Driving in Bike Lanes and Parking Lanes Reconocido

300-398 Father Morissette Boulevard Lowell, Massachusetts • Show on Map Hide Map

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Reportero

lva1113

Issue ID:

813987

Submitted To:

Comunidad

Categoría:

Ninguna

Visto:

7803 veces

Neighborhood:

Lowell

Reported:

on 7/11/2013

Descripción

It's been awhile since the bike lanes were added to Fr. Morrissette, but nearly every day on my commute I'm still seeing drivers driving in the bike lanes and/or the parking lanes when no cars are parked there. Most are people who move over to the right long before the turn lane starts (especially outbound by Jeanne D'Arc and Wannalancit before turning right onto Cabot), but others just completely disregard the bike lanes and drive in them as if there were still two travel lanes.

I don't know what can be done regarding better traffic enforcement or some sort of barriers (there are sometimes a barrel at the very beginning of the bike lane, but they fall over or move, or cars just move over right after the barrel), but I worry it's such a safety concern. Just a matter of time before a biker gets hit. Plus, yesterday a car turned right at the proper time to turn onto Cabot and was nearly rear-ended by a car driving illegally in that lane.

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18 Comentars

Reconocido City of Lowell (Usuario registrado)

Assigned for inspection and research.

Thank you for posting,

Alex, Office of CM

7/11/2013 · Flag Flagged
lva1113 (Usuario registrado)

Thank you!

7/11/2013 · Flag Flagged
jkgavin (Usuario registrado)

This is a major issue. I've been almost hit both on my bike and in my car because of drivers using the bike lane.

13/12/2013 · Flag Flagged
signe (Usuario registrado)

This exact thing happened to me on Tuesday while driving on Father Morrisette - cars completely disregard it as a bike lane and get in the way of people trying to appropriately use the turn lanes. There has to be some sort of signage (in addition to patrolling during rush hours) that could be put up around there. I'd love it if Lowell was actually more bike friendly but lanes without enforcement/obedience won't help at all.

23/1/2014 · Flag Flagged
lva1113 (Usuario registrado)

It makes me feel both better and worse that others are witnessing this so frequently too! The city could make a fortune stationing a cruiser there during the morning commute and citing people.

I fear it's just a matter of time before there's a situation that forces the issue, like a vehicle crash, or worse, a bike vs vehicle crash. It's too bad due to weather here and the need for plowing that we perhaps can't do what communities in places like California can -- things like very obvious rumble strips to suggest someone is doing something wrong crossing that line, or periodic vertical markers.

23/1/2014 · Flag Flagged
CBruce (Usuario registrado)

The easiest way for this issue to be taken care of is for the curbing to be moved at the beginning and end of each parking section forcing the vehicles to merge into one lane. This is another example of the city taking the easy/cheapest way out. They spend thousands of dollars on "design" and the engineers don't think of this?

28/1/2014 · Flag Flagged
Cerrado City of Lowell (Usuario registrado)

Thank you

4/2/2014 · Flag Flagged
Reopened Paulumba (Usuario registrado)

Has the city decided on a plan or action to take in regards to this issue or is this problem being debated?

7/2/2014 · Flag Flagged
C McCarthy (Usuario registrado)

I have experience the same problem with other motorists driving in the bike lane. I think a better job of letting the public know what is the proper procedure for driving int this area. Putting up more signage is key.

7/2/2014 · Flag Flagged
Michael lafontaine (Usuario registrado)

Problem is people do not read

14/2/2014 · Flag Flagged
Conor Baldwin (Usuario registrado)

Conor Baldwin assigned this issue to Eric Eby

1/4/2014 · Flag Flagged
Reconocido Conor Baldwin (Usuario registrado)

Thank you for reporting. This issue has been assigned to the Transportation Engineer for follow-up.

1/4/2014 · Flag Flagged
Michael lafontaine (Usuario registrado)

It comment sense do not drive in bike lane that have double or solid white line. May have traffic cop issue ticket.

1/4/2014 · Flag Flagged
lva1113 (Usuario registrado)

Thank you, Conor. Fingers crossed there's something that can help. It's still happening, after all these months. Nearly every day on my commute I see a person doing it, often more than one.

1/4/2014 · Flag Flagged
lva1113 (Usuario registrado)

Called the police this morning to report a SCHOOL BUS doing this, all the way from the Post Office to Aiken St bridge. It nearly plowed into the back of parked car.

9/4/2014 · Flag Flagged
lva1113 (Usuario registrado)

For those of you following this, the mayor is now suggesting they all be removed: http://www.lowellsun.com/breakingnews/ci_25636248/city-councilors-want-bike-lanes-ridden-out-town

25/4/2014 · Flag Flagged
Cat (Usuario registrado)

They have an electronic sign in the bike lane currently, reminding drivers not to travel in it. I drive down this road two times a day as a part of my commute. All this does is make drivers move out of the bike lane to avoid the sign, then back into the lane after passing the sign. It's not deterring anyone from traveling in the lane.
I agree with Elliot that both the bike lane and parking spots are under utilized. At most I've only seen one or two cars parked along this stretch of Father Morrissette. Even with the nice weather here, I still don't see any bicyclists in the area. If they want to keep a bike lane considering it's proximity to Umass, it certainly doesn't need to be as wide as it is.

9/5/2014 · Flag Flagged
Shae (Usuario registrado)

Unfortunately, Eric Eby not overly responsive to cycling and pedestrian issue. :(

9/8/2014 · Flag Flagged

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