SFist: Boulevard Octavia Revisited

Garlynn

Thu, 22 Mar 2007 11:39:01 -0800

You said: "The trouble with coloring the bike lane is that the idea hasn't been tested in the harsh legal environment that is These United States." That's not actually true. Colored bike lanes in intersections are used with much success in Portland, OR -- which is, contrary to popular belief, actually a part of the United States. If there were really an issue here, it could be the city's legal moratorium on constructing new bicycle facilities, pending the resolution of the environmental impact report/lawsuit thingy.

G

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 13:30:04 -0800

to max-- there were extensive studies done, very late in the game; one agency (of dozens) that suggested having a right turn pocket for the freeway onramp. please see the first comment on this post (type key restriction will force me to resubmit with the first portion of the url:) www.sfist.com/archives/2007/01/26/octavia_blvd_protest_support_for_injured_cyclist.php The convenience of the motorist might be rational, but then most traffic restrictions are rational, but inconvenient - and avoiding injury and death (for cyclists) to spare inconvenience (for the motorist) is a small price.

zmansf

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 12:47:10 -0800

I ride a bike. I ride a motorcycle. I drive a cab. I have never seen a bicycle in the aforementioned intersection between 2 and 5 am. Maybe an occasional cycle may pass through but I've never seen one. At those hours the Central Freeway is the most practical route to downtown/SOMA. The freeway uses less gas, has a smaller carbon footprint, and funnels vehicles away from the pedestrian/ late night crowd near the Civic Center. Be practical. Don't build an island. Install cameras and let vehicles turn right at designated off peak hours.

murphstahoe

Mon, 19 Mar 2007 19:59:23 -0800

Here is what they need to use as "soft hit" posts. As seen on Skyline Blvd at Skyridge... www.murphstahoe.com/skyline/entry.jpg www.murphstahoe.com/skyline/bike.jpg www.murphstahoe.com/skyline/side.jpg

waiting to be roadkill

Fri, 16 Mar 2007 17:20:39 -0800

something that people aren't really paying attention to, either, is that people consistently make illegal right hand turns off of the freeway onto market. i work in the neighborhood and i'm sort of just waiting to see where i'll get hit first.

aj

Fri, 16 Mar 2007 12:25:13 -0800

The answer on Haight and Page is to make one of these streets transit priority (I suggest Haight), move the wires to make it two way, and make it NO turns at Octavia except to the local traffic service roads. That way the buses can cruise through, and the cars can wait at the other street. And, guys, it's just stupid to get angry at auto drivers who look for the most rational way to get on the freeway (to where, I may add, the JOBS are, thanks to dumbass anti-business thinking by SF leaders). Better to improve the design of the area to prevent problems from happening.

max

Fri, 16 Mar 2007 09:05:10 -0800

make additional right lane and make right turn legal as it was originaly designed

Jym Dyer

Fri, 16 Mar 2007 08:25:56 -0800

=v= As long as you're Photoshopping here, why not fix up the SUV that's illegally parked in the bike lane? I can think of all sorts of improvements. The wider problem with this intersection is that it's a big open area with long sightlines. Motorists respond to that sort of visual cue by speeding up and not noticing anything smaller than another car. The original design had trees with lush lower canopies.

Larry-bob

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 21:20:26 -0800

I hear ya, Rob B. I have taken to getting out of the bus once I get to Laguna or so and shaking my fist at the drivers who backing things up on Haight and Page.

rob b

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 20:17:02 -0800

While selfish drivers injure cyclists and pedestrians at this intersection, others cram Haight and Page so that the folks who are civilized enough to take the bus to work get a 10-20 minute delay while the buses are stuck in traffic. We've sent multiple complaints to MTA and the supes, but nothing has been done, which seems like MTA's policy.

bob

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 17:15:17 -0800

I was under the impression that not allowing a right turn here was still a "test," per Matt Gonzalez.

Razzu

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 17:06:58 -0800

You know what would work real nice would be some colored pavement there. Check out Andy Thornley's article in BeyondChron: www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=4298

Jerry Jarvis

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 16:26:57 -0800

This can be done as stage type props.A little wood and a few paper signs and well........

Hoodie

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 15:57:15 -0800

Improvements definitely need to be made there, but I imagine that poor little sign in the island you've created would get continually run over. It may help to put a short metal guardrail there, starting from where the white plastic posts begin.