My commute, for the most part, takes me across North Dallas so I'm not in East Dallas very often. Last night, I had to run to downtown on my way home. I hopped off Columbian and cut over to Santa Fe and WHOA! I accidentally found the Veloway. It's wider than WRT and since it is brand new, much smoother. I stayed on it until the pavement ran out.

Am I the only cyclist who didn't realize how much progress has been made on this? Very very cool.

It is very frustrating, but the local municipalities like to keep their bike routes hidden to make sure nobody uses them. I have found one online map, but it is very awkward to use. So where is this veloway, anyway?

I remember seeing a map of planned projects which was quite extensive. The trail that currently comes out of Garland by I30 and Beltline is supposed to extend on into Mesquite, for example.

We have bike paths?

Who knew.

I think the planned route is something like this:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2102935

I got on right around Henderson, I think and rode it to about Glasgow. I don't know how far they have completed it going back toward downtown.

Cool. I think I had crossed that on 78 and didn't know what it was. Where the purple line shows it crossing Winstead and connecting to the White Rock Lake trail, there is a bridge missing there and I didn't realize there was actually an operational trail there, yet. Next time I'm down there, I'll explore. There are pretty decent bike routes from Garland to White Rock Lake, and this looks like as good a way as any to loop on over to downtown.

I thought that RR bridge was to be replaced with a MUP bridge to make it easier to get across 78?

eventually, wrl is going to be linked to the katy.
i think this is part of that.......?

Yea, the map I posted is where I think it will go, when it is finished. If you look, at the street names, you'll see I was only on it for a few blocks. I ran out of pavement at around Glasgow.

And yea, the RR bridge that they pulled down last year is where they are going to be putting up the MUP bridge. Not sure when they will get to there.

so are you able to cross over garland rd by white rock since theres no bridge?

Oh, okay, I didn't realize you meant the trail wasn't all there yet.

Anyway, the trail crosses over Hwy 78 twice. One of those is an underpass where it goes under the road- that's where I had seen a trail (old rail line) but couldn't figure out what it was or how to get to it. Up by WRL, I don't think there's any kind of bridge there. I'll try to look around some when I get a chance.

Actually it goes under 78, near that no-tell motel. Fairly large underpass there.

There is a thread on the dorba website about it

http://www.dorba.org/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=42156

One of my old racing buddies Lord Viper started that thread over there. He rides totally insane miles every week. 300+ on a mountain bike!

so are you able to cross over garland rd by white rock since theres no bridge?

Not yet. I'm usually a vehicular cyclist, so to cross Garland Rd, I just merge with the traffic and use the left-turn lane.:)

Okay, I went out to see for myself. Now I understand what's going on. Now I understand why Mmach is excited about it, too.

Let's take this route from the northeast. As you go around White Rock Lake, near that south parking lot, you can see where the future trail goes across Winsted. There is a stub of paved trail here, but not any actual trail beyond the stub. The old railroad bridge is still there across Winsted. Here's looking south across it:
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z172/stephenhazelton/DallasVeloway/WinsteadBridge.jpg


Over on the other side, the original railroad roadbed/ ballast material is still there, the 2" rocks you see here. This is not a trail, just remains of a railroad. This is just past the bridge over Winsted:
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z172/stephenhazelton/DallasVeloway/WinstedTrail.jpg


Where this route comes out across Hwy 78 the first time, the bridge is gone. This is the north end of where the bridge used to be. There's a set of pillars in the median and a similar abutment on the other side of Hwy 78. There' s no obvious way to go through here, other than to just come down Winsted:
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z172/stephenhazelton/DallasVeloway/Hwy78One.jpg


Where the route goes past the south end of Coronado, there's no access from Coronado, all fenced in there.
Where the route comes back under 78 again (78 is on a bridge over the route), near Shadyside Lane, there's more old railroad route, but no trail as such. On the south side of Hwy 78 is what looks like a trail, and I had spotted it from the bridge. I followed it a little ways south from 78, and it sort of turned into a jeep trail. You are parallelling the old roadbed, though. Here's looking south where the trail looking part turns into a jeep road:
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z172/stephenhazelton/DallasVeloway/Hwy78Four.jpg


This is looking south from 78. The trail on the right looks real promising here, although gravel. That's the roadbed on the left. This is maybe 100 yards from the previous shot, right at 78:
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z172/stephenhazelton/DallasVeloway/Hwy78Three.jpg


Looking north from the overpass on 78, it looks like this. The "trail" looking part ends at the overpass, so you just have the old roadbed here:
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z172/stephenhazelton/DallasVeloway/Hwy78Two.jpg


Now, following this route back north from 78, where it crosses Santa Monica/ W Shore Drive, looking to the northwest, it looks like this:
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z172/stephenhazelton/DallasVeloway/SantaFe.jpg


Now, coming on up to Glasgow, you find the real trail beginning. This is standing on the real trail, looking back northeast across Glasgow. The construction over there is water lines and stuff, not trail construction. The trail looking parts are either water line construction or the old roadbed:
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z172/stephenhazelton/DallasVeloway/EndofLine.jpg


And then looking back southwest from Glasgow is the actual trail. Looks to be maybe 10' wide, wider than most of the WRL trails:
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z172/stephenhazelton/DallasVeloway/Veloway.jpg


And lastly, the sign showing what's going on. This is on the southwest side of Glasgow. The sign across the road was about the water lines, not a Veloway:
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z172/stephenhazelton/DallasVeloway/Sign.jpg


Summary: From Randall Park at Glasgow and Santa Fe, there's a beautiful trail leading southwest, that is rideable but not necessarily finished. From that point to White Rock Lake, there is old roadbed or gravel in places that would be rideable, preferably with a mountain bike, but not necessarily an established trail. There are no trail signs, for example. The gravel varies from reasonably smooth and fine to very large and rough. The actual easiest way to get from Randall Park to WRL would be to ride on the roads. Santa Fe to W. Shore Drive to White Rock Rd will work, though there may be better routes.

Wow, Stephen! That's some good re-con work.

Hopefully, they are improving the water lines and whatnot before laying down the trail on top of it all. I know that when they decided to re-pave Maple Ave, they ripped up and replaced all the old water, sewage and gas lines, before paving over everything. Or that may be just wishful thinking on my part.

It is very frustrating, but the local municipalities like to keep their bike routes hidden to make sure nobody uses them. I have found one online map, but it is very awkward to use. So where is this veloway, anyway?

I remember seeing a map of planned projects which was quite extensive. The trail that currently comes out of Garland by I30 and Beltline is supposed to extend on into Mesquite, for example.

Try here for Bike Routes: http://www.dallascityhall.com/pwt/bike_links.html

Try here for more info on the East Dallas Veloway: http://cycledallas.blogspot.com/2008/05/calling-kit-carson.html

Two excellent links. That detailed map, I have never seen before. It shows a copyright a number of years old, is it actually more updated than that?

Two excellent links. That detailed map, I have never seen before. It shows a copyright a number of years old, is it actually more updated than that?

The base map is from TxDOT. That's probably the copyright you see. The route system part was last updated in 2003.

BTW: The East Dallas Veloway will include bike/ped bridges over Haskell and Peak, and over Garland Rd/78.

The contract for the next phase (from Glasgow to Winstead) should be let for construction this December, with it finishing construction in early 2010.

BTW: The East Dallas Veloway will include bike/ped bridges over Haskell and Peak, and over Garland Rd/78.

The contract for the next phase (from Glasgow to Winstead) should be let for construction this December, with it finishing construction in early 2010.


That is good news, even 2010 sounds good, thanks.

Are you 'the' PM Summer?

If so is there anything you can do to get the bike lane re-installed along Mockingbird going across WRL??
Where this cyclist was hit: http://www.getwellsoonpaul.blogspot.com/

I've emailed Mr. Kadane(council member for the area) but he is not too concerned with cycling safety, he just wants to keep the bicycles off the bridge, but that is not going to happen, bicycles use that bridge all the time... Why not make it safer with a bike lane there?

And... those blue bike route signs are in need of a huge 'face-lift'. There needs to be some education about the routes, most people don't even know they exist, even long time cyclist??? W not paint some bicycles along those routes, alerting motorists that cyclist might be 'sharing' the roads??? Maybe a few PSA's to educate the public, and for people that want to
commute???

I guess you know that Bicylcing magazine gave Dallas the worst rating in the U.S. for cycling??
Help!!!! Dallas needs lots of help.

That is good news, even 2010 sounds good, thanks.

Are you 'the' PM Summer?

No. But the confusion is understandable. He's officially "Paul" Summer. I'm not.

If so is there anything you can do to get the bike lane re-installed along Mockingbird going across WRL??
Where this cyclist was hit: http://www.getwellsoonpaul.blogspot.com/

No. Why do you think a speeding motorist changing lanes and making an illegal pass on the right would have been deterred by a 6" stripe of paint? http://cycledallas.blogspot.com/2008/06/why-dallas-removed-mockingbird-2-way.html

I've emailed Mr. Kadane(council member for the area) but he is not too concerned with cycling safety, he just wants to keep the bicycles off the bridge, but that is not going to happen, bicycles use that bridge all the time... Why not make it safer with a bike lane there?

Mr. Kadane is very concerned, but he may not share your opinion on the solution. I know there are plans to "manage" the traffic on Mockingbird that will improve its functionality for all road users.

Statistically, contrary to what many have come to believe, bike-lanes afford no protection from cars, and possibly (probably in my opinion) actually increase car-bike collisions. Portland's crazy experiments with blue bike-lanes that cross freeway ramps, and green boxes for cyclists to queue up in at stop-lights are examples of how even they are trying to make bike-lanes "safe" (and actually making them even worse). Bike lanes are a traffic control device invented to benefit cars by keeping cyclists out of their way, and falsely sold to cyclists as "protection". Bike lanes are pro-car, and anti-bike.

And... those blue bike route signs are in need of a huge 'face-lift'. There needs to be some education about the routes, most people don't even know they exist, even long time cyclist??? W not paint some bicycles along those routes, alerting motorists that cyclist might be 'sharing' the roads??? Maybe a few PSA's to educate the public, and for people that want to
commute???

Yes, VERY much so. $$$$. And more $$$$.

I guess you know that Bicylcing magazine gave Dallas the worst rating in the U.S. for cycling??
Yes I am. They are wrong. A factually inaccurate article based on telephone interviews with curb-bunnies in the suburbs. Even Austin's Texas Bicycle Coalition has officially protested the article. http://cycledallas.blogspot.com/2008/05/garden-tillers-composting-bins-and.html

Help!!!! Dallas needs lots of help.

Not as much as you might think. A few years ago, the Director of Transportation for the City of Portland came to Dallas, and as one of Dakllas' few ECIs (Effective Cycling Instructor), I took him on a 35 mile tour of Dallas on the Bike Route System. He told me how much better it functioned than the Portland system, and how much he wished he had a system like it. I have been to Portland, and cycled there. I agree.

What Portland DOES have that Dallas doesn't is about 10X the population DENSITY per square mile, and two major universities in the urban core. Those two factors are responsible for the majority of Portland's cycling atmosphere. While Portland has an extensive bike lane system along thoroughfares, the majority of the cycling occurs on local streets off the thoroughfares.

If you haven't already done so, I strongly encourage you (and all cyclists regardless of skill level) to take the LAB Road 1 course that BikeDFW is offering. While it's not as good as its predecessor (Effective Cycling), it's still quite good, and very helpful. As cyclists, we fall into habits and fears that make cycling more difficult, and less enjoyable, than it should be. We fall victim to the Cycling Inferiority Complex, and the result on the streets is just like when a wolf sees a lame sheep.

I'd love to have bike lanes to complain about, (actually, the whole right lane is my bike lane :))

Well Paul (pmsummer) you seem to be quite informed.... my opinion is a little different. :)

I totally disagree with your statement about the WRL bridge lane…. And I’m not talking about bike lanes in general… only about a 50-75 yard stretch across a bridge, by a lake where multitudes of cyclist ride daily in the city of Dallas. No, a white stripe won’t stop a speeding car, but it will make cars more aware…. Maybe the pickup that hit Paul would not have gone into other lane, at the very least he would have had some more indication that cyclist use that lane. What about the yellow bumps that are put in the ground, those should help slow a speeding car?

Further, WRL is a Mecca for outdoor exercisers; why not make it safer for all users by giving cyclist a safer lane across WRL to ride. The pedestrian bridge is narrow and always filled with walkers, dog walkers, children, etc… not really a safe place for bicycles to cross, even slowing way down can be tricky.

And I’m sorry but Dallas IMO is one of the worst….. (Most no nothing bout those bike routes) After visiting Denver in July and to see their 100’s of miles of bike trials and lanes, really puts things into perspective here………….. Old out of date bike route signs that most citizens no nothing about, projects that have been under plans or construction for years, and again the biggest problem I have is the taking away of the bike lane across WRL…. The attitude on this is beyond belief, any amount of white lines, bumps or signs could only add to the visibility and safety of an area where cyclist DO RIDE…where many types of users use the lake, I’m sure many of the pedestrians would love to see less cyclists on that ‘pedestrian’ bridge, especially on Saturday mornings.

As far as Sheffiled Kadane goes… his email reply to me about the WRL bridge was this: I believe the reason for moving the bike lane to the bridge over the lake was to keep the bikes off Mockingbird. Mockingbird is a 6 lane 40 mile an hour thoroughfare. I think it is dangerous.
Sheffie Kadane
Doesn’t seem like he cares much to me?

And his quotes in this local neighborhood article…

http://www.peoplenewspapers.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=A4CEC4C80FFA4390B478190966922D6A&nm=Archives&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&AudID=0C60FF0FEDEB42CAA527EA9D73BBC489&tier=4&id=958D7B88163A40AAB9FE3AF3C8906EFF

Especially the one about not hearing from the bikers, that is just not true. He heard from me before this article was published, as well as others that I’ve been told about…


Anyway just my 2 cents for what its worth.. :)

Well Paul (pmsummer) you seem to be quite informed.... my opinion is a little different. :)

I totally disagree with your statement about the WRL bridge lane…. And I’m not talking about bike lanes in general… only about a 50-75 yard stretch across a bridge, by a lake where multitudes of cyclist ride daily in the city of Dallas. No, a white stripe won’t stop a speeding car, but it will make cars more aware…. Maybe the pickup that hit Paul would not have gone into other lane, at the very least he would have had some more indication that cyclist use that lane. What about the yellow bumps that are put in the ground, those should help slow a speeding car?

I'm still not Paul. I'm well informed due to the 30+ years I have spent engaged in bicycle advocacy in Dallas, Austin, Uganda, and San Francisco. But I come to bicycling as a transportation device, not as a piece of recreational equipment.

Those of us who have been active for a couple of decades fought long and hard to get rid of bumps like that. Too many cyclists have died because something forced their wheel into one of those, and they were thrown into a travel lane.


Further, WRL is a Mecca for outdoor exercisers; why not make it safer for all users by giving cyclist a safer lane across WRL to ride. The pedestrian bridge is narrow and always filled with walkers, dog walkers, children, etc… not really a safe place for bicycles to cross, even slowing way down can be tricky.
Slow down on the bike/ped bridge.

And I’m sorry but Dallas IMO is one of the worst….. (Most no nothing bout those bike routes) After visiting Denver in July and to see their 100’s of miles of bike trials and lanes, really puts things into perspective here………….. Old out of date bike route signs that most citizens no nothing about, projects that have been under plans or construction for years, and again the biggest problem I have is the taking away of the bike lane across WRL….

http://img60.imageshack.us/img60/5096/laneslaggingga8.jpg

The chart fails to mention that most of Austin's and Houston's bike system are shared-lane, signed bike routes, just like Dallas.

I wish the City funded their bicycle transportation program better, too. But what makes Dallas a VERY bike-friendly city is the incredible grid of low-volume streets that connect the entire city inside LBJ/635. The STREETS, the infrastructure, has few peers, for riding a bicycle as a vehicle. As a race course, no.

The "bike trail" across Mockingbird Lane was a killer waiting to happen. Imagine if that speeding truck who wanted to pass the two side-by-side vehicles had whipped into a lane with a several folks coming head on? It was a design type that was contrary to all design standards as it was considered dangerous. Thoroughfares are not playgrounds and athletic fields... whether you want it to be or not.

The attitude on this is beyond belief, any amount of white lines, bumps or signs could only add to the visibility and safety of an area where cyclist DO RIDE…where many types of users use the lake, I’m sure many of the pedestrians would love to see less cyclists on that ‘pedestrian’ bridge, especially on Saturday mornings.

As far as Sheffiled Kadane goes… his email reply to me about the WRL bridge was this: I believe the reason for moving the bike lane to the bridge over the lake was to keep the bikes off Mockingbird. Mockingbird is a 6 lane 40 mile an hour thoroughfare. I think it is dangerous.
Sheffie Kadane
Doesn’t seem like he cares much to me? He cares. He doesn't share your perspective, but he cares. He's also right about what Mockingbird is. The "on-street trail" was supposed to temporary when it was installed. Paul wasn't the first cyclisy seriously injured on that bridge, just the first one since it quit being a trail.

And his quotes in this local neighborhood article…

http://www.peoplenewspapers.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=A4CEC4C80FFA4390B478190966922D6A&nm=Archives&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&AudID=0C60FF0FEDEB42CAA527EA9D73BBC489&tier=4&id=958D7B88163A40AAB9FE3AF3C8906EFF

Especially the one about not hearing from the bikers, that is just not true. He heard from me before this article was published, as well as others that I’ve been told about… The reporter misquoted Michelle Holcomb of BikeDFW too, and has issued an apology to both. Most reporters have a story they want to write, and then go fishing for quotes. Sheffie is not a cyclist, and hears from many DIFFERENT cyclists wanting DIFFERENT things. It's a complex problem.

Anyway just my 2 cents for what its worth.. :)[/quote]

Always welcome. Do you live in the City of Dallas?

pm summer... Sorry about the name..... Not only do I live in Dallas but I live right in Mr. Kadane's district... I think he will be up for re-election this coming May, can't wait. :D

I do agree with you about the yellow bump things, not a good idea...

But I do think a bike lane going across the bridge (not a two way trial) but a bike lane that is one way, just like the cars going East bound....
I think it would only make things safer... Yes it is dangerous to begin with, a car could pass another car at any time into the lane, that is a given..... but at least there would be some visibility,
some notification, something... especially for drivers not familier with the area... How could that be worse or more dangerous?

And I do slow down at the ped. bridge... very slow.

Well that chart looks good, but the reality is far different.... Re-read my other post about the non-existiant education here and lack of knowledge. And I see plenty of traffic volume on
streets in between 635? You know Denver has just about an entire path that goes around one of there main loops.....
Cities like Denver, Minnelopeous-St. Paul, Tucson, to name a few I've been to recently seem to have lots of bike trials and bike lanes.... I guess I
need to move, to bad I like my job...

But you know Dallas and or Texas usually gets high marks for the most obese.... I think I know why, car is king here.... :(

I thought that the Veloway would dead-end at Hill because DART will not allow a crossing to be built.

I thought that the Veloway would dead-end at Hill because DART will not allow a crossing to be built.

Per the linked thread below, they have apparently re-thought this.

http://forum.dallasmetropolis.com/showthread.php?t=3645&page=2&pp=50

The City of Dallas is spending the $3 million that was going to toward the overpass (now canceled) and extend the trail east to Parry and west to the Baylor/Deep Ellum DART station.

The overpass was canceled because $4 million (the City's $3 million, plus Edie Bernice Johnson's Federally Earmarked almost $1 million) wasn't enough to build the structure in a way that any sane person would ever use (imagine an almost half-mile long, fully caged habi-trail with multiple blind swithbacks, and no way out). The Federal money was not reprogrammable, but the City money was.

DART reserved the right of way for the west trail, and agreed to shift a few little things for the east leg.

Well that chart looks good, but the reality is far different.... Re-read my other post about the non-existiant education here and lack of knowledge. And I see plenty of traffic volume on
streets in between 635? You know Denver has just about an entire path that goes around one of there main loops.....
Cities like Denver, Minnelopeous-St. Paul, Tucson, to name a few I've been to recently seem to have lots of bike trials and bike lanes.... I guess I
need to move, to bad I like my job...



Have you ever really ridden the Dallas bike route system? AT LEAST 350 miles of low volume, bicycle friendly streets, with about 50 miles of arterials and thoroughfares. That's superior cycling to any bile lane system in Texas, as any vehicular cyclist will tell you. It sounds to me like you want to ride your bike on the same streets you drive your car on. I recommend moving one or two streets over, to a more bike-friendly street.

Why should a thoroughfare be designated a park facility? That's the situation with Mockingbird. Cyclists are using a major thoroughfare with 2200 cars per hour in the peak hours as a recreational facility, a use for which it has never been compatible. Just because you were comfortable with dangers doesn't make them go away. Playgrounds (trails) and streets do not mix well.

On the south end of the lake, what do you do? Do you use the horrible trail and same-width bridge? Or do you use Garland Road? Do you come to a full stop at the bottom of East Lawther below Boy Scout Hill? Do you come to a full stop at Winstead where the trail enters?

These are real matters, and very serious matters. So far, far too many cyclists at WR Lake have shown no interest on obeying traffic laws, but want special traffic provisions for themselves (the same group). It's not a winning argument.

The City has not done a good job promoting bicycle transportation (no program funding for over 10 years), the schools have shown no interest in education (even when it was handed to them on a silver platter), and politicians come and go with one mandate: keep our taxes low.

Here is an article from Saturday about the cyclist that was hit on the Mockingbird bridge about safety:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/lakewood/stories/DN-elfocus_16met.ART.Central.Edition1.4d78d97.html


PM summer....

OK, you have assumed a lot about my riding that is not accurate… First I hardly ever ride my bike across the Mockingbird Bridge, I use the ‘pedestrian’ bridge, and yes I slow way down. And also I usually use the trial down by the spillway instead of Winstead. I only ride on Garland road when crossing over to get to Forest Hills. I stop at all red lights and have never received a ticket for running any stop signs… since the Dallas police seem to target bicycles running stop signs more than the other more serious ‘crime’ that occurs at the lake. BTW… if I see a cyclist riding dangerously or running red lights, I generally try and say something to stop them from being dangerous.

Also I have ridden all over Dallas, usually on Saturday or Sunday mornings, when the volume of traffic is low, following many of the bike routes. I don’t commute and there are several reasons why…. And for the most part I agree with you about the Dallas grid system… it is just the lack knowledge or visibility about the entire bike route system… and Dallas has failed horribly in the promotion of any form of cycling in Dallas. :mad:

And I don’t think wanting a lane on the Mockingbird Bridge is asking too much. Please, cars have everything here, everything is catered for vehicles in Dallas… To ask to have a painted white stripe of 75 yards, painted bicycles and a few signs for more visibility is hardly making the streets a ‘playground’ or causing any traffic jams. If there were a lane across Mockingbird it would take some of the traffic off the ‘pedestrian’ bridge, where ‘pedestrians’ should be and not bicycles going any speed. If a lane was added, I would use the lane, and yes I know a car could cross a white stripe, but at least cyclist would become more visible.

Now I do admit to using my bicycle for fitness at WRL… so I guess that makes me a criminal, so be it, I love riding at the lake for exercise… And so do many others who use the lake for exercise….I was walking my dog yesterday at the lake and it was fun to see all the faces of the many cyclist, pushing themselves, all different speeds and levels, from slow to fast, exercising, what a bunch of criminals, in fact WRL is full of exercise criminals, “gasp” :eek:…… IMO one can exercise on a bicycle safely at WRL, I do it all the time and see it done all the time and I have seen very few accidents at the lake in my many years of riding there.

But I guess if you get your way, WRL will just be for picnics and bicycles going less than 10 mph, and the Dallas police will soon weed out all of the exercises criminals…. that will be a real shame. And if that happens I’ll be looking for another city to live in, a city that is on the list for good cycling cities, one that is on the healthy list and not on all those obese and unhealthy lists, and bad cycling lists like Dallas is on, where the Car is king. Of course, I know you don’t agree with ALL of those lists, you see it different.

I would love to see a bike lane going across the Mockingbird bridge! I think it is really necessary and would add to the splendor of the lake.

I don't see any traffic problems going down to 2 lanes for the cars, in fact it already goes down to 2 lanes before the lake, but goes back out to 3 lanes just before the lake... and there are no problems with cars funneling into two lanes.

I'm not a recreational rider and I don't ride for fitness. Heck, I smoke and drink coffee while riding and then have SPAM and rice for lunch. My bike gets me to work and back, (45-50 miles, round trip). My weekend rides consist of runs to the grocery store and tooling around the neighborhood with my daughters.

I rode the Mockingbird bridge back when there was a bike lane and continue to this day. I'm not usually riding the WR MUP--Mockingbird is simply a way to get from one side of the lake to the other. As a vehicular cyclist, the lack of a bike lane has had no effect on my commute. In fact, there were times, when the bike lane was still there that drivers were confused with my going straight to get up the hill.

However, I can see how an inexperienced cyclist could find some comfort in having a lane "all to themselves." This might be a false sense of security, but it at least shows an attempt on the city's part to accommodate and encourage cycling.

I guess my point is that I can really see both sides of this issue. I wouldn't go as far as some cycling advocates that say bike lanes are just one more step toward getting bicycles off the streets. At the same time, I don't see them as the be-all, end-all in making cyclists safer on our car-crowded roads.

I'm not a recreational rider and I don't ride for fitness. Heck, I smoke and drink coffee while riding and then have SPAM and rice for lunch. My bike gets me to work and back, (45-50 miles, round trip). My weekend rides consist of runs to the grocery store and tooling around the neighborhood with my daughters.

I guess my point is that I can really see both sides of this issue. I wouldn't go as far as some cycling advocates that say bike lanes are just one more step toward getting bicycles off the streets. At the same time, I don't see them as the be-all, end-all in making cyclists safer on our car-crowded roads.

I agree as I’ve said before that adding a bike lane won’t necessarily make it safer on Mockingbird, but it will add much needed visibility…. And the pickup that hit Paul Verde was going around another car to pass…. Just maybe had there been lines and paint on the ground he would have not gone into that far right lane to pass?? Anyway I bet the driver of that pickup would have liked to have had a little more info about that area of the lake…

Good for you for commuting…. I should, I’m only about 7 miles one-way with a pretty safe route, just one sketchy area. My main reason for not doing it is having to dress up and no showers… and also I have to use the car for work sometimes. I do use my bike on the weekend go run around… I wish some of the businesses would add a few places to park a bike!

I wish the City would do just a little education, as I’m seeing pretty experienced riders using the bike for transportation on busy roads like Gaston, Garland rd., and Grand when all they need to do is just go over to a less busy street, but they probably don’t know…