The case for Bikeability in Houston

[august948]

There is a difference in the driver, though. Drivers in suburban areas are much more hostile to bicycles if the honks are any indication. Also, bike lanes trickle out as you get further out.

I haven't tried to bike it, but drivers in and around Rice Village are far more hostile to pedestrians and other drivers than anything I've seen elsewhere in Houston. I can't imagine they'd somehow be friendlier to bikes and that's almost as urban as we get here.

[kylejack]

I haven't tried to bike it, but drivers in and around Rice Village are far more hostile to pedestrians and other drivers than anything I've seen elsewhere in Houston. I can't imagine they'd somehow be friendlier to bikes and that's almost as urban as we get here.

Try Cash Road in Stafford. I went out there for the annual hot sauce festival and they acted like they had never seen a bike before. I think nearly every car in the right lane honked at me despite having plenty of room to pass.

[samagon]

Try Cash Road in Stafford. I went out there for the annual hot sauce festival and they acted like they had never seen a bike before. I think nearly every car in the right lane honked at me despite having plenty of room to pass.

maybe it was just a friendly 'hey, I see you're riding a bike, I'm here behind you, just letting you know I'm getting ready to pass!'

[Hanuman]

I have two pics for you all.

The first pic is to enjoy! This type roadway would be really cool, if there was a way to make it more affordable, and get more people interested in biking. I really like this street set up, and note that it is in East Texas, not far from Houston. I'm going to run up there, and ride this weekend, as the weather looks beautiful!

*** However, the second photo is only to enjoy if you are sick. WTFFFF?.... If you know this misguided gibbon, could you PLEASE inform him of what camels do with their mouths in their spare time!!! ( Insert: Section where Hanuman demonstrates projectile vomiting )

Besides that, lock him up for the wardrobe, and that kiddie/girlie bike for a grown man??? *^%$$#@@$^&&*&(*WTFFF !!! Doctor Phil would commit suicide!!

[N Judah]

The first pic is to enjoy! This type roadway would be really cool, if there was a way to make it more affordable, and get more people interested in biking. I really like this street set up, and note that it is in East Texas, not far from Houston. I'm going to run up there, and ride this weekend, as the weather looks beautiful!

I don't know if you realize just how deeply offensive that first picture is to the typical Houston driver I think just seeing it made some veins pop out in a several posters' necks...

[Hanuman]

I don't know if you realize just how deeply offensive that first picture is to the typical Houston driver I think just seeing it made some veins pop out in a several posters' necks...

Oh I know, and don't get me wrong, I don't like bikers who think they own the street, etc. ... you know the drill adnauseum.

Speaking of vein-popping pictures.... I can't look at the " Lost in space" loser kissing the camel ....AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

*** Sorry, I'm back now the veins just popped out in my head, and I passed out.... Whew!!

[kylejack]

East Texas, where??

[skwatra]

I just noticed on Google Maps that there is now an option (Beta) for biking routes. When you look for directions, now there are options for Driving, Public Transit, Walking, and Bicycling. Or you can just click on 'More' on the top right and check 'Bicycling' and see the routes.

It appears that a dashed green line is a street that has a Bike Lane (or the closest we get here) and the solid green are dedicated bike paths.

[JamesL]

I just noticed on Google Maps that there is now an option (Beta) for biking routes.

Yeah, this was big news a few weeks ago. The algorithm is supposed to take into account bike path and lanes, hills, and speed limits. It's a work in progress, though. There are issues like when it gives directions along the SW Freeway HOV.

[Hanuman]

East Texas, where??

I'm waiting on Lisa to give us the directions. I believe she said it was in the Sam Houston National Forrest, but I'll post the exact area as soon as I get the info.

[N Judah]

Oh I know, and don't get me wrong, I don't like bikers who think they own the street, etc. ... you know the drill adnauseum.

Speaking of vein-popping pictures.... I can't look at the " Lost in space" loser kissing the camel ....AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

*** Sorry, I'm back now the veins just popped out in my head, and I passed out.... Whew!!

LoL...and don't get me wrong, either, believe me, if the bicyclist is wearing a necktie and/or nametag and carrying a fake bible suddenly I'm in the "run 'em over" camp, too

[Hanuman]

LoL...and don't get me wrong, either, believe me, if the bicyclist is wearing a necktie and/or nametag and carrying a fake bible suddenly I'm in the "run 'em over" camp, too

A-Men Brother....Ooops... Probably shouldn't have said that!!

Apology: To those who fit the aforementioned stereotype - no pun intended...

[AtticaFlinch]

A-Men Brother....Ooops... Probably shouldn't have said that!!

A-men brother? Did you mean A-Team brother? That's B.A. Baracus, Mr T himself.

And you probably shouldn't have said that. Mr T pitied the fool who says that.

[Hanuman]

A-men brother? Did you mean A-Team brother? That's B.A. Baracus, Mr T himself.

And you probably shouldn't have said that. Mr T pitied the fool who says that.

Uh, good point Flinch!

Bailiff! Cancel the last post from Hanuman!

Thanks Flinch ... I'm saved...

[Subdude]

Bikeability becoming national policy.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has announced a “major policy revision” that aims to give bicycling and walking the same policy and economic consideration as driving.

“Today I want to announce a sea change,” he wrote on his blog last week. “This is the end of favoring motorized transportation at the expense of nonmotorized.”

The new policy, which was introduced a few days after Mr. LaHood gave a well-received speech from atop a table at the National Bike Summit, is said to reflect the Transportation Department’s support for the development of fully integrated transportation networks.

It calls on state and local governments to go beyond minimum planning and maintenance requirements to provide convenient and safe amenities for bikers and walkers. “Walking and biking should not be an afterthought in roadway design,” the policy states.

Transportation agencies are urged to take action on a number of fronts, including the creation of pathways for bike riders and pedestrians on bridges, and providing children with safe biking and walking routes to schools.

They are also encouraged to find ways to make such improvements in concert with road maintenance projects and to protect sidewalks and bike lanes in the same manner as roads (by clearing them of snow, for example).

Mr. LaHood also indicated the department is discouraging “transportation investments that negatively affect cyclists and pedestrians.”

Link me..

[porTENT]

For the NYT those readers comments are a hoot!

[totheskies]

I agree that the infrastructure and line of site is better, but overall I still feel safer in the urban core. My experience comes from downtown/midtown compared to Clear Lake. I feel like more people are aware downtown of their surroundings, the locals (meaning locally driving in the urban core often) are used to dealing with bikes, buses, scooters, potholes, etc. The people coming in town for a specific event that don't regularly drive are less familiar, so they are cautious because they don't know the roads. I feel like in the burbs people don't deal with other vehicles (non cars), they know their roads and they're on autopilot. They take right turns without looking, get frustrated if they can't go 45 in a 35 because that's the normal flow. I only ride on the sidewalks in CL, but they are spacious and smooth and never abruptly end so it works out.

Tomorrow I'm heading down Montrose across 59. I usually ride on the sidewalk out of fear, but this thread has inspired me to take the road (defensively of course). Hope to still be posting on Friday...

The further out you go, the newer the area (generally). And newer subdivisions have far fewer actual roads. An area like Clear Lake or Pearland mostly has "parkways" now... bohemouth 6-lane roads with no sidewalks, and a minimum speed limit of 40 until you have to slam on the brakes at the occasional red light. It's very unsafe to try and bike in these areas (though I do see people doing it all the time). If one were to define bikeability as getting from one area of town to another area of town, this becomes apparent. Obviously, you can ride a bike easily in your one subdivision (let's use Cinco Ranch as an example). you can even get to a few places like Katy Mills or Mason Rd. But would you be able to get to Town Center with ease and safety??

Run that same scenario inside the loop. From where I live in Eastwood, I've got a trail network that takes me from Eastwood to downtown, downtown to the Med. Center, Eastwood to the Med. Center, Eastwood to UofH, Eastwood to 5th ward, Downtown to the Heights, Downtown to the Galleria, and the list goes on. 60% of this can be achieved on independent bike trails, and that will go up to 80% in another year or two.

But once you're outside the loop... you start running into fewer bikeways, more dead ends of side streets, and heavier car traffic on the main roads.

[samagon]

The further out you go, the newer the area (generally). And newer subdivisions have far fewer actual roads. An area like Clear Lake or Pearland mostly has "parkways" now... bohemouth 6-lane roads with no sidewalks, and a minimum speed limit of 40 until you have to slam on the brakes at the occasional red light. It's very unsafe to try and bike in these areas (though I do see people doing it all the time). If one were to define bikeability as getting from one area of town to another area of town, this becomes apparent. Obviously, you can ride a bike easily in your one subdivision (let's use Cinco Ranch as an example). you can even get to a few places like Katy Mills or Mason Rd. But would you be able to get to Town Center with ease and safety??

Run that same scenario inside the loop. From where I live in Eastwood, I've got a trail network that takes me from Eastwood to downtown, downtown to the Med. Center, Eastwood to the Med. Center, Eastwood to UofH, Eastwood to 5th ward, Downtown to the Heights, Downtown to the Galleria, and the list goes on. 60% of this can be achieved on independent bike trails, and that will go up to 80% in another year or two.

But once you're outside the loop... you start running into fewer bikeways, more dead ends of side streets, and heavier car traffic on the main roads.

I couldn't agree more, the most disturbing and terrifying ride I've ever been on was riding my bike from south shore blvd down fm 2094 to 146, and then over the bridge to get to outriggers. 146 actually wasn't bad because there is a huge shoulder, but 2094 was terrifying. 2 lanes in both directions, 40-45 mph speed limit and cars that didn't want to be inconvenienced by moving over into the next lane (even though the other lane was open for them to pass). my friend and I rode back to the office in the bed of a truck owned by a nice guy that didn't want to see my co-worker and I splattered on the roadway.

Now my office is on Hwy 3, and since lawndale basically starts at my house and pretty much runs into Hwy 3, I'd love to be able to ride my bike to work (only 13.5 miles, very doable on a bike for a commute), but I feel like I'd be signing a death warrant if I tried.

I think it would be awesome to expand on the rails to trails idea and use some of the 30 or so feet on each side of a rail line to add a bike path. if they are scared of riders veering off and careening into a train, put some jersey barriers between to keep us on our side. (although if a train derailment happened the train wouldn't stay on its side, but I think that is still safer than riding a bike in the same lane as a car that doesn't have the common sense to move to the next lane that is open).

[jgriff]

I walk around 20 blocks everyday in downtown mostly on Louisiana and Smith. I think most would agree that during business hours downtown has some of the busiest sidewalks in Houston. I've noticed that almost all bikes during business hours are on the sidewalks. I'll try to take some photos if I get a chance. When I drive through downtown on the weekends though I see a lot of bikes in the streets.

Also, there are at least some places in the Houston area where it is illegal to ride on the streets. Memorial drive just outside 610 is one of them.

[kylejack]

I walk around 20 blocks everyday in downtown mostly on Louisiana and Smith. I think most would agree that during business hours downtown has some of the busiest sidewalks in Houston. I've noticed that almost all bikes during business hours are on the sidewalks. I'll try to take some photos if I get a chance. When I drive through downtown on the weekends though I see a lot of bikes in the streets.

Also, there are at least some places in the Houston area where it is illegal to ride on the streets. Memorial drive just outside 610 is one of them.

Yes and no. Recreational riders ride on the curbs downtown during busy hours, but the couriers are on the roads. Everybody needs to get on the streets.

[jgriff]

Yes and no. Recreational riders ride on the curbs downtown during busy hours, but the couriers are on the roads. Everybody needs to get on the streets.

I don't know if the guys passing me on the sidewalk are couriers or not but they don't have the typical recreational rider attire on and they don't have office worker attire on either. These guys aren't on the curbs, they are right in the middle of the sidewalk weaving through pedestrians. It doesn't really seem to cause any problems. I make sure and not make any sudden movements to one side or another so they don't hit me. I figure I should stay out of their way since they are moving much faster than I am.

[Subdude]

Also, there are at least some places in the Houston area where it is illegal to ride on the streets. Memorial drive just outside 610 is one of them.

Why is that? On what basis do they restrict bikes off of Memorial?

I would love to see that challenged in court.

[kylejack]

Actually its Woodway, which splits off from Memorial, so an easy mistake to make. They provide a marked right-of-way on the sidewalk. Its a very short segment of road that the bikes are banned from. As far as I've experienced, its the only roadway in Houston that bikes are banned from (aside from places where they're banned statewide, such as controlled access roadways, etc).

[Robert W. Boyd]

But actually, I'd tend to think that the most dangerous routes would be inner-city. Modern major thoroughfares and their intersections are planned by transportation engineers to have unobstructed views, wider and multiple lanes, gradual curves, shallower grades, good sight lines, and fewer intersections that are more frequently signalized. Modern roads also use better paving techniques, meaning that potholes and other flaws are less common.

This isn't true, according to what few stats there are about Houston bike accidents. The problem with suburban streets, especially arterials, are manifold. The obvious one is speed--speed limits are higher in the burbs, and even when they aren't, heavier traffic in the city keeps speeds lower. Another problem is inattentional blindness. There are more cyclists in the city, therefore drivers are more accustomed to actively seeing them. Out in the burbs, people don't notice bikers as much because they aren't trained by experience to notice them.

Consequently, it appears that the further you go out from the center of Houston, the more bike fatalities there are, according to research. But htis research has been done in a pretty haphazard way. I would like to see some serious, rigorous statistical research done on this, and would also like better recording of the details of bike accidents (fatal and non-fatal) by the police.

[Subdude]

This isn't true, according to what few stats there are about Houston bike accidents. The problem with suburban streets, especially arterials, are manifold. The obvious one is speed--speed limits are higher in the burbs, and even when they aren't, heavier traffic in the city keeps speeds lower. Another problem is inattentional blindness. There are more cyclists in the city, therefore drivers are more accustomed to actively seeing them. Out in the burbs, people don't notice bikers as much because they aren't trained by experience to notice them.

Consequently, it appears that the further you go out from the center of Houston, the more bike fatalities there are, according to research. But htis research has been done in a pretty haphazard way. I would like to see some serious, rigorous statistical research done on this, and would also like better recording of the details of bike accidents (fatal and non-fatal) by the police.

That sounds right. When you get to the outer suburbs or country most bicyclists aren't going to be on "modern major thoroughfares". They are more likely to be on smaller side roads that weren't planned by "transportation engineers" and can therefore be quite dangerous. Just ask anyone who has done MS150 training rides.

[TheNiche]

This isn't true, according to what few stats there are about Houston bike accidents. The problem with suburban streets, especially arterials, are manifold. The obvious one is speed--speed limits are higher in the burbs, and even when they aren't, heavier traffic in the city keeps speeds lower. Another problem is inattentional blindness. There are more cyclists in the city, therefore drivers are more accustomed to actively seeing them. Out in the burbs, people don't notice bikers as much because they aren't trained by experience to notice them.

Consequently, it appears that the further you go out from the center of Houston, the more bike fatalities there are, according to research. But htis research has been done in a pretty haphazard way. I would like to see some serious, rigorous statistical research done on this, and would also like better recording of the details of bike accidents (fatal and non-fatal) by the police.

You make a valid theoretical counterpoint, but by your own admission the evidence (cite sources) would seem far from conclusive.

For instance, I'd be a lot more willing to take the 'inattentional blindness' of drivers towards cyclists more seriously if cyclists actually were common on roads in the inner city. As it is, I might encounter one on the roads every couple of weeks...maybe less. Also, I'd be more willing to buy into the counterargument that congestion slows down traffic to speeds that are safer for cycling if the few cyclists that I encounter on congested roads didn't impatiently weave in and out of it.

Like yourself, I'd like some serious research on the matter.

[TheNiche]

That sounds right. When you get to the outer suburbs or country most bicyclists aren't going to be on "modern major thoroughfares". They are more likely to be on smaller side roads that weren't planned by "transportation engineers" and can therefore be quite dangerous. Just ask anyone who has done MS150 training rides.

If a developer desires that the streets in a subdivision are to be handed over to the municipality or county, then the layout and design must conform to rules that have been developed by transportation engineers operating at the state, county, and oftentimes the municipal level. Only roads that were built long ago or newer roads that were intended as private streets maintained by a private entity (such as those inside of a large retail center or behind access gates in private subdivisions or multifamily complexes) do not have to comply with these codes.

[kylejack]

Subdivision roads are fine. Its traveling between them that's often the problem. Suburbs suffer from a lack of alternate routes compared to the city.

[TheNiche]

When you get to the outer suburbs or country most bicyclists aren't going to be on "modern major thoroughfares". They are more likely to be on smaller side roads that weren't planned by "transportation engineers" and can therefore be quite dangerous.

I see. So "smaller side roads" are especially dangerous, whereas "modern major thoroughfares" aren't.

Subdivision roads are fine. Its traveling between them that's often the problem. Suburbs suffer from a lack of alternate routes compared to the city.

And "subdivision roads" aren't dangerous, but "modern major thoroughfares" are, and "smaller side roads" that might allow for "alternate routes" are infrequent or non-existent.

It all makes so much sense now.

[kylejack]

I don't endorse everyone else's comments in this thread, only my own!