One week ago this morning we were writing about Israel "Dallas" Torres's over-the-weekend accident on the Jefferson Boulevard Viaduct, where a motorist sent the veteran cyclist to intensive car. As Jason Roberts noted then, and as the council's Transportation and Environment Committee will be reminded again at 1 today, the Jefferson Viaduct is high on the list of projects marked "Expedited Bike Plan Implementation"; matter of fact, per today's second go at a Dallas Bike Plan Implementation briefing, it's one of the few restriping projects for which there is no "funding gap." None whatsoever.
Which, per the briefing, is not the case elsewhere: There are 327 miles of streets scheduled to be restriped between March and September, 183 miles of which overlap with the bike plan's recommended routes. But the city once again will say there's no money ("Additional cost for 183 miles of bike facility striping is $3.9 million), no cost savings from striping bike facilities
simultaneously with standard lanes," and no need for these particular lanes besides, not right now ("The majority of restriping project overlaps with Bike
Plan routes would not provide strategic connections to
the bike network at this time"). Which reminds me: According to the city, it costs on average $1,690 per mile to restripe a Dallas street. That's from today's Pavement Markings briefing, which immediately precedes Bike Plan talk.
And, don't forget: To implement the bike plans, there still need to be those pesky thoroughfare amendments.
Speaking of which: According to today's briefing, there 16 "time-sensitive Thoroughfare
Plan amendments" waiting to be processed, each of which will be handled by a single overburdened city staffer. And to implement the Bike Plan, there will be more amendments needed ... then more on top of that. Which is why council will be told this afternoon that perhaps the city's bicycle planner, Max Kalhammer, may need to have his job and resources "re-aligned to
focus on Bike Plan related Thoroughfare Plan amendments." But they're trying, goshdangit, they're trying.
And speaking of thoroughfares: During the same briefing council will also discuss ways to manage neighborhood traffic, a very related subject. So in case you were wondering how one goes about getting some residential-parking-only restrictions, say, this briefing's for you.
