typical nimby knee-jerk that happens all the time. What I fail to understand is, if they want to 'save the seacoast' as they claim, why is there not so much as a whimper about a big freaking road along it. If it's an on-road lane, then any complaint is fairly absurd.

When I lived in FL I loved to drive on A1A. I think it would be so cool to ride from Sebastian Inlet to the Cape .... ahhhh the memories of driving by Patrick AFB ....... :(

I hate bike paths too, but I think the article was referring to a bike lane, so that's a little different.
As allister said the article uses both interchangeably, so what their real plan is cannot be determined from this writeup.

I guess to sum up my personal views, bike lanes are allright if they are not in dooring range of parked cars, as if that happens motorists get mad when you don't ride in them and it makes the cyclists job harder.

What I hate are the bike lane/paths that are carved out of the same roadway as the cars, but are bidirectional. If/when you run into a parked car or gaggle of pedestrians in the bike lane you end up being a wrong way rider. Or if the lane is closed for construction you have to cross all lanes of traffic to ride on the right side, then cross back when out of the construction zone.

Anyway, without knowing exactly what they are building it is hard to support or not support it. Also, if florida has a law that bicyclists must use bikepaths/lanes when available, this could be designed to kick bicyclists off the road? I know Kiawah or Hilton Head in SC has such a rule, ugh.

take care,

Jester

Also, if florida has a law that bicyclists must use bikepaths/lanes when available, this could be designed to kick bicyclists off the road? I know Kiawah or Hilton Head in SC has such a rule, ugh.

Are you sure it says "when available" rather than "when practical?". We have a "when practical" rule here in Queensland, and I exploit it daily to ignore a bikelane on my ride home from work so I can do some "lane-claiming" on the approach to a roundabout. If it's a law that says you must use it at all times, that really sucks.

However, I do have to ask why we really care about motorists perceptions of bike lanes and so on? Around here at least, it seems that whether I'm in a bike lane or not is immaterial when it comes to the gibberish that drivers like to shout out car windows. If I cared enough to pay attention to them, I'd get the impression that we're not even allowed on the road where there is a bikelane. Personally I think cycling advocates should simply look at what would benefit us in physical terms, and ignore "drivers' perceptions" completely.

Either way, I take your point about contra-flow bike lanes and bike paths in general. They are a waste of money that could be better spent on other things.


What I fail to understand is, if they want to 'save the seacoast' as they claim, why is there not so much as a whimper about a big freaking road along it.

The road may well have been there for longer than the residents have, so that may be the reason they don't complain about that. Either way, I fail to see how simply paving a gravel shoulder and painting a couple of bicycle symbols on it is going to damage the sea-coast. It didn't exactly harm the seacoast around Lorne.

Hey folks... I got the goods for you.

1) I live in FDOT District 4 which encompases Indian, St Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach and Broward counties.
2) I routinly cycle the Palm Beach/Broward sections of A1A
3) I've cycled from Ft Lauderdale to Titusville/Cocoa Beach twice (One time I did the 185 mile route in 10 hours flat!)
4) I'm on the Broward County Bicycle Advisory Comittee.

So there are credentials even if I may not deserve any extra credit to my words because of :)

Here goes:

First off the discussion is about pedestian sidewalks and traditional-with-the-flow-of-traffic-bike-lane. No bike paths, though there is a bike/pedestrian path along one section (pre-existing)

District 4 has a policy that any STATE ROAD that is to be RECONDITIONED shall, if at all possible, be widened to include one of (going from best possible and falling down to only if not possible):
A) 4 or 5 foot designated bicycle lanes (marked and signed)
B) 3 foot undesgniated bicycle lane (a minimum of a 3 foot shoulder)
C) A 13 foot (or wider) outside lane
D) Sorry can't make any change

Now for more of the story:
Broward County's policy for bicycle lanes is "Whereever possible, on County owned roads, widen if possible, narrow road lanes to get 3 or 4 foot lanes for bikes, any time a road is resurfaced <not RECONDITIONED> attempt to get the bike lanes in"...

It is known to me that Palm Beach County's policy is not as aggressive. PBC's view is NOT TO PUT IN BIKE LANES. Their view is they put in bike lanes only in really bad spots. Like around the schools and around government buildings. However there are bike lanes in sections of A1A in PBC.

Indian County just completed an entire section of A1A and added 4-foot bike lanes.

St Lucie: 3-foot shoulders today. Intercoastal bridges being widened to include bicycle lanes.

Martin Co. 3-foot shoulders, bridge improvements <widened to include bicycle lanes on bridges that cross intercoastal>

Now where is the problem you are asking?

It is residents of Palm Beach Co. Certain areas, Delray Beach, Manalpan, Lake Worth and along and up to West Palm Beach.

The issue... Residents don't want the State to utilze the existing 15 foot <each side> easement (owned by the state) to increase the width of the road <for bike lanes> and also add sidewalks.

So for the most part District 4, the State of Florida, is not against this... The protest is from residents and business owners...

The good of this is I know a lot of folks who move or live in PBC and moved there because of the lower traffic and the view that more bicycle friendly roads would be built over time.

Here in Broward Co, when a road segment comes up for change, the public meetings may contain 1 or 2 people saying they are cyclist and promoting that changes be made to favor cyclist.

In the recent PBC meetings the cyclist in the public audience is around 50%!!!! Outstanding...

The other thing that has made this HOT is the people against this are very afluent and are dropping names... Even a senator from Conneticut is dropping names at Jeb Bush. The public is very upset at this as it appears as a blatent attempt to thwart the State's own rules for improving roads to provide the safest roads for all travelers.

I've written the Gov, my senator and FDOT to voice my support to do the right thing <add the bike lanes as it is the safest solution other than shutting the road down to cars>.

I hope we prevail as if we don't I'll be too old to care when it would come up again.

Additions:

In Florida there is no such rule that you MUST ride in the bike lane. It is only there as a safety buffer. In Broward CO, the toughest thing is trying to go from the outside lane to the inside lane to make a right turn. At least with the bike lane I've got an additional 4 feet to wobble in while I look back and slow down waiting to wander into the lane and begin my progression over to the center of the road.

My view of bike lanes... In grid cities, or roads with lots of car traffic or bicycle/pedestrian interactions they make sense. If there are many smaller roads that parallel major ones and there are fly over/under bridges on these small roads or good safe signaled intesections when small roads meat main roads then no bike lanes are needed.

Because South Florida is so flat most roads don't use bridges to cross over/under. A lot of cities were laid out in a grid. Most small roads do not cross over the entire grid, smatter of fact few small roads every even connect between two main (6-lane) roads therefore you are bound to ride at least 2-miles on a 6-lane road somewhere on your bike. IMHO this means we need bike lanes on all major South Florida roads.

A1A is a road with lots of pedestrian and bicycle interaction with cars (everyone looking to do a Sunday drive and find a place to park and hit the beach)... I think this calls for bike lanes.

Funny thing is where there are lots of ppl is where the residents are fighting not to put in lanes... In the middle of no where is where bike lanes are already in place (at the rate the population is growing in South Florida these places won't be nowhere soon enough). So we should fix the somwhere places ASAP! Wish these protesting against the improvements would see the bigger picture of the future. The lanes WILL go in... If not now, later..

The road may well have been there for longer than the residents have, so that may be the reason they don't complain about that.

It's never stopped them before. I draw your attention to the Empire Hotel debacle in Fortitude Valley as a case in point.

But, that's beside the point really. Thanks for the most informative post preston. You stated the case succinctly and without bias, and the complaining residents still come across as a bunch of whinging nimbies.

And I guess these beach front residents think their homes are a natural part of the environment. :rolleyes:

I'm not an environmental nazi but our nations shores could use a lot less homes and hotels. Build the tourist resorts and homes a 1/4 mile inland and let the shores of our nation be public and protected property.

Also, thanks to all the development and homes the natural waterways such as the everglades is being destroyed but these folks are probably not too concerned about that since it will not affect their front yards.

So yes this is no environmental issue. The envoronment is being used as a front and perhaps they hope to attract the help of the envoro-nazi's as well. I'm sure sierra club will find some rare and exotic sand flea that will thwart this project.

If I am reading the posts correctly, this is simply an issue of property owners now having to abandon their longstanding encroachments of the public right-of-way. If this is indeed public land, the homeowners should have no legal standing.

We have an analogous problem along the California coastline, where the public beach extends to the mean high tideline, which occasionally means that someone has to move a privacy wall or to reduce the width of a beachfront patio.

"I'm not an environmental nazi but our nations shores could use a lot less homes and hotels."

Don't forget the government hurricane insurance that bails out anyone stupid enough to build a beachfront home... nothing like welfare for rich people. Just what this country needs.

Well tomorrow I shall be driving with my wife to Coral Cove Park. Located in the norther part of Palm Beach Co.

We will ride 26+ miles North into the heart of Martin county which is nearly the center of FDOT district IV.

Unortunatly this is all North of the PBC weenies so we won't be able to see the people who say that "cyclist are a bunch of car-keying law breaker."

And we won't be near the mayor of Gulf Stream so he won't be able to say "They should all go ride on Federal Highway [US1]" <which makes about as much sense as riding down the center of an interstate in the wrong direction>

:) Anyway I'll enjoy one of the most scenic areas of district IV tomorrow...

When I say ride I mean cycle 26 miles North then take a break and cycle 26 miles back.. There will be 20 others with us and we will do a cookout at the grills in the park after the ride... :)

Preston, very informative post. I've never ridden the areas in question but I've driven it many times. Cyclists that believe bike lanes are more dangerous need to be aware the this route is already heavily traveled by cyclists so there is tremendous awareness of their presence by motorists. Its not like all of the sudden theres going to cyclists everywhere when there were none the previous day. This awarness makes it relatively safe for cyclists.

There are a few areas that I dont think should be widened. There just isnt enough room.

As for the guy that said the governments hurricane insurance is welfare for the rich... please.

One of my co-workers pays $25,000 a year (yes, 25K!!!) for taxes on his ocean front home......I'm sure my former boss pays more. Do they get anything more than you or I from the government???....heck no....

When I decide I really need to buy a house its going to be in a Category 1 evacuation zone. I'm not rich so I'll be needing government welfare.

miamijim,

I would think you woulda said the opposite...

Areas where the roadways are already in the 12-foot to 13-foot range, there is no need to widen because of the perception of cyclist always there... Areas where the road is too narrow need to be widened. And that is the argument. The state owns the land, landowners to their own dismay built upon this land.

Now if you you are saying is... Areas that are too narrow and the State of Florida would need to PURCHASE the land to widen it... Well then I would probably agree that we need to seriously decide if we should spend the money... But that is not the case in the areas that are being argued about... The State already owns the land...

Oh, BTW, Miami may not suck for riding if we got more advocates involved with Miami/Dade city/county planning... I'm on the Broward county Bicycle Comittee and I know of three roadway improvements that came about to my participation!

Update:

Here is what is happening when a pack of riders go willie-nillie down a two-lane road, in thise case A1A, pissing off cars and residents...

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/search/sfl-pbike26nov26,0,553367.story

ANd take it for what you like here is an email I sent to the news paper... I'm sure the SBW will also send a more politically correct email asing that next time the paper should interview a real club before they go to press.

We can thank those "clubs" for not riding single file.

And BTW those "clubs" are not clubs. They are just random collections.
Sometimes they consists of racing teams just out for a ride and the
groupies
who just want to go fast along side of them...

The South Broward Wheelers is a "club" in the real sense and you won't
find
them "riding several across the road". They, as do we in the Motorola
club,
know the rules of the road... Single file except when passing.
Two-abreast is
allowed as long as you are not blocking traffic, the statue is a little
vague
on this. I think it means two-abreast is allowed on 4-lane roads and it
is
allowed on two-lane roads if the center stripe is dashed, not solid.

This means on a two lane road like A1A you cannot ride two-abreast...
Single
file only <except when passing>.

So those "clubs" that are not clubs are actually not riding correctly
and need
to be identified and told they cannot do this. If they want to do this
the
solution is simple... Pay the $$$ to put on an event and get the road
shut
down for the event. Like... um... they do in racing...

JBP

To accommodate motorists and bicyclists (and pedestrians, if no sidewalk) safely, fast and/or heavily-used 2-lane roads need at least 15 feet of pavement width on each side of the centerline, irrespective of whether a Class II bike lane is demarked or not. The government owns the land and the property owners are encroaching on a needed public right-of-way.

Update:

Here is what is happening when a pack of riders go willie-nillie down a two-lane road, in thise case A1A, pissing off cars and residents...

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/search/sfl-pbike26nov26,0,553367.story
in there the author says:

"Cyclists think they have a right to be considered vehicles, Doner said."

this implies that the bicyclists are wrong. They aren't. Oh well, a better journalist than most, just misleading people to a wrong conclusion, not lying outright.

take care,

Jester

I hear ya but this is interpretation.

The reporter is saying what the cyclist say.

Yep the cyclist think they have a right to be considered vehicles because under Florida Statute a bicycle is by definition a vehicle and a person operating a bicycle must obey all of the statute that relates to "vehicle". They do not have to obey the parts of the statue related to "motor vehicle"...

Now back to the statements of these cyclist... They "ARE" considered vehicles *HOWEVER* they are NOT FOLLOWING the statue pertaining to VEHICLES.

Specifically these statutes:316.2065 Bicycle regulations.--
Sections:
(5)(a) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except under any of the following situations:

1. When overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction.

2. When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.

(6) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway may not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles. Persons riding two abreast may not impede traffic when traveling at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing and shall ride within a single lane.

(1) Every person propelling a vehicle by human power has all of the rights and all of the duties applicable to the driver of any other vehicle [THE KEY WORD IS VEHICLE NOT MOTOR VEHICLE] under this chapter, except as to special regulations in this chapter, and except as to provisions of this chapter which by their nature can have no application.

Therefore stated in #1 above they fail to following these other statues:

316.075 Traffic control signal devices.--
Partic...
c) Steady red indication.--

1. Vehicular traffic [ VEHICULAR MEANS ALL VEHICLES NOT JUST MOTOR VEHICLES] facing a steady red signal shall stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection and shall remain standing until a green indication is shown; however:

316.123 Vehicle entering stop or yield intersection.
2)(a) Except when directed to proceed by a police officer or traffic control signal, every driver of a vehicle approaching a stop intersection indicated by a stop sign shall stop at a clearly marked stop line, but if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then at the point nearest the intersecting roadway where the driver has a view of approaching traffic on the intersecting roadway before entering the intersection. After having stopped, the driver shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle which has entered the intersection from another highway or which is approaching so closely on said highway as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time when the driver is moving across or within the intersection.
[There is some leanance with local enforcement however going through a stop sign at 20mph is not stopping!, The unwritten rule, cannot say which law office said this to me is 10mph. Try it... You will find that most of these racer-heads will find that 10mph is too slow. They can live with 15mph... OK so it seems that 10mph is slow enough to negotiate safely because it seems slow... Vola work with the law and it will work for you... Remember the first statues I posted... Only if the road is closed to cyclist can you run through stop signs and lights!!!!]

And in conclusion for anyone who says that they feel they need to set a time or some other such nonsense and thinks that I'm a fat slob of sorts to slam them for "drag-racing" on public streets... Well take a look at my 5th place finish on the Bike Across Florida. Take a look at my SOLO time from here to Cocoa Beach of 10 hours (185 miles). Watch me riding on A1A today when it is allowed at a steady 28mph!

All I can say to these folks is I won't be sticking around for the ambulance when you plow into a car... I said this at the Space Coast Century when a guy was trying to coax me to cross a red light with him and the other guys with me chuckled...

So I say again, I will represent those of us who like to ride fast, 24mph plus, and who want to obey the law. The others... Well eventually you will find that when you get a ticket it is a $78 fine and points ON YOUR DRIVERS LICENSE! I hope to those guys that they make it to a CAT 1 team and will have the money not to worry about such... Including the emergency room fees.

FLAME MODE OFF.

Now to get ready for my 70mile semi-solo ride tomorrow... I will take it easy because it will be cold (for here) tomorrow so I will probably only pull an average speed (with stop lights) of around 21mph.

Nite all... And for those in the States... Hope you had a happy turley day!

John, on certain sections of A1A there is not 15 feet of room on each side. This is not because homeowners have build onto the land its because its not there...

If your going south in certain areas of Broward County on A1A, 15 feet west will put you in the intra-coastal waterway.

Preston, I'm for bike lanes in certain area and against them in others. Heres an example: (I hope you didnt work to get this lane built)

Hallandale Beach Blvd. going west from A1A. As you cross over the draw bridge thers no bike lane. Obviously. Traveling past the plaza with Wal Mart you have 3 lanes going east, the center median, 3 lanes going west, a bike lane, a buse lane then the curb. A bike lane? For 200 yards? The buses have to cross over the bike lane to get to the 3 lanes traveling west. Where the bike and buse lane ends both lanes merge into the normal flow of traffic traveling east.

Very Very dangerous....

As far as the article, the cyclist are obviously breaking Floridas bike laws and giving cyclists a bad reputation. They are using A1A for race training.

The shop owner probably has police following him around now. What a dumb a@#. Outrun the police? Bad Idea. I dought they hold up traffic on weekends. In general it doesnt move to fast.

In the article club/group is used inter-change-ably. (is that real word)

Preston, how was your ride? I rode 45 minutes today. Its the first time I've been on a bike in over 2 months...hand injuries suck.

MJ:


on certain sections of A1A there is not 15 feet of room on each side

That's not what I'm arguing. Yea those areas really suck because it cost a ton of $$$ to fix those problems. I'm arguing where there is room and the residents built out onto the State's easement or they just don't like the idea.


Hallandale Beach Blvd. going west from A1A ...

lanes going west, a bike lane, a buse lane then the curb. A bike lane? For 200 yards?...

Very Very dangerous....

Yep know it well.

So are you telling me that I should expect to see you at the next Broward County Bicycle Advisory Comittee... ;)

The next one is January 8th... 7PM in the County Government building... Room 301 The CGB is located just east of the parking deck on Broward/Andrews North of "The River Walk"...

We did a survey of bad sub-contracting of bicycle lanes in the county a while back to identify the ones we wanted to look more deeply at... And possibly get funding to change the stripes...

Note that the 200Yard lane may eventually connect on the other side of the intersection to a 2-mile lane in a few years... There use to be lots of 200 yard lanes in 1995 which are now 2 to 5 miles of continuous lanes.

MJ:

Yea sure wish those who race and want to train on the road would form a proper comittee and work WITH the countys and district IV to come up with a solution they can live with... This racing problem is not that much different from those hot-doggers on the crotch-rockets in Dade/South-Broaward racing their moto-bikes up and down US27 and other roads at 180mph at 2AM. Not that 2AM bothers me too much except a friend of mine was almost run off of the road in her truck when one of these guys tried a superman move at 100 mph and almost forced her off the road...



Guess what... I stayed in bed. 57 degrees is cold for South Florida and the winds were wipping around at 20mph also. The group I was going to ride with only did 10 miles and headed for the nearest coffee shop :) I would call them weenies but kinda hard to do from under the warm blankets :)

I'll go out tomorrow though. Some folks are coming around in the morning for a bike wash and tune up party and of course once a bike is clean and tuned and lubed up ya just gotta go for a ride!

Yep the cyclist think they have a right to be considered vehicles because under Florida Statute a bicycle is by definition a vehicle and a person operating a bicycle must obey all of the statute that relates to "vehicle". They do not have to obey the parts of the statue related to "motor vehicle"...

Now back to the statements of these cyclist... They "ARE" considered vehicles *HOWEVER* they are NOT FOLLOWING the statue pertaining to VEHICLES.


Oh, i've argued the same thing till i'm blue in the face as well. We have to follow the laws as written, they are there for the mutual benefit of cars and bicycles. (don't tell a CM'er that, thats how I ended up blue in the face.)

My only point was that the statement seems to imply that the cyclists aren't vehicles, and if that was the case riding single file if the road was too narrow they'd have to pull to the side and let the cars by.

I guess my point was: If following the laws regulating bicycles the cyclist, operating as a vehicle with rights, usually has a right to occupy the travel lane within certain parameters, and if that slows a car down, too bad. Outside those parameters (pacelines running stopsigns, peloton like racing packs, CM rides) throw the book at em ;) they need a lesson.

take care,

Jester

More info on the subject at hand.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/auto/epaper/editions/thursday/local_news_f3cb545bd6c190750036.html

Preston, is this the Hillsboro 'mile' just before the drawbridge if you going southbound? I hate that bridge......its always up when I'm going through.....

Any person the owns a single family home on A1A can afford new landscaping....