(Not Farmington)
So I headed out for a ride after work today despite the nasty black clouds and rolling thunder. I worked my way over one of my favorite hills (Buena Vista Rd. in West Hartford) and then past the Uconn Health Center, and over into Farmington. The entire stretch was wrapped in rain and clogged with traffic. It was not a pleasant way to start a ride. However, as I turned onto Rt 4 in Farmington I came across what seemed to be DIVIDED BIKE LANES! I wish I had my camera (I left it at home due to the rain but I will head back over soon to get follow up pics) but there was a newly placed asphalt curb to the right of which was a pair of white lines about 3 feet wide running parallel to the road. I was ecstatic as I rode somewhat protected along the wet road for the albeit short distance between Rt 10 and Town Farm Rd. To make things better as I made my turn onto Town Farm Rd. the skies split open and the sun came out to dry the rest of my ride. It was a gorgeous shower of light and mix of sun and clouds, made better by the (perhaps fleeting) idea that there were divided bike lanes so close to where I live. Fleeting because they may just as likely be eventually filled with concrete and made into a sidewalk, but I can dream can I not? In the meantime the barrier is a huge mental boon to cyclists riding along this pretty sketchy stretch of road.
Here is an article in the Courant today about W. Hartford putting in bike paths/lanes.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.courant.com/community/news/hfd/hc-whdbikes0904.artsep04,0,6641222.story
This article was passed along to me this morning by a buddy and while I am genuinely excited about the expansion of cycling resources in the area the whole idea of bike lanes where parking is allowed seems contradictory. It seems the town wants to tout its bicycling infrastructure without going so far as to designate full accommodations. Riding in and out of these lanes around cars hints at a defeat of purpose.
ReplyDeletethe man to bother is councilman chuck crosey. you're his constituent; find out what's up.
ReplyDeletewh claims they're going to be the most bike friendly town around (the dems ran on it for council), so hold them accountable.
Either way, it's a start. Bike friendly cities aren't built in a day. I don't like the idea of cars and car doors in the bike lane but I'll take it for now and hope that the dems will follow through. If so, maybe neighboring towns will follow and implement bike friendly roadways.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I hope they improve. In my eyes, WH is least bicycle friendly town I know.
ReplyDeleteAlthough, their police are pretty receptive, as I filed a report last night for some guy who tried to run me off the road.
Ahh, I wish we had that kind emphasis around here although I can't complain because my commuting is primarily back roads and overall drivers tend to be pretty mindful of us two wheelers.
ReplyDeleteWhat I would like to see is the State putting it's money where it's mouth is and paint some bike lanes on all the roads that they have designated as biking roads!
I think if they started doing that you might just get a few more folks out around here.
i dropped a dime a few months ago on three meatheads in a red car. the police came, heard my story, had already run the plate and was going to head over there to talk to them and 'find a reason to ticket them if they decided to be jerks!
ReplyDeletethat's positive.
a town touting itself as bike friendly with parking allowed in the few bike lanes that exist? no so positive. west hartford, with its new decorative center strips has made much of farmington ave MUCH more dangerious for a bicycle.