Bicycling made easy

I have to say, I'm impressed with the City of Lawrence today. I had a lovely ride into downtown last night along the hiker-biker trail called Burroughs Creek (named for the Naked Lunch writer). The paved trail connects East Lawrence with the downtown area and spans north-south from 11th & Oregon to 23rd and Haskell. It's connected with the first converted rail trail in the State of Kansas, the Haskell Rail Trail. I created a small google map here.

First impressions: the city did something right. Perfect 10' width, plenty of treeline and vegetation alongside, and...most importantly, signage!! I know it's odd to get excited about a yield sign or a "steep curve ahead" arrow, but I've never seen anything like it in DC. You'd be lucky to find your way on trails like Rock Creek Park or Sligo Creek in suburban Maryland. Signage is usually regarded as unnecessary for cycling/hiking paths. I mean, these paths are just for recreation after all. Of course, a number of municipal planners would be surprised if they ever bothered to count the commuting cyclists who take advantage of designated pathways.

Other than the signage surprise, I also thought the major street crossings (like 19th and 13th) were very well done. Cyclists and hikers have a clear stop sign and a pedestrian crossing signal to use. Drivers are alerted ahead of time and advised to yield to crossing cyclists. Seems like a well developed plan overall. The only thing that needs improvement are these short barriers to keep out motorized vehicles...little if any reflective tape, so they're almost perfectly designed to topple over an unsuspecting cyclist or jogger at night. I sent a note to the city asking for illuminated signage or some kind of advanced notice.

Honestly, I can't imagine a better commute than a peaceful cycling trip down a quiet path (where cars can't mow you over out of spite). Lawrence should be proud of its new pathway and start advertising to get the message out. Let's push people to take advantage of their new alternative transportation options!