Register Guard: New pedestrian/bike plan

Here are some of the concepts recommended in an updated statewide plan to improve traffic configurations for bicyclists and pedestrians
Bicycle Boulevard: A local street that provides good through access for bicyclists while discouraging heavy motor vehicle use. This is accomplished through such modifications as lowered speed limits, “traffic-calming” devices such as speed bumps or islands, and one-way restrictions on motor vehicles, as well as the addition of bike lanes and signage tailored for cyclists.

Road Diets: The reconfiguring of a road by reducing the number of motor vehicle lanes so room can be made for bicycle traffic. Example: restriping a road that has two lanes in each direction so it instead provides one lane in each direction, a two-way center lane for left-turning traffic and bike lanes on each side.

Advance Stop Line: This is bold strip of paint where cars must halt for pedestrians. Typically it appears on the edge of a crosswalk. By bringing it back 30 feet before a crosswalk, pedestrians would have a better chance to determine whether it is safe to proceed.

Improved Signage: Signs along bicycle and pedestrian routes could give riders and walkers information about the time and distance to reach destinations. Signs on off-street paths would let walkers and cyclists know where to exit to reach the streets they need to take.

Shared-use Paths: Experience has led to several ideas for improvements. They include avoiding the use of fencing (it creates a “cattle-chute” effect), and separate sections for bicyclists and pedestrians where use by both is heavy.

Bike Boxes: This is a box painted into a traffic lane, which is designated for cyclists. It is useful where where cycling traffic is heavy or where cyclists must make their way from one side of the roadway to the other.

Midblock Crosswalks: Long blocks where pedestrians often cross midblock instead of at an intersection are candidates for a midblock crosswalk. Advantages: Pedestrians don’t have to focus on turning vehicles, just straight-ahead traffic. Likewise, drivers who are midblock are more likely to see a pedestrian entering a crosswalk because that’s directly in their line of vision.