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News - Update from Santa Fe Editorial by Dan Baker, 10-18-2005 Well, it's been a while since I've put any News online.... But we've had several GOOD news items happening in Santa Fe lately, I feel obligated to get it on the record to let everybody know that we do have a positive effect eventually if you can muster up the stamina to keep after issues. Sharrows You might have noticed.... Starting the first week in October 2005, the City has been installing 'Shared Lane Arrows' or 'Sharrows' on selected streets around Santa Fe. Sharrows are intended for use on streets in locations where it is safest for cyclists to 'take the lane' to educate both cyclists and motorists, clarify right-of-way, and reduce ped/bike conflicts. Sharrows have been used in a number of bike-friendly cities with great success, and are a perfect fit for downtown Santa Fe and some outlying residential areas. Studies have shown Sharrows to be effective in reducing bike/motorist conflicts, reducing 'wrong-way' biking, reducing biking on sidewalks, and reducing accidents at intersections as a result of more predictible positioning and movement of bikes as vehicles. The City of Santa Fe has been working with a citizen 'Bike And Trails Committee' to develop local standards and designate locations for the use of Sharrows. The program is based on a study and specifications used by San Francisco. ...top of page 'Sharrow' Initial installations are: Galisteo Road, from Coronado Road to Paseo de Peralta Washington Avenue, from Federal Place to Palace Avenue Marcy Street, from Paseo de Peralta to Grant Avenue Baca Street, from Cerrillos Road to Agua Fría Street Pacheco Street, from Camino de Monte Rey to Alta Vista Street Camino Cabra, from the Atalaya Elementary School to Upper Canyon Road Artist Road, from Prince Street to Washington Avenue Alameda, from Upper Canyon Road to Camino Pequeño and from West Water Street to Delgado Street Camino del Monte Sol, from Old Santa Fe Trail to Camino de Cruz Blanca Street Rehabs Surprise, surprise... new road projects are getting better about including shoulders, and sometimes with stripes! The State is doing a little better than the City, but the City is coming along. We hope to follow up the Sharrows and intersection improvements with adding shoulder stripes to a number of wide streets, where there is room for a 4' shoulder, around town to help with traffic calming. Recent State projects that included provision for Bikes were the 1.5 miles rehab of Old Pecos Trail between Sebastian and Cordova, and 6.3 miles of the Old Las Vegas Highway frontage road between Santa Fe and Eldorado. An interesting feature on the Old Las Vegas project that is still under evaluation is the attempt to make the 5' paved shoulder 'brown' to reduce visual impact while retaining a good smooth bike surface. We are working with the NMDOT, Historical Preservation Committees, and National Forest Service to attempt to balance all the needs and concerns. Currently, nobody seems to be thrilled with the test strips... they are a little lumpy for 'skinny tire' cyclists, and an application challange for NMDOT. test strip location click to enlarge