Nicholson Hike And Bike Trail On W. 26th St.

[samiamj]

What irritates me is when cars park in the Nicholson bike lane. I notice that the problem is south of W 11.

BTW: Every Sunday I ride my bike along the Nicholson trail from W 17 to W 8. At the end of the trail W 8/Nicholson, there is a townhome complex (SE corner). Are they abandonned? THe front half is built but the back half (about 10) seem to be in purgatory.

[H50]

I see bikers in the middle of the street trying to be cars but refusing to stop at lights/stop signs!

If there were adequate bike paths you wouldn't have that problem.

[dcdude]

What irritates me is when cars park in the Nicholson bike lane. I notice that the problem is south of W 11.

BTW: Every Sunday I ride my bike along the Nicholson trail from W 17 to W 8. At the end of the trail W 8/Nicholson, there is a townhome complex (SE corner). Are they abandonned? THe front half is built but the back half (about 10) seem to be in purgatory.

The townhome project at Nicholson and 8th are Waterhill...they went bankrupt in the middle of project.

They cut down at least 10 100 year old oak trees for that crap project

[heights_yankee]

If there were adequate bike paths you wouldn't have that problem.

a bike path has nothing to do with bike roders not obeying the rules of the road, i.e. not stopping at stop signs, for pedestrains or running red lights. i agree houston needs to be more bike (and pedestrian) friendly, but riders do themselves a disservice when they act like the rules don't apply to them.

[Heightsite]

Speaking of the hike & bike trail....does anyone know when the trestle over White Oak bayou will be demolished and rebuilt? The fence is down at the end of the trail and after two fires, the bridge looks mighty dangerous!

[marmer]

a bike path has nothing to do with bike roders not obeying the rules of the road, i.e. not stopping at stop signs, for pedestrains or running red lights. i agree houston needs to be more bike (and pedestrian) friendly, but riders do themselves a disservice when they act like the rules don't apply to them.

I addressed this in the Katy thread that degenerated into a cars vs. bikes brouhaha, but I'll say it again here. Yes, it's against the law, and yes, it's potentially dangerous. I'll get that out of the way first. Also, some people are just clueless, I agree.

But here is why grown-up, intelligent, serious, experienced cyclists might run a stop sign or a red light: In a word, momentum. If you are moving at anything over a very casual, near-walking pace, stopping means you have to stop, get off a pedal, put your foot down, possibly downshift, and then start up again from a dead stop. While a bicyclist can go from 0 to 7 mph faster than the average automobile, the acceleration speed quickly is overtaken by the automobile. The short version is that it's safer and less delay for an auto driver to make eye contact with the cyclist and let them clear the intersection as fast as possible. Certainly anyone riding for exercise or conditioning is going to want to minimize their full stops. Another reason is that when riding with a group, it is harder to keep the group together if some of them get caught at a light or a series of stop signs. Depending on how experienced the riders are and how familiar they are with the area, it can be pretty important to keep everyone together and not let a few stragglers get separated.

Any serious cyclist is going to be aware of the cars around them and assuming the worst. They will not assume they are being seen by drivers unless they deliberately make eye contact. For all of those folks who really get upset about cyclists running red lights and stop signs, try your route on a bike sometime, traffic permitting. It will quickly become clear why people do that. And cyclists all understand the practical difference: if you run a stop sign in a car, you might kill someone. If you run a stop sign on a bike, you might die. That's a really good incentive to pay attention at intersections.

[lwood]

Some neighbors have noticed cars driving down the Nicholson bike trail.

Does anyone know if the trail plan calls for placing barricades to prevent that from happening?

TXDOT told us to call the cops if cars are on the bike trail. I leave them a note the first time and so far that has cured the problem on lower Nicholson.

TXDOT said that bollards (short posts) will be placed about 2.5-ft. in from the street, running parallel to the street. If there is a ditch adjacent to the street, no bollards would be installed. The ditch would serve to keep cars off of the trail. One steel bollard will be installed at the intersections.

I don't remember what the spacing was on these bollards but I think it was 6 or 8 feet.

TXDOT has been great on stopping by to get our comments AND following up on our problems.

[20thStDad]

I addressed this in the Katy thread that degenerated into a cars vs. bikes brouhaha, but I'll say it again here. Yes, it's against the law, and yes, it's potentially dangerous. I'll get that out of the way first. Also, some people are just clueless, I agree.

But here is why grown-up, intelligent, serious, experienced cyclists might run a stop sign or a red light: In a word, momentum. If you are moving at anything over a very casual, near-walking pace, stopping means you have to stop, get off a pedal, put your foot down, possibly downshift, and then start up again from a dead stop. While a bicyclist can go from 0 to 7 mph faster than the average automobile, the acceleration speed quickly is overtaken by the automobile. The short version is that it's safer and less delay for an auto driver to make eye contact with the cyclist and let them clear the intersection as fast as possible. Certainly anyone riding for exercise or conditioning is going to want to minimize their full stops. Another reason is that when riding with a group, it is harder to keep the group together if some of them get caught at a light or a series of stop signs. Depending on how experienced the riders are and how familiar they are with the area, it can be pretty important to keep everyone together and not let a few stragglers get separated.

Any serious cyclist is going to be aware of the cars around them and assuming the worst. They will not assume they are being seen by drivers unless they deliberately make eye contact. For all of those folks who really get upset about cyclists running red lights and stop signs, try your route on a bike sometime, traffic permitting. It will quickly become clear why people do that. And cyclists all understand the practical difference: if you run a stop sign in a car, you might kill someone. If you run a stop sign on a bike, you might die. That's a really good incentive to pay attention at intersections.

I'm with you on this. I yield whenever there is a question or it is required, but if I'm coming up to a 4-way stop BEFORE a car is, I'm going to do my best to make eye contact, signal them, and blow through it. I'll be gone before they hit their dead stop, as opposed to both of us being stopped there and someone having to wave the other through. That's just annoying. If the car is there first at a 4 way, I'm letting them go no matter what.

I don't think this bike trail will alleviate any bike vs. car issues, in fact each will have a lot more to pay attention to, since the trail crosses so many streets that don't have a stop sign for the cross traffic. It really has been a momentum killer at times, but I'm not taking any chances with the baby trailer attached.

[sunsets]

I don't think this bike trail will alleviate any bike vs. car issues, in fact each will have a lot more to pay attention to, since the trail crosses so many streets that don't have a stop sign for the cross traffic. It really has been a momentum killer at times, but I'm not taking any chances with the baby trailer attached.

Oh, so true. This is why experienced cylists often just stick to the streets instead of the bike trail. At least on the street you can usually go a few intersections before a stop. (Admittedly, the baby trailer makes everything more difficult)

Have you tried the MKT trail east of downtown? Ridiculous. You have to stop every block and check for oncoming traffic. Might as well ride on the sidewalk.

[Tiko]

I addressed this in the Katy thread that degenerated into a cars vs. bikes brouhaha, but I'll say it again here. Yes, it's against the law, and yes, it's potentially dangerous. I'll get that out of the way first. Also, some people are just clueless, I agree.

But here is why grown-up, intelligent, serious, experienced cyclists might run a stop sign or a red light: In a word, momentum. If you are moving at anything over a very casual, near-walking pace, stopping means you have to stop, get off a pedal, put your foot down, possibly downshift, and then start up again from a dead stop. While a bicyclist can go from 0 to 7 mph faster than the average automobile, the acceleration speed quickly is overtaken by the automobile. The short version is that it's safer and less delay for an auto driver to make eye contact with the cyclist and let them clear the intersection as fast as possible. Certainly anyone riding for exercise or conditioning is going to want to minimize their full stops. Another reason is that when riding with a group, it is harder to keep the group together if some of them get caught at a light or a series of stop signs. Depending on how experienced the riders are and how familiar they are with the area, it can be pretty important to keep everyone together and not let a few stragglers get separated.

Any serious cyclist is going to be aware of the cars around them and assuming the worst. They will not assume they are being seen by drivers unless they deliberately make eye contact. For all of those folks who really get upset about cyclists running red lights and stop signs, try your route on a bike sometime, traffic permitting. It will quickly become clear why people do that. And cyclists all understand the practical difference: if you run a stop sign in a car, you might kill someone. If you run a stop sign on a bike, you might die. That's a really good incentive to pay attention at intersections.

Also, as to why the biker might be "in the middle of the road" - even when there is a dedicated bike lane the edge of the road is frequently full of debris and very dangerous hazards such as drainage grates. Nothing worse than dropping your front tire into an expansion joint. I'm happy to ride on the shoulder/edge but if the condition of the road warrants it then I'm moving out. Bike lanes need regular sweeping in order to be useable.

[samiamj]

Whoever put the doggy bags between W 14 and W 13 on Nicholson, I commend you. As a non pet owner, I am proud of responsible dog owners who pick up after their dogs.

[HeyHatch]

TXDOT told us to call the cops if cars are on the bike trail. I leave them a note the first time and so far that has cured the problem on lower Nicholson.

TXDOT said that bollards (short posts) will be placed about 2.5-ft. in from the street, running parallel to the street. If there is a ditch adjacent to the street, no bollards would be installed. The ditch would serve to keep cars off of the trail. One steel bollard will be installed at the intersections.

I don't remember what the spacing was on these bollards but I think it was 6 or 8 feet.

TXDOT has been great on stopping by to get our comments AND following up on our problems.

You don't happen to have contact information for the person from TXDOT do you? On the 1400 block of Nicholson, they filled in one of the ditches that was in place for run off. There was a contractor who built a house that has a driveway that crosses the bike trail. He started the whole mess, but the construction company finished it up. I've met with COH a bunch of times to point out to them that water flows NORTH on this particular section of Nicholson, and so where the ditch was filled in, the water now just flows in to the middle of the street. They never believe me until I get out the garden hose and show them. I'm thinking that back when Nicholson was being built (it was called Railroad Street then) they engineered it to flow north. Any way, perhaps TXDOT might be more responsive than COH?

[musicman]

You don't happen to have contact information for the person from TXDOT do you? On the 1400 block of Nicholson, they filled in one of the ditches that was in place for run off. There was a contractor who built a house that has a driveway that crosses the bike trail. He started the whole mess, but the construction company finished it up. I've met with COH a bunch of times to point out to them that water flows NORTH on this particular section of Nicholson, and so where the ditch was filled in, the water now just flows in to the middle of the street. They never believe me until I get out the garden hose and show them. I'm thinking that back when Nicholson was being built (it was called Railroad Street then) they engineered it to flow north. Any way, perhaps TXDOT might be more responsive than COH?

if it's drainage related....force a councilperson to get off their butt.

[goastros]

Wow--I didn't even recognize that it was a bike trail until reading this thread. I parked in the dirt space next to the park at 7th & Heights and had no idea what the dirt area was for or the extra wide sidewalk--they need a little more publicity.

[lwood]

You don't happen to have contact information for the person from TXDOT do you? On the 1400 block of Nicholson, they filled in one of the ditches that was in place for run off. There was a contractor who built a house that has a driveway that crosses the bike trail. He started the whole mess, but the construction company finished it up. I've met with COH a bunch of times to point out to them that water flows NORTH on this particular section of Nicholson, and so where the ditch was filled in, the water now just flows in to the middle of the street. They never believe me until I get out the garden hose and show them. I'm thinking that back when Nicholson was being built (it was called Railroad Street then) they engineered it to flow north. Any way, perhaps TXDOT might be more responsive than COH?

TXDOT's construction trailer is under Interstate 10 at Studewood. They have been very helpful in matters regarding the trail. I think the person I spoke with was Chris.

[goastros]

Has anyone driven down Washington Ave between Houston Ave and Studemont and noticed all the people parking in the street in the bike lane? Is that legal? It's not that far from the police station so I was wondering why they aren't getting ticketed if it is illegal. If those businesses can't provide off street parking or parking out of the bike lane, they shouldn't have been given the ok to open.

[H50]

I am pretty sure it is legal. Heights Blvd between I-10 and Washington is the same way all but 4hours out of the day (People still park there though). It is shame that the few bike lanes that go some where cannot be dedicated bike lanes twenty four seven.

[innerloop]

Saw a crew working on the east side of the old RR bridge over Studemont this morning. I was driving so I didn't get a good look, but it was probably six guys and a small bulldozer.

[heights_yankee]

Saw a crew working on the east side of the old RR bridge over Studemont this morning. I was driving so I didn't get a good look, but it was probably six guys and a small bulldozer.

they were there yesterday too. it looked like they were putting down new wood. i can't believe we're actually seeing this project come together.

[HeyHatch]

Has anyone heard whether or not they are still planning to place bollards along the street to prevent people from driving on the trail, or on the grass in between the trail and the street? Every day I see a guy on a Vespa fly by my house on the trail. And now all the "lovely" grass they planted is being driven on as people can't figure out shere the road ends and the trail begins.

I've also heard that they are doing no additional landscaping other than the "grass" they planted; that it will be up to the homeowners living on the street as to whether or not they want to make any additional plantings. That's fine with me, but I sure as heck would like to get those plants in before it turns 90 out!

[dcdude]

Has anyone heard whether or not they are still planning to place bollards along the street to prevent people from driving on the trail, or on the grass in between the trail and the street? Every day I see a guy on a Vespa fly by my house on the trail. And now all the "lovely" grass they planted is being driven on as people can't figure out shere the road ends and the trail begins.

I've also heard that they are doing no additional landscaping other than the "grass" they planted; that it will be up to the homeowners living on the street as to whether or not they want to make any additional plantings. That's fine with me, but I sure as heck would like to get those plants in before it turns 90 out!

The bollards should start to go up sometime next week starting with the 1100 block of Nicholson since they have had so many problems with people parking on trail and grass. After the bollards are complete, TXDot plans to do one more planting/spraying of grass....I would assume within 2-3 weeks it would be safe to start planting.

Also, I have heard that the Heights Association is working with the Urban Forestry Dept and several other business to help to plant additional trees/landscaping on the trail (although this effort may take some time). The last I heard was that TxDot was only planning on planting around 150 trees.

[heights_yankee]

i'm so glad they are doing bollards. something i heard at one point made me think they were going to do those awful reflector tubes like they have for the HOV lane on katy freeway (but smaller). ew and ew.

[SilverJK]

what are they going to do about the first bridge over the bayou, coming from oxford towards studewood? I haven't seen anyone working on that one, and it appears to need to be torn down. Anyone know anything about that one?

[OutfieldDan]

This is off topic, but pertains to bike trails near the Nicholson trail.

I rode my bike up the White Oak trail all the way to the end, and came back to 11th street. I then wanted to ride to Memorial Park, but there is no way to go there safely without a huge detour to the East.

The bike trail map indicates that TC Jester is multiuse for bikes and cars, but I don't want to ride South on TC Jester over the railroad yard bridge with cars and trucks going about 50 mph next to me in narrow lanes. I tried the sidewalk, but on the bridge over the railroad yard the sidewalk narrows and there is no safety barrier to prevent me from tumbling off the bridge except some very low railing. It was scary and I experienced vertigo on the crest of the bridge.

TC Jester must have originally been only two lanes and it is now four with not enough room for cars and bikes. Does anyone know of a good way to get to Memorial Park from the White Oak trail safely? Is the city planning any new bike trails that would go this way?

[Gooch]

Ya, TCJ south of 11th is eskeery.

If I'm doing that route I go West on 11th to Ella. Go north on Ella to 12th. Take 12th across Hempstead. At the 610-loop there's a marked bike lane. Follow it to little jog to the north. Stay on the bike lane. It crosses the loop at an underpass then meets back with 12th on the other side. Continue west to N. Post Oak Road. Take the bike lane south crossing I-10. You have to take a right on ??? street. I can't remember the name, but there's a bike route sign, and the bike lane ends. Then take an immediate left (south) on N Post Oak Lane. Stay on there until Woodway. Take a Left onto the bike path on the south side of Woodway. Head eastbound on the bike path, cross at I610 and stay on the bike path until you reach the park.

Sounds more complicated than it is. Traffic isn't too bad on this route. The only two notable parts are 11th to Ella's pretty narrow but it's a short distance. Crossing Woodway can be tough, but there's a traffic signal there. It's the least traffic-y way I know to do it without going back to Heights and heading south. That's not a bad option either.

I assume you've seen this map http://www.publicworks.houstontx.gov/bikew...map_network.pdf?

[Tiko]

If you go E on 11th and turn S on Maxroy you can get there by taking back streets.

[HeyHatch]

The bollards should start to go up sometime next week starting with the 1100 block of Nicholson since they have had so many problems with people parking on trail and grass. After the bollards are complete, TXDot plans to do one more planting/spraying of grass....I would assume within 2-3 weeks it would be safe to start planting.

Also, I have heard that the Heights Association is working with the Urban Forestry Dept and several other business to help to plant additional trees/landscaping on the trail (although this effort may take some time). The last I heard was that TxDot was only planning on planting around 150 trees.

Thank you my well informed bike trail brutha! I shall plan my plantings in early May.

[sailmom]

Intersections!

We rode along the trail this weekend from 23^rd to the RR bridge. There are a few spots that really need some pedestrian signals---at 11^th street and at Yale in particular. I had my 7-year-old in tow, and these are tough crossings when your pedal cranks are that short!

Does anyone know if anything is planned for the major intersections? I'd be interested to know which district H candidates would support livability issues like these (feel free not to reply to this as I don't want this to get political).

I used to live in Oregon, and there were special signals that only turned if a pedestrian hit the button. So they didn't upset traffic unless there really was a person wanting to get across the street. This seems like a great solution.

Thanks

Waiting to Cross

[20thStDad]

Intersections!

We rode along the trail this weekend from 23^rd to the RR bridge. There are a few spots that really need some pedestrian signals---at 11^th street and at Yale in particular. I had my 7-year-old in tow, and these are tough crossings when your pedal cranks are that short!

Does anyone know if anything is planned for the major intersections? I'd be interested to know which district H candidates would support livability issues like these (feel free not to reply to this as I don't want this to get political).

I used to live in Oregon, and there were special signals that only turned if a pedestrian hit the button. So they didn't upset traffic unless there really was a person wanting to get across the street. This seems like a great solution.

Thanks

Waiting to Cross

I'm with you on this. Like I've said before, every intersection down from 24th to 8th St has a stop sign, and only 2 of those are 4 way stops. I think the trail works fine for running/walking, but it's way too stop and go to make for an enjoyable bike ride. When it's complete it'll be a nice path I can work my way downtown on, but all the stopping really gets old on a bike.

I do like that I'm seeing lots of people on it every day, maybe even more than on Heights Blvd. I forget what street, maybe just north of 13th, but there's one family always out there in lawn chairs with the kids playing. I think that's what we need more of, neighbors out seeing and talking to other neighbors. I'm trying to do it.

[Tiko]

Anyone seen crews working on this lately? I haven't notice any additions in the last few months. Even if the bridges are going to take awhile I wish they'd complete the other sections. I can live without the bollards and traffic control if they'd complete the E-W section between Yale and Waverly.