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Fatal flaw seen in bike-crossing design
(by Mike Klimko - October 22, 2008)
Fatal flaw seen in bike-crossing design
By MIKE KLIMKO
The bicycle path planned between two westbound lanes on Pettibone Road near the intersection of SOM Center Road (Route 91) did not pass muster last week with Solon officials.
City Council and city administrators may have little say on the matter. The configuration follows state and federal standards as part of the Pettibone Road improvement project.
According to the plan presented to council's safety and public properties committee, bicycles would approach the intersection from the west within a narrow lane between the through lane on the left and the curb lane on the right.
A location along the curb lane would be better, Councilman Edward K. Suit said. To place cyclists between traffic on both sides does not look safe, he said.
The plan has all the ingredients of a traffic fatality waiting to happen, Police Chief Wayne E. Godzich said, and he cannot believe the plan is a federal standard for traffic.
Bicycles would have the right of way as they continue eastbound through the intersection on Pettibone Road, as provided by law for vehicular traffic, Assistant Public Works Director David Hromco said.
A bike that traveling straight through the intersection would be right, Mr. Godzich said. "They could be dead right," he said of potential collisions.
There could be similar configurations in the area, including one at the Detroit-Superior Bridge in Cleveland, Solon traffic engineer Kevin Westbrooks said.
The purpose of placing the bike path between active lanes of traffic seems to be to avoid conflict points further west of the intersection, Mr. Westbrooks said.
The bike lane at Pettibone and SOM Center roads is a through lane and cannot be placed along the right side of the curb lane, he said, a spot where vehicles turning right might present a hazard to bicycles.
Mr. Suit questioned whether signs and flashing lights could be used to alert people to potential hazards at the intersection.
Serious bicyclists do not want to stop, as a rule, Mr. Westbrooks said, and want to speed through an intersection when they have the green signal and the right of way.
Mr. Suit asked for city officials to investigate the use of signs and check with the Ohio Department of Transportation to determine whether the plan at Pettibone and SOM Center roads is required to receive federal funding.
Council chose the low bidder earlier this month on the Pettibone Road improvement project in order to retain a $2 million federal grant.
Plans at the intersection call for a through lane and a left-turn lane, a bike lane and a right-turn lane along the curb, Mr. Hromco said. City officials have reviewed the intersection, he said.
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