2 December, 2019
I note the following comment regarding the so-called ‘Main Street Corridor Project’ on the proponents’ webpage. “The project includes a bicycle lane in order to separate bicycle traffic from vehicle traffic flow, improving safety. Today, bicycles share narrow road space with moving and parked vehicles.”
As I have said, multiple times, I believe (and I am not alone) that the separated bike lane, as proposed, will NOT improve safety, so I make no further comment with respect to this portion of the claim.
However, “Today, bicycles share narrow road space with moving and parked vehicles.” This statement is partially correct, but only as far as “sharing the road”. Main Street, from Hayden Rowe to the Rt 85 intersection provides an expanse of space for parking, bike, and vehicular traffic. That portion of Main St varies from approximately 85’ to 53’ wide. Parking spaces are 8’ wide. A travel lane 11 to 12’ wide. If we assume the 53’ width dimension (measured at the intersection crosswalk), with three 11’ travel lanes, and one row of parking at 8’ (as it is currently), that still leaves 6’ of ‘bike space’ each way at this narrowest point. That is sufficient to meet AASHTO guidelines; it is far from the “narrow road space” mentioned, and provides reasonable security from the dreaded ‘door zone’ for this narrowest portion of this section of Main St. The westerly portion of Main St, even where as narrow as 40’, provides more than adequate room for bike lanes, assuming parking is not extended West of the current limits. The needed crossing for the bike lane on the West-bound side of Main St to connect with the Center Trail, could be just a few feet past the Center Trail, at the existing Wood Street lights.
Sincerely,
Ed Harrow
**This article was written by a group or person in the Hopkinton Community and does not reflect the views of HCAM or any of their Board Members or Employees.**
