Division on bike lane changes on Delaware Street

The project, estimated to cost $3.6 million — half from grants and half from local funds — has angered several residents of nearby complexes along Delaware Street, including Ironwood. Roberta Drake, president of the Ironwood Board of Directors, said the residents weren’t contacted or informed of the plans.

She added that, currently, the second southbound lane is critical for traffic flow, as the far right lane is often blocked due to cars waiting on cyclists and pedestrians so they can turn into their complexes or truck deliveries that take up the whole lane.

“There are days where I can’t get out of my complex because of congestion. I’m afraid it will be like that all the time,” Drake said. “When a car turns into the driveway, they sometimes wait for bikers or pedestrians, and you hear people honking all day … but they have another lane to go into and go around it. If they take this out, that won’t exist, and every single car getting off the freeway will have to wait.”

Phil King, however, lives in the Beresford neighborhood and frequently rides his bike to take his daughter to school at College Park Elementary School. He said the improvements will make his commute much safer.

“It’s very difficult to get on to Delaware from 28th or 25th [avenues] without being overwhelmed by cars during the busy part of the day,” King said. “Riding along Delaware, and especially north, you’re riding next to parked cars on one side and relatively busy, high-speed road. I’m always really worried about getting doored, but I really like the design of having the bike lane close to the curb, so there is a buffer.”

King used to live in the Ironwood complex for years and said he understands how frustrating it could be to get in and out of the driveways sometimes. But he said having to cross one lane of traffic southbound, rather than two, is actually easier and the traffic buildup near the State Route 92 entrance is mostly northbound.

“You do get backups, but the northbound lanes are busier, because people are going to the freeway during commute hours,” he said. “I think it will be far easier to leave the driveway by crossing one lane of traffic than two, so long as they get the striping right.”

He added that the street is an arterial road, not just for cars but for cyclists and pedestrians as well.

The project highlights a broader issue with which the city is contending — improving bike lane infrastructure while balancing the needs of nearby residents who park and drive their cars in the area. Earlier this year, the City Council voted to start the process of removing bike lanes in the North Central neighborhood — funded by a $1.5 million federal grant that the city will probably have to re-pay in part — after residents complained about the subsequent loss of parking spaces and voicing concern their input wasn’t included prior to its implementation.

Drake said she feels similarly that the city didn’t seem to take neighboring residents’ insights into account when designing the Delaware Street project.

“They put fliers out, they never sent us any notice,” she said. “I resent that we weren’t included.”

City staff said the first outreach phase began last year which included pop-up events and meetings with schools. The second phase began last week which included community meetings and mailing about 4,000 notices. Construction is anticipated to begin this summer.

alyse@smdailyjournal.com

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