State Street Interruptors
The recent suggestion to place speed bumps on State Street to reduce bike speeds is a great idea and far better than the placement of “slow your roll” signs. However, speed bumps would likely be disregarded in the same way car drivers ignore their intended purpose. For all we know, placing speed bumps may end up as another thrill for ebikers wanting to leap over them at high speeds.
An alternate idea would be the placement of K-rails at every mid-block where the current inoperative traffic-signal-controlled crosswalk is located. Set these K-rails in a staggered manner and horizontal to bike traffic to force any and all bicycles to slow down in order to walk and/or wiggle their way through these staggered K-rails. First responders would not be prevented from making emergency efforts since the K-rails would be located only at the mid-block crosswalk locations.
By example there is the U.S. 101 freeway crosswalk/bikeway at Junipero and Calle Real near Oak Park. At that location, any bicyclist must slow down when approaching from Calle Real to gain access to cross that U.S. 101 bridgeway because the opening is intentionally staggered and narrow for access and passage.
As an experiment, these K-rails could initially be placed at only two or three crosswalks to see if there is any potential impact for slowing bike speeds. This proposed idea would of course first need to be evaluated by the City’s risk management department for any potential downside. If risk management gives their approval, proper signage would obviously be required. The K-rails could then be colorized by local artists in the same way as the K-rails have been colorized at State Street along Haley Street.
This idea could allow more pedestrians to actually walk on State Street giving the area the promenade often discussed. Pedestrians would not have to contend with speeding bikes within the mid-block areas. There is also the possibility that high speed ebikers would abandon using State Street being frustrated that these K-rails have slowed their speeds forcing them to find alternate routes. Cruising State Street on an ebike will become more of a disrupted hassle ride than a free flowing pleasure ride.
When State Street was closed to vehicle traffic, bicyclists were given the privilege to ride uninterruptedly down the middle of the street. As a daily bike commuter it has been enjoyable to ride down the middle of State Street without vehicles present. However, that privilege is now being abused by many careless and reckless bicyclists. Ergo, if you abuse a privilege that privilege should either be taken away or interrupted by placing K-rails within the mid-block on the route of travel.