[SDCBC] Speed limit setting, was Re: Friars Road Bike Lane Street Sweep

[Jim Baross]

Thanks Bill.
You get a better idea of what's going on with your commitment to 
serve as our rep. on that SD Traffic Advisory Committee! How many 
years has it been that you've served as a volunteer for that?

So, are bicyclists considered "side friction" or what when a study is 
done and a recommendation made. Is there a procedure that we could be 
more involved with to rally bicyclist "citizen groups" to request 
speed limits more attuned to our safety?

Thanks again.
Jim B

At 08:21 AM 5/11/2007, Bill Matella wrote:
>Without generalizing to Friars Road specifically, I have seen the
>"anti-speed trap law result in lower speeds as well as higher.  Generally,
>as a road becomes more congested with more side friction, the speeds
>actually decrease.  Therefore, when the roadway speed limit is recertified
>for radar, an engineering study is performed, including a speed survey to
>determine the 85th percentile.  I have seen citizen groups request forgoing
>the radar certification of a speed limit just to keep the nominal speed
>plate lower.
>
>I cannot attest that all governmental entities follow the state law with
>equal enthusiasm.
>
>Bill Matella
>SDCBC
>San Diego Traffic Advisory Committee
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Jim Baross" <JimBaross at cox.net>
>To: <SDCBC at bikesandiego.org>
>Sent: Friday, May 11, 2007 8:00 AM
>Subject: [SDCBC] Speed limit setting, was Re: Friars Road Bike Lane Street
>Sweep
>
>
> >I wonder if the "updating" is an example of the current standard for
> > setting the speed limit at (or very near) the 85% of recorded motor
> > vehicle speeds? This "anti-speed-trap" law/standard was enacted to
> > protect motorists from predatory traffic ticketing and since, or also
> > is embraced by traffic engineers as a "safety practice" believing
> > that if motorists are traveling faster, it must be safe to do so...
> > without giving sufficient weight to the hazards higher speeds add to
> > those who might choose to use a bicycle and walk on those roads.  IMHO.
> > :-(
> >
> > At 06:45 AM 5/11/2007, Gene Carman wrote:
> >
> >>At one time the city owned a sweeper that fit that lane...  but it
> >>has since broken and the city has determined that the budget doesn't
> >>have room for a new sweeper.
> >>
> >>Meantime Friars road used to be a 45MPH road with fairly light
> >>traffic and few intersections...  but the valley has been fully
> >>developed, lots of new homes have been added along with driveways,
> >>and other intersections, and the speed on the road somehow has been
> >>"updated."  (to reflect not better conditions, but simply motorists
> >>moving faster) thus making the road decidedly less than bike friendly.
> >>
> >>At 05:59 AM 5/11/2007, Fulton Martin wrote:
> >> >If I'm not mistaken, the reason it gets so dirty is that a regular
> >> >street sweeper doesn't fit within it, so any sweeping has to be done
> >> >manually.
> >> >
> >> >Jim Baross wrote:
> >> > > That bermed off space is not a bike lane. It is a non-standard
> >> > > facility that should be removed, IMHO... or changed in some major
> >> > > manner that I cannot envision. There are many people however who feel
> >> > > safer behind the berm or on the sidewalk; they don't seem to notice
> >> > > or mind the inconveniences, but I certainly hope they realize the
> >> > > hazards they face at every driveway and intersection!
> >> >
> >> >--
> >> >Fulton Martin
> >> >__=o&o>__
> >> >public at exwis.com
> >> >San Diego, CA
> >> >N32 43.956, W117 05.874
> >
> >
> >
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