[Carfreeliving] Bike/emergency lanes.

[Sallaberry, Mike]

Actually, that's one of many arguments for how bike lanes can serve
folks who aren't even on bikes.  You don't necessarily need a superwide
bike lane to achieve this...if you imagine a couple 10' car lanes with a
5' bike lane, cars (which are generally 6'-7' wide) can temporarily pull
into the bike lane while cars in the other lane pull to the edge of
their lane.  This can yield a space 10'-12' wide for emergency vehicles
to use.  If you have bike lanes on both sides of a one-way street like
Montgomery, this ability to get out of the way is improved.

 

Painted medians, which are often used in "road diets," where streets are
restriped to have less car lanes so bike lanes can be added, are also
handy for this.

 

*** NEW INFORMATION ***

Michael Sallaberry, PE

SF Municipal Transportation Agency

1 South Van Ness Avenue, 7th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94103-5417

NEW PHONE: (415) 701-4563

NEW EMAIL: mike.sallaberry at sfmta.com <mailto:mike.sallaberry at sfmta.com> 

 

________________________________

From: Carfreeliving-bounces at livablecity.org
[mailto:Carfreeliving-bounces at livablecity.org] On Behalf Of Brinkman,
Cheryl
Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 10:02 AM
To: Carfreeliving at livablecity.org
Subject: [Carfreeliving] Bike/emergency lanes.

 

Hi Car Freers,

 

I work at Post/Market and frequently see fire trucks and ambulances
trying to get to Market along Montgomery Street during rush hour, sirens
wailing, lights flashing, stuck behind a sea of single occupant
vehicles.  I always hope it's no one I know, waiting for the ambulance.

 

In my mind I see a wide lane that would serve as a bike lane and
emergency service vehicle lane, I would agree to get out of the way of a
fire truck or ambulance very quickly if I could safely ride my bike down
Montgomery and Kearny. (I also see wider sidewalks on Montg/Kearny in my
mind, since the sidewalks appear to carry more people then the streets,
esp. Montgomery: No buses.)

 

Anyone aware of precedence out there in the US for creating bike lanes
in order to make emergency access faster and easier?  Too much
liability?  I bet the fire station on Sansome at Washington would be
intrigued.  Could speed up their response time.

 

I know the bike lanes on the Bay Bridge are also being sold as
maintenance and access lanes, but they don't actually exist yet.

 

Cheryl Brinkman 
McKesson Corporation 
Sr. Product Manager 
Generic Rx 
415-983-7501 
415-732-2699 - fax 
cheryl.brinkman at mckesson.com 

 


 

 

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