Bike Friendly Arlington

It has been many months, many meetings, and many e-mails since the Hike & Bike Plan was first conceived. While the consultant, staff, steering committee, and general public spent months developing a comprehensive, well-connected plan, naysayers have spent an equal amount of time tearing it down, with misinformation, conspiracy theories and outright lies. And now we are less than a week away from the first public reading. Bike Friendly Arlington would like to thank you for the time spent in consideration of the plan, but in the same breath we would ask that certain on-street elements be put back in to make on-street riding safer and allow for more connectivity.

Our rational for adding back to Plan “C” is guided by:

Safety – given the choice, bike lanes should be placed in favored of bike routes where possible. Bike lanes have a proven track record for increasing safety. While they may just be stripes of paint on the ground, striping creates a defined space for bicyclist that motorists and make bicycle travel more predictable.

Connectivity – the plan is a snapshot of a full build out. If this is going to be the guide for street design, it needs to be as robust as possible. There is no sense in creating a plan that is disjointed. Residents should be able to get where they are going by the most direct route possible. Gaps in the connectivity will make bicycle travel between different parts of the city less likely.

Access – As is, Plan “C” is a stripped down Plan “A.”  Plan C includes numerous cases where former planned bike lanes (removed in Plan B) were added back in Plan C, but as bike routes, even though there is ample pavement width to accommodate them as bike lanes.  While bike routes may serve an experienced rider that feels comfortable riding with traffic already, they do little to encourage the novice rider to take to the streets. If the bike routes are passed in lieu of bike lanes, and bike routes implemented accordingly, safety and accessibility will only marginally increase.

In order to give the plan a chance at being effective — by increasing safety and connectivity — please add back the following bike improvements (priority projects in green):

View the PDF Map version here

1. Border (from Mesquite to Collins): This route offers an east-west connection from the university to Collins and can be completed by simply adding a stripe of paint.
2. Daniel (from Pioneer to Timberview): wide enough for bike lanes via a stripe but is listed in Plan C as a shared lane (bike route).
3. Davis North (from Green Oaks to Randol Mill): This is a major north-south route in northwest Arlington, connecting River Legacy and northern neighborhoods to central Arlington and UTA campus, and there is enough space for bike lanes via re-striping but this was eliminated in Plans B and Plan C.
4. Davis North (from Randol Mill to Sanford):This segmenthas ample existing pavement width for bike lanes by simply adding stripes but this was eliminated in Plans B and C.
5. PRIORITY: Davis North (from Sanford to UTA Blvd): This segmenthas ample existing pavement width for bike lanes by re-striping the road, but this was changed to a bike route in Plan C.
6. PRIORITY: Davis South (from UTA Blvd to Park Row): This segment has ample existing pavement width for bike lanes by simply adding a stripe, but Plan C calls for a shared lane (bike route).
7. PRIORITY: Eden (or Curry) (from Russell Curry to Calendar): an on-street connection that makes sense due to the connectivity to Tierra Verde
8. Hardisty Dr (from Sublett Creek Linear Park to Cooper): wide enough for a bike lane, but is listed in Plan C as shared lane.
9. PRIORITY: Kelly Elliot (from W Pleasant Ridge to W Sublett): Offers an important north / south connection on the west side of the city where Plan C shows nothing.
10. PRIORITY: Kelly Elliot (from W Sublett to Gentle Springs): Offers an important north / south connection on the west side of the city where Plan C shows nothing.  Can be accomplished by simply adding a stripe.
11. Lamar (from Green Oaks to HWY 360): Enough space exists to add a wide outside lane by simply restriping the road, but this was eliminated in Plan B and C.
12. Norwood (from Lynnwood to Park Row):Wide enough for bike lanes via adding a stripe, but is listed in Plan C as a shared lane (bike route).
13. Norwood (from Bowen to OS Gray Park):Shown as an off-street path in Plan C, this stretch of road connects a bike lane to a bike route, and so should remain on-street to avoid interrupting the on-street system and increase safety.
14. Oakwood (from Green Oaks to Randol Mill): Has ample existing pavement width for bike lanes by simply adding stripes, but Plan C calls for a shared lane (bike route).
15. Sherry (from Mitchell to Craig Hanking Drive): Has adequate pavement width for bike lanes via adding a stripe, but Plan C lists it as a shared lane (bike route).
16. Spanish Trail (from Arkansas to end of Veterans Park):Wide enough for bike lanes via adding a stripe but is listed in Plan C as shared lane.
17. PRIORITY: Sublett (from Calendar to US Hwy 287): Connects existing bike lane towards Kennedale
18. PRIORITY: Sublett (from US Hwy 287 to West City Border): Connects existing bike lane to Kennedale
19. Treepoint (from SW Nature Preserve to Little Rd):Wide enough for bike lanes via adding stripes, but is listed in Plan C as shared lane.
20. PRIORITY: Tucker (from Pantego to Davis): Wide enough for bike lanes via adding stripes but is listed as a shared lane (bike route) in Plan C.
21. Wimbledon (from Bowen to Sandalwood): Connects neighborhoods to the Harold Patterson Sports Complex.  A bike lane can be adding by simply adding stripes, but Plan C shows no connection.
22. PRIORITY: Woodside (from Woodland Park Blvd to W Pleasant Ridge): Offers an important north / south connection on the west side of the city where Plan C shows nothing.  Can be accomplished by simply adding a stripe.

City Council, please add back these important elements that provide additional connectivity to the system and provide additional safety and comfort for all users.

We thank you for your time and your service to our community.

Bike Friendly Arlington