HIGH SAFETY ALERT!

Although it looks complete the new traffic island at SW 57th Avenue (Red Rd) and US -1 has a 4-6" wide channel cut about 6-8" deep on either side between the newly poured curb/ramp and the existing road surface. THIS IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS for bicycle riders, joggers or even pedestrians. The cut is not marked in either direction and is at an angle to the pedestrian crossing so could easily capture the front wheel of a bicycle. WALK bicycles across this intersection until it is repaired properly.

ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE

The pedestrian crossing signals at SW 27th Avenue and US-1 were not operational this morning (12/29)

Along the Path

Riders beware: The intersection of Sunset Drive and US-1 continues to be impassible for bicyclists and pedestrians due to reconstruction of the sidewalks and islands on the west side of the intersection. This has been on-going for about a week and probably has another week to go. A little consideration for M-Path users would have been nice, but in lieu of that I suggest you you detour using SW 62 Ave and SW 70th St.

Another salute to the grass trimmers working on the Path in the Gables between Lejeune and the new Ponce circle who were courteous enough to park their truck off of the paved pathway. Thanks guys.

Right on Red to US1: Suicide or Manslaughter?

Here's an easy fix that may help cyclists and motorists as well, a "two-fer".

SW 16th Avenue's intersection with US-1 is a "T"-type. There is no continuation of 16th Ave east of the Highway. The roadways are signalized but the crossing is not.

There is a sign hanging above the roadway facing 16th Ave which reads: "Right Turn On Red From Right Lane Only". And yes, there is second southbound lane on 16th Avenue so in order for a motor vehicle to turn right on red a driver in the right lane would have to :

• nose his vehicle out far enough to see around the vehicle next to him in the other lane
• to gain the required visibility to the high speed traffic coming south on US-1 he/she would by necessity have to cross the stop line and completely block the striped crossing
• because of the continuous southbound US-1 traffic during most of the day the entering driver could not afford to take his/her eyes off of the line of traffic and would therefore NEVER see a bicyclist or pedestrian approaching from the south on the M-Path

So by permitting this turn the vehicle driver is forced to break the law in order to even make an attempt to enter the traffic flow without signalized assistance. Look, what's the chance of making a safe merge onto a busy US-1 anyway? Why not use some common sense and replace the sign with one that says: "No Right On Red"?

There are other intersections with permitted right-on-red turns to Southbound US-1 along the M-Path. Who needs them? They are inconsistent and dangerous to drivers and M-Path users alike. I urge the County, City (who does have the authority?) to prohibit these turns all along the Path, BUT LET'S START AT SW 16th AVENUE!

Appreciative nod to the grass cutting crew working along the Path in the Gables this morning. They courteously parked their truck off of the pavement.

Crosswalks of Doom

For anyone familiar with the M-Path this is a familiar and dangerous sight; Cars blowing right through crosswalks making right hand turns (or more likely, camping out there, because the traffic on US 1 is so thick that they'll never get to turn anyway) despite the fact that bikers and pedestrians having the green light. You would think threatening signs like this:

might discourage people from jeopardizing the lives of self-propelled commuters, but they do not. There are two reasons for the signs' lack of efficacy; (1) Lack of enforcement. I have never seen anyone getting a ticket for blocking the box, nor heard of it. (2) Lack of visual impact. The signs tend to blend into the background (signs signs everywhere there's signs). 

I would love to see a bicycle policeman patrolling the M-Path. Police officers in cars don't seem to have any interest in enforcing that law, and logistically, it would be hard for them to do. But, a bicycle cop armed with a digital camera would be well equipped to enforce this law. Plus, think about the revenue that would be raked in until drives came to their senses. 

We may or may not get bike cops making the M-Path safe for us all, but fortunately the M-Path Master Plan does have a solution for increasing the visibility of the crosswalks.

I think the visual impact of the ladder style, green crosswalk will help drivers become more aware that there are other people on the roads besides themselves. 

Until these solutions are enacted we are on our own. We all want safer biking conditions, but none of us want to be martyrs for them. So please remember, when you see some jerk in the crosswalk blocking your right of way, just let him pass. Don't risk it. Remember why we commute by bike. It's more enjoyable than commuting by car. That driver is blowing through the crosswalk, because he's miserable on his commute home. We're not. We're on bikes, and we are happy.