LexRides

[lukebox]

With so much new construction going on, there's been quite a build up of debris that's been washed into striped bike lanes. I'm sure you've all clinched rolling through a construction site littered with gravel and jagged refuse, while hesitant to cross the line into a more clear path amidst motor vehicle traffic.

Drivers see you in the bike lane, and assume that's where you will stay. They're less alert and not as likely to keep an eye out for you. Then, if they do see you in the traffic lane right next to a bike lane it really doesn't give a majority of citizens much faith in the usefulness of the implementation.

I would like to think this would be physical clean-up program, and not a 'this is who you call to complain' type of thing.

I've done some googling, and there doesn't seem to be a lot of cities with this sort of program on paper. The most successful, comes out of Sonoma CA.

We're lucky to have the miles of lanes that we do, and I think expecting to have all of them adopted is daunting. Seems to make the most sense to focus on lanes with the most daily traffic. BPAC and Lex Area MPO have been collecting data VIA mobile apps, so as of right now, despite it's flaws would provide the most accurate metrics.

Another option being, allowing whatever volunteers to adopt whatever segment they feel comfortable managing.

Other questions;

Accountability
- Managers contact info made public

- Annual lane inspection

- Clean-up schedule, or on need be basis


Program
- Involvement with BPAC, LMPO, LFUCG
* Signage, material cost, legal 'clout', PR

- Grass roots VIA forum, FB, website, phone number
* Quicker to implement

- Record Keeping

- Annual individual member(s) clean-up vs annual large group clean-up
* A large group clean-up would be really cool in the winter . Dispatch after a big snow and clear some high-traffic lanes, or in the fall when yard waster gets to be a problem.


Outreach
- Involving community outside of BikeLex

- Local groups/businesses

[bethany]

I think this is a great idea! It's one I've ruminated on myself.
I live close to the tracks on Rosemont and frequently go and clear those bike lanes of glass myself (after repeatedly contacting my City Council rep and asking that they be occasionally street cleaned, to no avail).

Shorter section of bike lanes might be more easily managed by folks.
I'm all for it.

Bethany

[lukebox]

Thanks Bethany!

I think a lot of us know exactly where you're talking about. Around those tracks can get trashy. I've repeatedly reported stuff to 311, but have never seen any action on their behalf. I think they're mainly focused on vehicular traffic, which is fine too.

So goes my conflict between taking this on among ourselves, or reaching out to MPO and BPAC to try and get some backing there.

I like the idea of organizing 6-12 individuals with brooms and dustpans, documenting our success then taking higher-up to see if anyone wants to run with it. If not, then we still have those individuals and whatever momentum they've created.

I'm on Kentucky and Euclid, and with 4 others (2 sweep on each side with 1 trailer with a trash can strapped down on each side, or even just rolling a curby on the sidewalk) I think we could clean up both sides of Euclid from S. Ashland > Rose in an hour.

[bethany]

Currently if a bike lane needs attention there are definitely no first responders. It would be ideal if the city would assign this task to someone but if that isn't feasible, I think a grassroots effort would certainly work. Doing a trial run on a couple of bike lanes to see how it goes sounds good.

I'm happy to lead the charge on Rosemont. And can easily store brooms and dustpans for the effort at my pad.