Bike Lanes in San Diego - Some Updates
Below are a few updates on bike lanes that are scheduled to be striped.
Ruffin Road Bike Lanes- The Project Manager overseeing the striping of bike lanes, Gaetano Martedi responded via email stating the following:
“The bicycle and vehicular loops have been installed. Final approval and inspection of the loops by the City is ongoing. I anticipate striping to be performed in January”
When I asked the reason for the delay as the lanes were supposed to have been striped in August, he responded,
“We had added additional loops and DLC’s to the project to meet current MUTCD and City standards. Due to the added work we needed to attain additional funding for the striping.”
A Senior Engineer with the City of San Diego, Abi Palaseyed, did confirm that the Ruffin Road bike lanes would be striped and ready for use by January 2012.
Balboa Ave/Tierrasanta Blvd Bike Lane - Bike lanes are finally coming to Balboa Avenue! Below is a map showing the 13.5 miles of bike lanes that will be striped beginning in February 2012 according to City Engineer Abi Palaseyed. The City is currently awaiting a Caltrans encroachment permit.
Jamacha Boulevard Bike Lane - After what seems like an eternity, cyclists can finally ride in comfort along Jamacha Boulevard.
For previous coverage on Jamacha Boulevard please read this post and this one.
Skyline Drive Bike Lanes - On Tuesday, Oct. 25, the San Diego City Council unanimously approved $1.1 million for construction to improve Skyline Drive . This council action paves the way for traffic calming improvements such as sidewalk pop-outs and raised medians, as well as street lights, pedestrian and bike enhancements, and signal modifications along Skyline Drive from 58th Street to Cardiff Street. Bike lanes will be striped from Greenlawn Drive to Cardiff Street. Construction is scheduled to begin in early next year and end in the summer.
Ruffin Road Bike Lanes - Your Input Needed on October 19th
Back in August I wrote that Ruffin Road would finally be getting bike lanes installed between Kearny Villa Road and Murphy Canyon Road.
The city placed bike lane markings that are now starting to fade and the cyclists who ride Ruffin Road have been eagerly awaiting these much needed bike lanes for months. The City's Engineering staff had promised that the bike lanes would be installed by the end of the summer.
It has been very disappointing for city's cyclists to ride on Ruffin Road month after month and still negotiate with 45 mph traffic.
Today I learned that the Kearny Mesa Planning Group has these very bike lanes as an agenda item listed for their October 19, 2011 meeting. According to the agenda item, it appears that the removal of curbside parking is again going to be the contentious issue. It is very disappointing that this is even an issue considering the vast swaths of parking lots available to all business that are located on Ruffin Road. According to the Kearny Mesa Planning Group the agenda item is listed as follows,
Update on Bicycle Lane for Ruffin Road between Aero and Kearny Villa Road - with signigicant (sic) on-street car parking impact on Ruffin Road.
The bike lane isn't listed as an action item (to be voted on by the Kearny Mesa Planning Group), but rather as an update on the bike lanes (lack of) progress. If you ride on Ruffin Road and would like to get an update on when these bike lanes will actually be installed, please calendar the meeting date and time:
Kearny Mesa Planning Group Meeting
When: Wednesday Oct 19, 2011
Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Where: Serra Mesa/Kearny Mesa Library
9005 Aero Drive.
Ruffin Road to Finally Get Class II Bike Lanes
Ruffin Road between Kearny Villa Road and Murphy Canyon Road will finally be upgraded from a Class III bike route to a Class II bike lane. According to the City's Engineering Department, construction is scheduled to begin this month.
This upgrade will install 3.25 miles of a Class II bike lane on Ruffin Road.
The city appears to be finally making some progress toward creating a cohesive bicycle network in the city, even if it is being done in dribs and drabs. If you recall, Kearny Villa Road finally was paved about a year ago after numerous complaints from cyclists in the region. At the southern end of this new installation is the Murphy Canyon Bike Path that traverses Qualcomm Stadium.
This addition of a new bike lane will certainly make life easier for cyclists who ride on Ruffin Road.
If you see workers striping this section of Ruffin Road, please do not hesitate to send in photos of the progress and I will post it here. You may email the photos to admin@bikesd.org.