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So they\u2019ve installed Zebra lane barriers<\/a>\u00a0(also known as zebra lane delineators). The European invention\u2013\u2013an 8-inch-high hump of recycled\u00a0PVC plastic covered in highly visible reflective \u201czebra\u201d stripes\u2013\u2013is widely used to protect cyclists in Spain, The U.K., and the Netherlands<\/a>. It\u2019s proved critical in the expansion of \u201cDutch-style\u201d cycle track<\/a>s throughout Europe.<\/p>\n Instead of a large physical obstruction, Zebras impede moving tires making it difficult for cars to cross into the bike lane. Many question whether such a low-profile solution will be effective in the United States, where cycling is still widely regarded as novel.<\/p>\n As expected, some drivers are ignoring the visual cues, a recent article on dcist.com<\/a> points out. #BikeDC<\/a> reveals SUVs driving right over the seperators. While the pictures might be discouraging it\u2019s important to remember that these cars are forced to slow down \u2013 they can\u2019t just swerve into the bike lane or steal a quick turn with Zebras in the way.<\/p>\n So far, DDOT has installed 34 Zebras to the 1200 block of Pennsylvania Avenue. Over the next several months they\u2019ll record how the lane blockers affect crash data and alter design plans accordingly.<\/p>\n Pennsylvania Avenue may be the perfect petri-dish. The 8-lane highway is stuck with an increasingly popular, but dangerous piece of cycling infrastructure. The bike lane is in the center of the highway\u2013\u2013as opposed to the boundary\u2013\u2013giving cyclists a roomy 16-foot-wide path, uninterrupted by bus stops and other peripheral activities.<\/p>\n Still, the tirelessly popular freeway\u2013\u2013which borders the Capitol Mall\u2013\u2013is a hot-spot for tourism. Cabs and other vehicles frequently make U-turns in order to reach passengers without taking lengthy trips around the block. To do so, they cross right through the bike lane. And U-turns aren\u2019t the only issue. Cars are also known to park in the center bike lane and pedestrians crossing into the median don\u2019t \u201cWe moved the bike lane into the median because it would have less effect on traffic,\u201d says Mike Goodno, Bicycle Specialist for DDOT. \u201cBecause we had the available space we thought it would be less impact overall. We moved it there knowing we might have some issues\u2013\u2013certainly with pedestrians.\u201d<\/p>\n Traffic laws now prohibit U-turns along Pennsylvania Avenue\u2013\u2013punishable by hefty fines\u2013\u2013and the agency has held several enforcement campaigns. They\u2019ve added signs to traffic signals and worked directly with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)<\/a> and the taxicab industry to spread the word. Still, U-turns have continued.<\/p>\n Zebra lane seperators are flexible and durable so they\u2019re safe for cars. At the same time, the edgeless, ridged surface makes it impossible for cars to cross over swiftly. Even drivers that choose to ignore the reflective stripes encounter friction and are forced to slow down.<\/p>\n By adding Zebras, the DDOT hopes drivers will finally get the message. The safety measure took the DDOT just two hours to install. During the next inauguration ceremony, DDOT can remove the bolted Zebras to make room for crowds. In fact, the Zebra installation plans were approved by The U.S. Commission on Fine Arts<\/a>, in part, because the sleek design helps maintain the roadway\u2019s aesthetics.<\/p>\n \u201cZebra was attractive because we can put it in fairly quickly,\u201d says Goodno. \u201cIt\u2019s a very low-profile device.\u201d<\/p>\n Yet, the DDOT\u2019s design plans have still been questioned by dsict.com, Greater Greater Washington<\/a> and other D.C blogs. Some believe the agency is neglecting manufacturer advice by adding delineators every 15-feet instead of the recommended 10-foot spacing. The DDOT has also chosen to put the product inside the surrounding “buffer” area and not at the outermost edge, and has aligned them vertically\u2013\u2013instead of diagonally\u2013\u2013with traffic lines.<\/p>\n Goodno claims the modifications will help keep bikers from hitting the Zebras. \u201cWe wanted to provide as much space as possible to the bikers,\u201d he says. \u201cWe decided to put them centered and straight so they\u2019re parallel with traffic. I think they\u2019re quite visible that way.\u201d<\/p>\n Furthermore, by staggering Zebras on both side of the bike lane, Goodno says cars can\u2019t crossover the bike lane without hitting a blocker. DDOT hopes the arrangement will save money and allow them to maximize the use of Zebras along Penn Ave.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we find that we\u2019re still getting a lot of U-turns we can modify it,\u201d he says. \u201cWe thought we\u2019d start and see how this works.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite apparent safety risks, the bike lane at Pennsylvania Ave has grown popular, making it difficult to disbar. The DDOT must find a way to increase safety without changing the structure.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a persistent issue for the agency, which is tasked with increasing the city-wide cycle transport to 5 percent by 2015 all while decreasing accidents. By 2032, ridership must rise to 25 percent in order to meet the goals laid out in Mayor Vincent Gray’s A Vision for a Sustainable DC.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Goodno says Zebras can help them get there. Upcoming infrastructure projects include adding concrete median strips and cobblestones to make designated roads more bike and pedestrian friendly. Yet, to avoid another bike lane debacle, they want to test new designs before they commit.<\/p>\n \u201cZebras and flexible posts are ideal for the interim,\u201d he says. \u201cThey\u2019re low cost and they can be temporary. A lot of these projects we want to test for a little while and make sure we have everything correct before we build it permanently. If this works out well we probably will use Zebras in other areas of the city.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" They\u2019ve tried paint, signs, and $100 fines. Still, officials at Washington D.C.\u2019s Department of Transportation (DDOT) say they can\u2019t keep motor vehicles out of the median cycle track on Pennsylvania Avenue. So they\u2019ve installed Zebra lane barriers\u00a0(also known as zebra lane delineators). The European invention\u2013\u2013an 8-inch-high hump of recycled\u00a0PVC plastic covered in highly visible reflective \u201czebra\u201d stripes\u2013\u2013is widely used to … Continue reading “America’s Most Notorious Bike Path Gets a Facelift”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1302,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[94,135,136],"class_list":["post-1296","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bicycle-safety","tag-zebra","tag-lane-separators","tag-bike-lanes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.trafficsafetystore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1296","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.trafficsafetystore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.trafficsafetystore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.trafficsafetystore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.trafficsafetystore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1296"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/staging.trafficsafetystore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1296\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.trafficsafetystore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1302"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.trafficsafetystore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1296"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.trafficsafetystore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1296"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.trafficsafetystore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1296"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}On October 30th, DDOT pioneered the product in the U.S.<\/h4>\n
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In some cases, the safety tool has even caused cars to get \u201cstuck\u201d <\/a>without causing damage and that might be the best possible outcome for a car that ventures into the bike lane.<\/p>\n
\nThree years since the DDOT added the infrastructure, ridership has doubled but accidents have tripled\u2013\u201332 bike accidents were reported in less than three years. Some cyclists say they avoid the bike path altogether.<\/p>\n![\"images\"](\"https:\/\/staging.trafficsafetystore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/images8.jpg\")
anticipate oncoming bicyclists.<\/p>\n![\"images](\"https:\/\/staging.trafficsafetystore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/images-110.jpg\")
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