From the Austin American-Statesman
http://www.statesman.com/news/conten...28bicycle.html
Austin working on bike-friendly improvements
Task force report recommends more lanes, safety education to encourage riding.
By Katie Humphrey
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Even bicycle riders need a place to park.
If they're headed to work, they also need a place to shower and don office attire.
And those are just accessories. Bicycle routes, well-maintained lanes and safe streets are a must for recreational and commuting bicyclists alike, according to the City of Austin's Street Smarts Task Force.
The task force, launched by Mayor Will Wynn and Lance Armstrong in March 2007, presented its findings to the City Council last month.
The report includes more than 100 recommendations, including new street markings and bike route signs, cyclist safety education and a three-foot distance requirement for motorists passing cyclists. The report does not include cost estimates. Since 2003, six people have been killed in nearly 1,200 collisions between bicycles and cars in Austin. More than 1,000 of those have resulted in injuries.
Public Works Department staff members are now evaluating how some of the ideas can be incorporated into the city's bicycle plan, last updated in 1998. Others may require further direction from the City Council.
"Our goal is to implement usable and effective bicycle facilities," said Annick Beaudet, the city's bicycle program manager, who often rides to work.
If there are enough facilities for cyclists — trails, designated routes, bicycle parking — people are more likely to take up cycling for exercise, recreation and commuting, she said.
According to the report, 7,900 people commute by bicycle, and nearly 150,000 people old enough to drive also participate in recreational cycling.
Sara Krause, the task force's chairwoman and a competitive cyclist, said encouraging more people to ride could take thousands of vehicles off the road each day.
"When you look at how to get more people commuting (by bicycle) and how to create more recreational access, you need to create recreational access for all levels of cyclists, including people who are newer," Krause said.
That means off-street trails, such as the hike-and-bike trail, which appeal to newer riders, and better awareness of safe street routes for commuters.
Task force members rode every city bicycle route and developed a database of conditions and hazards before coming up with recommendations based on the best practices in cyclist-friendly cities, such as Portland, Ore.
Recommendations encourage the city to look at different types of route markings, such as shared-lane arrows or "sharrows," which signal to drivers that bicycles are allowed and should be expected in some lanes.
They also said both cyclists and drivers need to be educated about rules, which should be fairly enforced, noting that the Austin police could develop a database to track bicycle and vehicle accidents to identify trouble spots.
The task force also recommended that the city hire more staff and establish a permanent board or commission dedicated to bicycle and pedestrian issues.
"As you develop a more dense urban environment, a lot of the issues that need to be addressed for bicyclists can also be addressed for pedestrians at the same time," Krause said.
Libby Bicak, a 21-year-old St. Edward's University student whose bicycle is her primary mode of transportation, said she would welcome infrastructure improvements, especially continuous bike lanes. Reminding drivers of bicycle-related laws and etiquette would also be nice, she said, noting that motorists have yelled and thrown things at her as she rides on South Lamar Boulevard.
"We think we're progressive, but I feel like it could be better," Bicak said. "It's kind of frustrating."
Wynn said he was pleased with the task force's work and excited about exploring some of the recommendations.
"They really drilled deep into the details," Wynn said. "I think there's a strong will, not only in the community and on this council ... to start to make some changes to roads to make Austin safer to ride bicycles."
Until then you could ride under the bridge at 5th go up the stairs, then head east towards the monarch, right at the end of the bridge hang a left and follow it until you get to the new pedestrian bridge that crosses over shoal creek and then you are practically at town lake. 
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