Commuting - Drive in the Bike Lane or Drive on the Adjacent Roadway Poll (VIDEO)

So you have a rare choice on the matter. Your destination will carry you eastbound past 24st to Tempe Arizona. Keep in mind you can go from bike lane to right curb lane, but you can't do the reverse. You will answer this from a commuter's perspective and not your first time driving down this road. Keep in mind due to our laws, I will designate one road as a frontage road with bike lane and the right curb lane as the main road or other road. This is a love or hate bike lane, you will either choose one or the other trust me.


What ever option you choose you will be legal and endorsed by the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists. They also have heavily criticized this bike lane setup. http://blog.cazbike.org/2009/06/unacceptable-bicycle-lanes.html
Phoenix did add the hugest bike box in the nation after the hugest error in the history of designing bicycle infrastructure. Yes this is 21 century stuff here.

Here is a map Jefferson street @ 3rd street to 26st (video shows), Google Looks like they updated so you can use street view if need be.
Google map link (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=117580905991182100199.00047cab9042850d2c553&ll=33.455076,-112.053852&spn=0.034874,0.076475&z=14)

Option 1
Do you use bike lanes from 5th street to 24 st? (comment on the slip lane, if you want that option)
5th street to 7th street VIDEO (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYHsgto371g)
7th street to 26th street VIDEO (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlorGbWzLfw)

Option 2
Do you skip the bicycle lane from 5th street to 7th street?
Use the left most lane, sidewalk (legal), or right thru lane with a merge, and then continue with the bike lane after 7th street or before 9th street to 24st. (last chance @9th street) (comment on the slip lane, if you want that option).

Option 3
Do you forgo this all together and just stick with the main road's right curb lane?
Right Thru lane option VIDEO (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQcDAKYMPro)

Option 4
Or just forget these options and take Van Buren only a half mile to the north. Which has 4 narrow lanes.
*edit you can take Roosevelt to the north about a mile. Roosevelt is a nice minor collector road
Both Van Buren and Roosevelt go through very rough neighborhoods and bad pavement in spots.


Option 5
Your fifth option would be to comment on the reason you can't make a choice.

Option 6
There is a six option, but for sake of wanting the above, lets avoid choosing that.
It requires a stop sign ahead, and maybe a difficult merge. Simply sticking with option 3 avoids this so lets avoid this option.

If the video didn't make any sense what a slip lane is.
It goes from frontage road to main road. Kinda like a special access lane.

Ok, looked at your videos and Google map link. My personal preference is really not any of these choices. The streets are way too big for my liking. I try to stay away from all major roads and choose small side roads/residential instead.

I'm inclined to agree with JPprivate as much as feasible. Use Van Buren's sidewalk (I'm assuming you meant sidewalk use is generally legal) where you have to, but otherwise use the side roads like E. Monroe. It'll be a little longer and slower, but there will be less and possibly slower traffic, making the trip less stressful and more enjoyable while still allowing reasonably good speed.

Ok, looked at your videos and Google map link. My personal preference is really not any of these choices. The streets are way too big for my liking. I try to stay away from all major roads and choose small side roads/residential instead.

During construction of this thing I used Roosevelt for 3 years. I am willing to bet most people who avoid these roads would use this. Most autos avoid this and use Van Buren.

So yea Roosevelt would be a great choice for the alternative.

More stupid bike lanes that put cyclist in danger!

More stupid bike lanes that put cyclist in danger!

+1,00000000000000000

I can't believe they made the bike lane worse than before.