Community Corner

Cycling Advocates Urge Iowa City, University Leaders to Improve Bike Safety in Burlington Street Median Project

Cyclists worry that a plan to redesign Burlington Street will make conditions unsafe for biking.

Cycling advocates say a project to add a median to a stretch of Burlington Street could be a nightmare for people that use bikes for commuting or recreation.

That stretch crosses the Iowa River, and is a key funnel between the east and west side of town - for cyclists and cars - but the project squeezes out room for bikes, they say. Advocates want to see an investment in designated bike infrastructure on Burlington.

"You have to let motorist know that cyclists are going to be there, and they are going to be there," said Bradley Parsons, a member of Think Bicycles.

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About 35 people met at the Iowa City Public Library for a meeting about the issue, and the solution Think Bicycles is proposing.

The group hired an architect from RDG Planning & Design to help draw up an alternate proposal, which would add about $100,000, Parsons said. That's about 5 percent, to the total cost of the project, which clocks in at $2 million.

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Read more:

Cyclists to Meet to Urge Burlington Street Bridge Redesign Be Bike Friendly (Audio)

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The project, which doesn't have an official timeline yet, would add a median to Burlington between Madison Street and the Iowa River. The city and University of Iowa is pitching in to pay for it, along with a possible grant, as a way to curb jaywalking on that busy road.

As it is drawn up, the project calls for sharrows, which are arrows on the edge of the road meant to signal to drivers that cyclists also use the road, Parsons said. However, cyclists say the sharrows are much less safe than a designated place for bikes.

The Think Bicycles proposal calls for cycle tracks, which are essentially sidewalks for bikes only. This would cut into the sidewalk on the south side of the road, mostly in front of the new UI recreation building, and the green space on the north side, mostly in front of the UI Library.

Either way, University of Iowa would have to sign off.

That was a key portion of the meeting, urging people to contact their city council members, university planners and writing letters to the editor.

"It's an opportunity if we can get enough momentum behind us," said Mark Pooley, one of the presenters.

Tyler Johnson, 29, who commutes by bike to work at University of Iowa and volunteers at the Iowa City Bike Library, said he came to learn more about the issue and see what he can do to help.

"I know a lot people who are afraid of commuting by bike because of traffic," Johnson said. "I want the city to do more to encourage people to travel by bike."

Editor's note: The writer is a volunteer for Bicyclists of Iowa City, which provides some funding to Think Bicycles.


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