Omaha protected bike lanes

[Taco]

OWH reported that in Mayor Stothert's State of the City speech on Friday she endorsed temporary protected bike lanes whhich will potentially be operational this summer and in use for up to 18 months. Planned routes are:

- Bluejay Bikeway on Burt st from 16th to 24th
- Market to Midtown Bikeway on Harney from 10th to Turner blvd

Personally I want to see these operational before giving stothert too much credit given her past actions on bikes, but really like this plan if it comes to fruition. Many cities have shown "if you build it, they will come" in regards to bike infrastructure and I believe these two routes will be highly trafficked enough to continue in the future. I believe the temporary measure is good for getting them started without a long legislative process and hope to see this tried with other transportation improvements like parklets and car-free zones as well.

https://www.omaha.com/news/local/stothe ... 22ddb.html

[S.O.Boy]

Leavenworth has a bike lane in downtown. I never seen a bike use it.

[Busguy2010]

Leavenworth has a bike lane in downtown. I never seen a bike use it.

At the same time, Leavenworth never really needed 3 eastbound lanes either. I think I've seen two people use it. And I'm not down there often, and also during off-times.

[hamburgbamberg]

Leavenworth has a bike lane in downtown. I never seen a bike use it.

I've seen quite a few cars driving down that bike lane, which might explain why bikers aren't apt to use it.

[mistergutierrez]

24th street south of Leavenworth has been reduced from two lanes in each direction to just one with a turn lane in the middle. I understand that bike lanes will be added.

[Busguy2010]

24th street south of Leavenworth has been reduced from two lanes in each direction to just one with a turn lane in the middle. I understand that bike lanes will be added.

Leavenworth south to what point? I've always kind of liked this idea, but do have my doubts about not being able to pass slower cars. I'm assuming they would probably have to keep four lanes between Vinton and C Street due to the interstate ramps... But aren't they planning to remove those too?

[Taco]

These bike lanes will go all the way to bellevue I believe, but they are not protected.

As for the initial, protected, bike lanes that began this thread - Julie Harris of Bike Walk Nebraska confirmed to me they are delayed due to a lack of funding from the coronavirus. I am sad because trail use is way, way up and I had hoped the city could capitalize on that momentum.

[Busguy2010]

I just went for a drive on 30th street and I noticed that it has been reduced from 4 lanes to 2 and a turn lane with a bike lane and parking on both sides. It is very fresh as in they might have striped it today. New asphalt as well. This was from Ames to Cuming.

I still have my doubts about the effectiveness of the road diets of 24th and 30th, as well as the safety and usefulness of their bike lanes, but I suppose that remains to be seen. I just have to say I don't think I'd be too comfortable using the bike lane on 30th particularly. Just have to say that people up there are in a hurry and don't hesitate to break the rules of the road as pretty much every time I'm driving on north 24th or Florence Boulevard (which are single lanes) I get passed for going the speed limit or even 5 over.

[Taco]

I just went for a drive on 30th street and I noticed that it has been reduced from 4 lanes to 2 and a turn lane with a bike lane and parking on both sides. It is very fresh as in they might have striped it today. New asphalt as well. This was from Ames to Cuming.

Are these protected lanes? The lanes they've previously had by highlander were not protected.

[Busguy2010]

Are these protected lanes? The lanes they've previously had by highlander were not protected.

No, they are not protected, I should have said. They do have the buffer stripe, though, which you know doesn't mean much.

[BRoss]

I can see the reasoning behind these projects.

24th Street is head-to-head, so anyone turning causes the left lane to get held up. Moving from four to three lanes should make things flow better. 42nd Street used to be the same way between Dodge and Leavenworth and I think that has really helped there.

30th Street was already five lanes, so you don't get the benefit of the added center turn lane. But this stretch overlaps with the North Freeway a half mile away, so it doesn't need as much capacity anymore.

The only thing I don't like about road diets (at least when it goes down to a single lane in each direction) is taking away the ability to pass. It can be frustrating being behind someone going five or more under.

But overall I like the trend of putting more bike lanes into the more urban areas of the city.

[Busguy2010]

I can see the reasoning behind these projects.

24th Street is head-to-head, so anyone turning causes the left lane to get held up. Moving from four to three lanes should make things flow better. 42nd Street used to be the same way between Dodge and Leavenworth and I think that has really helped there.
The only thing I don't like about road diets (at least when it goes down to a single lane in each direction) is taking away the ability to pass. It can be frustrating being behind someone going five or more under.

You're right, it was 5 lanes. I don't think the lack of passing options should be understated as "the only disadvantage" of these two road diets. 30th and 24th were and are some pretty busy streets, and as I said, I've been passed on pretty much all the road-dieted streets.

Lemme think here, there was North 16th, Florence Boulevard, North 24th, North 30th, South 16th, South 24th, and Park Ave. Of those, I've only not been passed on South 24th, and North 30th because I've only driven them a few times, and once respectively. Technically Leavenworth too, but it's not single-lane. And I'm not a slow driver either, going at least the speed limit or faster.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for alternative forms of transit, but I do question whether going from two lanes to one is actually an effective means to whatever the goal is. Especially when they're only doing this in the ghetto. If they're willing to do this to 30th and 24th, what is really stopping them from taking the center lane from Dodge and making it a turn lane? Now THAT would be a useful change.

[BRoss]

24th were and are some pretty busy streets, and as I said, I've been passed on pretty much all the road-dieted streets.

To be honest, I don't know the traffic patterns of these streets. Excess capacity was just the one of the reasons given for doing this. And looking at it from a regional perspective, it makes sense.

I get the 24th Street one a lot more as I personally think having a center turn lane is better than having multiple lanes. But the 30th Street one I found odd when I first heard of the plans a couple years ago. I actually wasn't a fan of the idea of road diets when I first heard of them. I've warmed to the idea of 4 to 3, but am more skeptical on the 5 to 3.

I guess we'll have to see how it works out.

[S.O.Boy]

North 30th makes sense, during the day traffic is very light