Surveys of local residents highlight strong support for the demonstration project
A “pop-up” protected bicycle lane is planned for 17th Avenue, as a pilot program led by Bike Santa Cruz County. The pop-up will help to demonstrate the feasibility of protected bike lanes on county streets.
This report, by Jessica Ngo, Lydia Jenkins-Sleczkowski, Christina Eldredge, and Christopher Tom, shows how to expand the pilot to a longer stretch of 17th Avenue, connecting the future Rail Trail and Simpkins Swim Center with Live Oak Elementary School. The report also shows the depth of community support for the pop-up lanes, and how protected bike lanes would reduce traffic concerns, particularly for parents whose children attend one of the schools on the corridor.
Bay Drive currently has narrow bike lanes next to fast-moving traffic
The Bay Street corridor connects the new Rail Trail with the UCSC campus. It is one of the main commuting routes for bicycle riders, but the combination of high traffic speeds, narrow or non-existent bike lanes, and lack of physical protection put users at risk and deter others from riding at all. Less than 10% of surveyed people feel comfortable riding along the corridor.
This report, by Alissa Guther, Allison Westerman, Solomon Biers-Ariel, & Maximillian Pérez, provides a vision to redesign the corridor. The proposal shows how to implement wide, protected bike lanes using excess space left over from a six-lane highway plan that never came to fruition. It also shows that, even though parking would be removed, there is ample capacity on adjacent streets.
Read the full report, which will be presented to the Santa Cruz Transportation and Public Works Commission on May 18, 2020. Thanks to the UCSC Carbon Fund for financial support.
A bidirectional path would connect the Great Meadow bike path to the main entrance
The gateway to UC Santa Cruz is a racetrack for cars. Bicycle lanes provide no physical protection from motor vehicles. Pedestrian provision is non-existent, with people forced to walk in the roadway or through parking lots.
This report, by Gordon Huang, Theodore Overway, Riley Eunhee, and Sara Ford Oades, shows how to redesign the main entrance to safely accommodate all road users, and provide a welcoming gateway to campus. A bidirectional path would link the main entrance to the Great Meadow bike path, and accommodate pedestrians as well as bicyclists.
Read the full report, which will be presented to the Santa Cruz Transportation and Public Works Commission on May 18, 2020. Thanks to the UCSC Carbon Fund for financial support.
Student-led planning to promote sustainable transportation in Santa Cruz
