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 (Sentinel photo by Amy Erickson) [Click to enlarge] |
The 5-foot-wide paths are part of the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) project to make city streets safer for bicyclists.
Dr. Wayne Marty, a Plymouth County Cyclist member, and others worked to obtain support from the public and the City of Le Mars to create the bike lanes.
"One hundred years ago the automobile was fighting to use the road," just like the cyclist today, Marty said. "It's a sharing thing we work toward."
For this first stage, bike lanes with white silhouettes of bicyclists have been painted on Fourth Avenue East from 12th Street South to First Street Northeast.
Bike lanes will also be created on both the east and west lanes of the Eighth Street boulevard from Fourth Avenue East west across Central Avenue to Sixth Avenue West and, according to City Administrator Scott Langel will hopefully be done this month.
Fourth Avenue and Eighth Street were chosen to be the first to have bike paths because the roads don't require any alterations, Langel said.
For example there isn't a parking requirement on Fourth Avenue, the entire length of the bike lane, and both streets are already wide enough to accommodate the lanes, he said.
Langel explained how the boulevard will look once the bike lanes are created.
The lanes closest to the grass median will be 12-feet wide for vehicular traffic, followed by a 5-foot bike path, followed by an 8-foot parking lane, Langel said.
There won't be any more bike lanes created this year once those on the boulevard are finished, but more will be made in the future, Langel said.
"There's going to be a network of bike paths," he said. "Bike lanes that meander through the community and get tied back into the bike (recreation) trail."
Marty said people are already using the bike lanes on Fourth Avenue and he has heard both positive and negative comments.
"I have heard from some through the bike club (say) that it looks good," Marty said. "I have heard others say it squeezes the vehicle lanes."
Even with the bike lanes, Fourth Avenue still has a 12-foot driving lane, which meets standards, Marty said.
Studies have shown that vehicle lanes can be as small as 10-feet and still provide a safe path for motorists, Marty said.
"Studies say if you shrink the vehicle lane drivers will slow down," he said.
And some bikers feel safer riding in bike lanes, but that's not always the case, Marty said.
"The lanes don't do any good if drivers don't acknowledge them," he said. "Bike lanes should remind vehicle drivers that there are bicyclists on the road."
The City of Le Mars pledged $3,000 from its general capital fund to add to a $4,000 Iowa Fit For Life grant to pay for this initial part of the SRTS project.
In addition to creating these and more bike lanes, this money also includes painting "zebra" lines at crosswalks and installing bike lane signs.
Marty said the next possibility for a bike lane could be Sixth Avenue West because it is the only through street from 18th Street South to Highway 3.
Making Le Mars safer for bicyclists, who by law have just as much right to be on the road as motorists, is about changing attitudes, Marty said.
"The bottom line is simple: be kind and courteous," he said. "There has to be acceptance by both vehicle drivers and bicyclists."
Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. If you feel that a comment is offensive, please
Looks great but can there be an age limit for whom can ride in the street. I'm starting to see more and more kids riding in the street on 4th Avenue SE and I think it's unsafe. What's wrong with the sidewalk my 4 year old asks? Um - good questions. Why are the kids not hearing helmets if they are in the street? Um - good question. And those were asked by a 4 year old.
I find it funny how the last article I read they are talking about shutting off street lights to save money, now we using time and money for this? I agree wiith lemarsmamma, i think there needs to be a rule along with this bike path, a helemt for sure! With some of the GREAT driving I have seen in LeMars mixed in with young bike riders, its not going to be a good match. Accident waiting to happen with some of these bike riders!
If there is any of that paint left over, do you think the city could paint the center line down Central Ave?
Bicycles are supposed to be on the street and it is illegal in most places for bicycles to be on the sidewalks. Having proper safety riding equipment and using proper safe riding practices will prevent most accidents.
ADifferentView: So your telling me it's illegal for my children to ride their bikes on the sidewalks and I'm suppose to allow my kids to ride in the street?
Technically yes. however, nobody has complained yet about bicycles on the sidewalks in town. I would think, in the nieghborhoods especially, that we wouldn't want Big Wheels, wagons, tricycles,and learning (youngsters with/without training wheels) bicycles in the street. I hope it wouldn't be a problem to use individual reasoning to make the decision. After all, safety is the responsibility of the riders and (for minors) their caretakers.
When I asked about this years ago, I was told that residents should use their own property or city parks for "children's recreational vehicles". Like you are going to load all that up in the van everytime they want to play on their stuff... Maybe 2 times that might happen.
So while I agree that youngsters might not be safe on the streets without supervision/guidance, it is important to help train them to be safe and responsible bicycle riders. When you decide to turn them loose on the bike paths is your decision. (Use the sidewalks until they kick us off!!!) Just know that it is technically illegal.
I think it was a good idea but does anyone else think they made them really really wide? The driving lanes seem so narrow to me.
What will be done to ensure that people actually FOLLOW the rules? I have seen more people than not that either don't know that bicycles are supposed to follow the rules of the road--IE: stop signs and riding WITH traffic-- or they just don't care. I don't know how many times I have had to hit the brakes at an intersection to avoid a bike rider --even ADULTS-- that just blow thru the stop sign at THEIR side of the intersection or just pull out right in front of your car. I have even seen th is at DQ corner where people on bikes will blow thru the red light and "fly" across 75 in front of traffic to cross over instead of waiting for the signal light to change. That is part of what makes it so dangerous. I haave taught my kids how to observe rules of the road and their bikes get grounded if they break them...and yes they know that I have people that watch them and will tell me. So now we have bike lanes that are supposed to "keep bikers safer" but who will be monitoring to see that they are used correctly????
Everyone on bikes should be wearing helmets because the city doesnt do anything with the pot holes that line the bike path on 4th Street.
Money well spent by the City again, maybe if we are lucky our taxes will go up to cover these great projects!
After driving on 4th Ave SE every day since these lanes were intalled, I can equivocally say these were a DUMB IDEA!
Children who can barely ride a bike are using these, and they swerve in and out of the bike lane into the traffic lane. Put them back on the sidewald before they get killed!
Does anyone know that sidewalks are for NON-MOTORIZED and streets are for MOTORIZED???
And didn't we spend all that money over the last 2 years for this big expensive trail around the town and golf course for bikes and walking??
Just another great decision by our city council!
Is anyone ever gonna get a clue and not re-elect these people back into the council?
I can't believe some of you people. If you don't feel like your child should ride on the street THEN DONT LET them!. You're the adult here! If your child is old enough and mature enough to handle the new bike lanes then let em at it! These lanes weren't meant to put children in danger they were meant to make biking easier and more enjoyable in town. If you see nothing wrong with the sidewalks then just pretend the little white lines on the road arent there.
I'm glad they didn't paint any lines down my street! My neighbors brother never drives less than 50 down our street. I could see some little kids getting hit......
lalala-- you DO realize that it isn't just the children that cars have to watch for don't you? I was referring to bikers of ALL ages in my post as I have seen just as many ADULTS ignore "rules of the road" as kids. The people that flew across Highway 75 in front of me AND traffic coming from the other direction were adults WITH children. NOT safe for any of them...and what are the kids supposed to learn when mom and dad give that kind of example??? I don't wnat to be the one to have to do first aid on someone that is hit because they refuse to think and/or follow traffic laws.