Bike lanes on Richmond-San Rafael Bridge are contributing to pollution, car drivers say
Bike lanes are typically seen as being environmentally friendly. But some Bay Area leaders say the one on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge is causing an increase in pollution.
Should be noted that Damon Connolly (the legislator trying to shut the bike lane) was convicted for DUI hit-and-run. It says a lot about the current state of political affairs that he was elected to the Assembly as opposed to serving a jail term.
Converting the bike lane to auto lane wouldn't fix traffic anyway. Just beyond the bridge the road is only two lanes (really 1-lane as most of the traffic is getting on the 101 exit). Traffic studies by Caltrans showed that putting 3 lanes on the bridge would actually make things worse.
What do you mean adding more lanes won’t solve traffic?!? TELL THAT TO MY 40 LANE HIGHWAY
"We don't want to eliminate the bikers, that's not what we're trying to do," said Fisher, while advocating the removal of bikelane, thus eliminating the biker. This smell fishy.
That has the same vibe as, "I don't hate black people. I just don't think they deserve to drink from the same fountain, use the same bathroom, or eat in the same restaurant as me!"
Rather than advocate for the removal of someone else's active, green form of transportation, he should be advocating for car pooling, better public transportation, WFH to lessen the burden of commuter traffic, and smaller vehicles.
But then how will they use their Ford F40000 Fleshreaper™ "blood for the car god"© to sacrifice to moloch?
Comparing transportation modes with racism? Damn
They can still bike around in their driveways or whatever they do.
They can still ride on the road, you’re exaggerating
It’ll make it less safe though
They can still ride on the road
It’ll make it less safe though
Lmao.
And no i'm not exaggerating. The safety of bicycle lane is exactly why there's an average of 140 cyclist using that bridge daily. Removing it will lower it to a single digit, if not 0. Not many people want to risk their life and ride alongside an american driver.
Ok but in that case I will be in the middle of the lane to ensure maximum visibility. I would rather a proper bike lane and I am pretty sure the people screaming because they can't overtake dangerously would rather I had a bike lane even if they don't know it
The coalition argues that not only does the bike lane create more traffic,
False. Cars create the traffic, and "one more lane, bro" will do nothing to help. This is a fact played out EVERYWHERE.
but it also creates more pollution from all the cars backed up on the bridge.
Sounds like a car-made problem, man.
He says he's tired of seeing cars idling endlessly, inching along the bridge with the bike lane empty, or - if not empty - at least under-utilized.
Quite curiously, Google Maps seems to suggest that the BRIDGE never has bad congestion, but the highway leading up to the bridge (without bike lanes) is very congested during rush hour, beginning 4km away.
These copium addicts will say anything lmao
Honestly, while I'd typically say the solution is to use the bike lane, the bridge is 5.5 mi (8.85km) long, the very shortest commutes between destinations on the two sides is about 7mi (11.25km), taking about 40mins each way. Still the fact that a few hundred cyclists use it each day is impressive, and there would be little car-free access between the cities otherwise.
A dedicated public transit bus lane with frequent service between SMART and BART, would be a lot better of an idea.
the bridge is 5.5 mi (8.85km) long, the very shortest commutes between destinations on the two sides is about 7mi (11.25km), taking about 40mins each way.
Unless someone is riding at a very slow 16km/h pace, it would take far less than 40 minutes to ride that 11km (without an ebike).
On that note, if someone had the choice of sitting in traffic for an hour, or enjoying a beautiful 40 minute ride over a bridge, I think it would be an easy choice to make 🤗
No. I want to ride the bridge.
It's also super windy exactly across the bridge most of the time. Sucks for biking, I never could bring myself to do it
Or a shared lane for buses and bikes? But it might defeat the purpose of providing more comfort and safety to cyclists
If they wanted to cut pollution, they'd ban all cars from the bridge and make it public transit + bike only. Cars aren't idling when there's no cars.
Unfortunately it’s not that easy. They’re still needed for many places, when moving stuff around, when public transportation isn’t developed enough, which is pretty much the case worldwide if you want to go to a specific address
This is a clear example of miscommunication.
Banning all cars from the bridge was not meant as a serious proposal, but just to show that these people do not care about pollution at all.
Meanwhile, you seem to have taken that proposal as serious and that it was calling to ban cars everywhere, instead of just one bridge. Banning cars everywhere is a fringe opinion even here, and I think no one ever suggested you have to "move stuff" with cargo bikes and public transport exclusively. On top of that, I personally don't quite agree with the way you said public transport is "underdeveloped". Yes there are specific addresses you can barely reach pretty much everywhere, but you comment reads as any specific address can't be reached. I think we can expect people to walk a few hundred yards to a bus stop.
Wrong thing to say at the wrong place, do better next time.
This is like complaining that the road shoulders aren't being used.
That bike lane took forever to get through. It will NEVER be used as much as cars taking up the bridge.
Whining about it is like complaining that sidewalks use up valuable space alongside a road.
Simple: connect BART to Marin. Unfortunately they shot that down years ago as the poors might use it.
Naw fuck that bike lane. Any accident on that bridge during the morning commute causes backups that go for miles. I cross that bridge every day and the bike lane is totally underutilized. It's nothing like the golden gate bridge. That bridge needs replacing anyway, it's old and falling apart.
Maybe they could make it a bike bridge since they are so much lighter than cars.
Yeah, would allow it to last longer.
Reducing the amount of cars on the bridge reduces air pollution even if no one bikes on it. Which, to be clear, they do.
