Hunter
9/17/19
Iowa City Transportation staff are asking for City Council feedback at their work session tonight on options to add bike lanes to portions of Dodge and Governor Streets.
In a memo from transportation planner Kent Ralston, the Bike Master Plan includes options for adding bike lanes to those streets between Burlington and Bowery streets, but that would require the elimination of roughly 40 on-street parking spaces.
The city hosted a neighborhood meeting last month for those affected by the possible change. Residents along Dodge Street raised few objections to the plan, but those on Governor expressed opposition to the plan, as they have few off-street parking options, poor alley maintenance, lack of access for elderly or disabled residents, and lack of adequate parking for the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Ralston says there are six potential options moving forward. They include:
- Eliminating on street parking and adding the bike lanes
- Eliminating parking on Dodge Street and marking Governor Street alerting drivers to the possible presence of cyclists
- Eliminating a lane on both Dodge and Governor and adding a buffered bike lane, which would turn Governor back to a one-way between Burlington and Bowery streets
- Widening both streets and adding bike lanes, an option that would cost an estimated $400,000
- Creating a shared parking and bike lane, allowing biking during the day and parking at night
- Leaving things the way they are with the exception of adding shared lane markings for cyclists.
Ralston did not offer an opinion on the option he feels is best suited to the city, instead leaving it to the Council to provide feedback.