Action Needed: Lorain Avenue Public Meeting – UPDATED

Lorain Avenue from W. 117th to W. 150th is planned to be reconstructed this year. The newly paved street will include a dedicated bike lane from W. 129th to W. 150th. BUT for some reason the plan is to install a shared lane with sharrows from W. 129th to W. 117th.

There is a public meeting planned to share the project with the community. We need you there to speak up for continuous bike lanes on Lorain Avenue.

What: Lorain Avenue Streetscape Public Meeting
When: Thursday, February 26th at 6pm
Where: Christ United Methodist Church (Fellowship Hall – Lower Level) 3625 West 138th Street (Parking available next door, in the rear of Marc’s Plaza).
Full details can be found on the flyer here.

 

It is important that the community makes their opinions known about the need for a continuous bike lane on Lorain Avenue.

Please take a moment and contact the decision makers along the corridor. Let them know that you want the safest bike accommodation possible on Lorain Avenue. The people to contact:

Councilwoman Dona Brady
Email: Dbrady@ClevelandCityCouncil.org
Phone: 216-664-3708

Councilman Brian Kazy
Email: Bkazy@ClevelandCityCouncil.org
Phone: 216-664-2942

Director of Capital Projects – Matthew Spronz
Email: MSpronz@city.cleveland.oh.us
Phone: 216-664-2231

Here are some talking points of what to say in your message:

Lorain Avenue is a crucial connector in the City of Cleveland’s bikeway system. Not only is it on the City of Cleveland Bikeway Implementation Plan, but it is also on NOACA’s Regional Priority Bikeway Network.

It is important to build connections that create the safest place for people of all ages and abilities to ride a bike. To accomplish this I strongly encourage you to install a continuous bike lane along Lorain Avenue from W. 150th-W117th.

Bike lanes are good for our community whether you ride a bike, walk, take transit, drive a car or own a business:

1. Studies show that streets with bike lanes are safer not just for people on bikes, but also pedestrians and motor vehicles (http://www.cnu.org/sites/www.cnu.org/files/marshallw_cnu18.pdf).
2. After two streets in Minneapolis were converted to be more bicycle friendly, bike traffic increased 43%, total vehicle crashes decreased, traffic efficiency was maintained, and parking revenues remained consistent (http://www.peopleforbikes.org/statistics/category/safety-statistics).
3. Customers who arrive at retail stores by bike spend the same amount per month as comparable people who arrive by car – they tend to make smaller purchases but return more frequently. Studies in Toronto; New Zealand; Wales; Davis, California; and Portland, Oregon, all found this to be the case (http://kellyjclifton.com/Research/EconImpactsofBicycling/OTRECReport-ConsBehavTravelChoices_Nov2012.pdf)
4. Many industries benefit from having a street that is safe for biking and walking, including retail activity, bike shops, tourism, construction, and real estate development that highlights livability (pg 35: http://www.vtpi.org/nmt-tdm.pdf)
5. Along San Francisco’s Valencia Street nearly 40% of merchants reported increased sales and 60% reported more area residents shopping locally due to reduced travel time and convenience. Two-thirds of merchants said the increased levels of bicycling and walking improved business. (http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/documents/cs/factsheets/cs-revitalize.pdf)
6. Improving active travel conditions, in this case continuous bike lanes, can help achieve equity objectives by providing a fair share of resources to non-drivers and providing basic mobility for physically, economically and socially disadvantaged people (http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/images/uploads/Evaluating_Transportation_Equity.pdf)

If Cleveland is to become a truly bicycle-friendly city we need to build a connected network of bikeways, not one that transitions from a dedicated space for people on bikes to a shared lane with vehicular traffic. Build Lorain Avenue with a connected bike lane form W. 117th to W. 150th.

If you email the contacts above please copy Info@BikeCleveland.org and we will keep a copy of your message for use at any future public meetings. 

One more thing: On Tuesday, February 17th a 71 year old man on a bike was hit and seriously injured on Lorain Avenue at W. 150th. You can read the news story here. While we do not know the full details yet, we do know that these are the types of crashes we want to stop. By calming traffic on Lorain Avenue and creating a dedicated space for people on bikes we will be a little closer to making this street a safer place for everyone to use.

Thank you for your support for a safer Lorain Avenue.