The UC Santa Cruz Coastal Science Campus is poorly connected to the main campus for those who bike. The most direct route, Western Dr, suffers from a lack of bicycle lanes, speeding vehicles, and “dooring” risk from parked cars. Not surprisingly, nearly 60% of current cyclists feel unsafe using this route.

This report, by Skye McIntyre Blomdal, Lucas Lee, Blake Pfister and Nadia Woodmansee, provides a detailed design to improve safety and encourage more people to travel by bicycle. Despite the physical constraints of a narrow right-of-way, the design would allow for continuous bicycle lanes on almost the entire corridor. To accomplish this, the report proposes innovative advisory bicycle lanes, which feature one shared driving lane for vehicles traveling in both directions, bordered by bicycle lanes on each side. Where the route widens out, parking-protected bicycle lanes are also recommended. A minimal number of parking spaces would need to be removed, and spaces are available on adjacent streets.

Read the full report, which was presented to the Santa Cruz Transportation and Public Works Commission on March 18, 2019.

Protected bicycle lanes represent the next generation of bicycle infrastructure in the US. By providing physical separation from cars, they improve safety and encourage more people to bicycle.

This report, by Jesus Contreras and Shirley Chun, analyzes several potential corridors to implement the first protected bicycle lanes in Santa Cruz. It identifies Water St as a top priority, due to high numbers of collisions, high connectivity, and traffic volumes and speeds. The report then provides a detailed design proposal for Water St, and shows that protected bicycle lanes are feasible within the existing street width, and with the loss of only two parking spaces.

Read the full report, which was presented to the Santa Cruz Transportation and Public Works Commission on March 18, 2019.