Can you say, “Bike Friendly Dayton!”
January 23, 2010 by Outdoor Evangelist
Filed under Cycling/Mountain Biking, Featured Articles
If you haven’t notice by now, cycling is a huge passion of mine, as is supporting the City of Dayton becoming a more bike friendly community. I’m sure you’ve noticed the bike lane stripping, signage, events and construction going on around the city and are hopefully ready for more to come. Most of these efforts are products of the BikeWalkDayton Team.
The BikeWalkDayton team is lead by Commissioner Nan Whaley and is comprised of City of Dayton Commission Staff, Police Dept., Planners, Engineers, and outside organizations such as Five Rivers MetroParks, Miami Conservancy District, and Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission. Their mission is to create a more liveable, walkable and of course, bikeable city.
One current project of the team is creating a city wide bike map detailing trails, lanes, and on road suggested routes. The map is still a work in progress but the BikeWalkDayton team is interested in soliciting your feedback and they asked the Outdoor Evangelist to help them do it. Download the map here
If you care about the future of our community, want to be able to more safely walk and ride your bike to work and around Dayton then here is your chance to chime in.
Please take a moment to look over the map and consider a few of these questions.
- Is it user friendly?
- What other physical info is necessary (i.e. places of interest, cycling obstacles, etc.)?
- What bike infrastructure should be shown?
- What information is important to have on the reverse side of the map (rules of the road, traffic laws, bike shop locations, etc)?
After you are done commenting on the map, get your butt in the saddle and out on the streets of Dayton. The more bikes on the road the safer it is!
Ride Well!
Photo Credit – Courteous Mass Facebook page
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The map is a great start for Dayton, and I stress the word START! The way that I see it, the ratio of “red” to “green” streets is way to high though. Not to mention that there aren’t nearly enough “connected” green streets to get anywhere. Of course, the streets aren’t labeled which can be a bit confusing and the trail that runs the border of Oakwood and Dayton doesn’t exists at this point in time, so… maybe the map could clarify that for the user, or for that matter, the League of American Cyclists. (I assume that they made this map to get a “Bike Friendly” designation.) Like I said, it is GREAT that the city is taking initiative to be bike and pedestrian friendly, but this is just the tip of the iceberg, and much more needs to be done.
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It is my understanding that the Bike Friendly Community application is due by mid February and there is no way this map will be complete by then. This map is supposed to be designed for the public to use here in Dayton, as a resource to help them get around town by bicycle.
I have also been told that the streets will be labled in the next phase of the map.
If anyone has suggestions of the ratio, distribution or labeling of designated/suggested routes, please chime in. This is a great way to help the city make a highly functional resource.
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seems like it’d be pretty easy to make a custom google map and make it public and provide a link on various websites. this has the added bonus of being easily update-able and you don’t have to worry about labeling streets. you might even be able to work with google maps to get various bike paths to be added as viable routes for their future plans to add a “bike there” option to google maps (see: this site)
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Why is 5th street through the Oregon District red? It seems to be the only place in the city with public bike racks in a few areas down the street. Yeah it can be a little rough through there with the brick, but it seems to be the area of Dayton with the highest bike traffic. I don’t feel like it should be a red street. Also I feel Main St through the central business district would be a very acceptable yellow street. I ride it pretty frequently.
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before the Wright Bros started playing with the flying stuff, they worked on bikes. It’s too bad the parkway named after them is red. That would be a great circular bike route around the city.
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I think Shroyer should be yellow, not green. It’s a very busy street. Also, the last I looked a few months ago, the bike trail under Patterson Road was in such disrepair and so littered with garbage as to be impassible, and I don’t even know how one gets down there from the street.
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I agree it is a start, and commend the City for making that start. However, there appear to be very few options for a direct commute to many parts of town. There are some places that already hot destinations for cyclists (5th street in Oregon) that appear in red on the map. There are places where there are no connections between green or orange streets to make it across town. If we want to make bicycles a viable form of transportation, you need to be able to get everywhere in the city. If there are routes (like almost all the major direct arterials – Salem, Wayne, 3rd, Patterson – that are currently too dangerous, bike lanes, traffic calming, lowered speed limits should be considered or at least convenient parallel bike routes should be signed and marked.
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Major streets should be named or numbered. Current bike/walk trails should also be named. Points of interests to bikers/walkers should be noted, i.e., Riverscape, 2nd St Market, Wright Bros Bike Stop, ect. If possible map should be coated similar to the Miami Valley Conservancy map.
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The area marked as a bike trail, from Irving Ave. to Shroyer Rd. is not now, nor has it ever been a bike path. After the railroad was removed Dayton paved it as a storm sewer access road. I would like for it to be a path, it could go all the way to Dortothy Lane, if not Stroop, and conect to the Iron Horse trail if that ever gets completed to Delco Park. A painted route through U.D. could connect it to the Rubicon Trail along Stewart Street to Patterson Blvd. But the city of Dayton would have to move the sewer from directly under the asphalt before any of that could happen. Otherwise the asphalt is just going to keep eroding. I agree streets should be named because any map is going to be used by out-of-towners more than Daytonians. I suggest you check out Portland Oregon’s bike route city map.
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Also, while there is a bridge across the Mad River at Deeds Point, there is not one across the Great Miami, as shown, connecting to the west bank. Cyclists need to take the Riverside bridge.
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Nice map. It really shows how un-bike friendly Dayton is.
I ride those “red” streets all the time as I should, they are the through routes with the least hills. I following all vehicle laws, signaling, ect. Robbed once, been hit three times, the time I went down avoiding getting hit was worse than being hit and yet I still ride these streets and always will.
Until we get rid of the red we will not be a bike friendly city. If we can find a way to do that cities from around planet will come here to see how we did it. Are you up to it?
I’ll volunteer to help any way I can.
Dwaine
Wright Wride – Director
Huffman Spring Classic – Director
GOBA – Routemeister
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I have started a public bike map at http://tinyurl.com/daytonBikeMap. I set it as “open collaboration”, although I think you have to have a Google account to edit it. Anyhow, I’d love to have more contributors!
I love the fact that the map shows business districts and bus hubs! The routes could certainly use some editing, though. My route suggestions are below…
East 4th street is a very pleasant ride, and I’m surprised that it is not on the map. Connecting up with 5th St from Dutoit to the Oregon, it is my favorite Eastside route.
Patterson Rd should be marked Red, not Yellow. It is narrow with heavy traffic, and drivers always harass me when I take the lane.
I would label Wayne as Yellow north of Keowee, although it is certainly Red south of that. I can’t think of a road more deserving of bike lanes!
Alberta is a nice route, but the map does not show that it is one-way through U.D.
The intersection of Woodbine, Pershing, and Watervaliet is pretty crazy. I prefer to use Rosemont instead.
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My hat’s off too you for making this map and especially for inviting comments.
I must say, though, that you’ve gotten your emphasis backward. What you’re showing here isn’t so much a bike map as it is a don’t bike map. It makes Dayton look like a predominantly “not recommended” place to get around by bike. And, as others have pointed out, experienced cyclists may find many of those red streets to be their preferred routes.
Please don’t go telling cyclists where they don’t belong. They belong everywhere! I imagine your intent is to serve the more cautious cyclists, which is understandable. So let existing cyclists recommend routes to get around town. Then emphasize those routes.
Below, I will paste links to some good bicycle maps from other cities. Please don’t be fooled by all the facilities some of these cities have. Dayton is just as easy and safe to navigate by bike as many of those cities that are riddled with bike lanes.
Thank you for your effort and best wishes.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
http://www.phila.gov/streets/Bike_Route.html
Madison, Wisconsin
http://www.cityofmadison.com/trafficEngineering/bicyclingMaps.cfm
Chicago, Illinois
http://www.activetrans.org/shop/chicagoland-bicycle-map
Seattle, Washington
http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/bikemaps.htm
Finally, here is a map we made of the River Corridor Bikeway and surrounding streets in 1997. It includes some bicyclist-recommended on-street routes:
http://jeffhiles.com/mvrbcmap.pdf
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1) Is it user friendly?
Well, scanning the map and legend, it don’t believe any cyclist would think Dayton as “Bicycle Friendly”. The bulk of the paths are identified as “Not Recommended” or “Use with Caution” The color/legend label reflects “danger” (red/orange). Cincy uses the same scheme but fewer road are marked red/not recommended. Is this map for 10 year old cyclist?
Consider Columbia, MO Skill Level legend: Beginner, Experience & Advanced
• Beginner: Streets that have low to medium traffic volumes, slower motor vehicle speeds, or wide pavement widths. Includes streets with established bicycle traffic. Suitable for riders of average skill.
• Experienced: Streets that experienced riders use for commuting and cross-town traveling. Includes streets with medium to high traffic volumes. These streets may be intimidating to less experienced cyclists due to traffic conditions. Suitable for riders with above-average skill.
• Advanced: Streets with high traffic volumes and speeds, narrow street widths, or difficult intersections. Can be safely ridden, but should be avoided if alternate streets are possible. Require frequent interaction with motorists. Suitable only for experienced riders who are confident in traffic.
Columbus LCI suggestion: How about benign color scheme: with Green, Brown, Yellow, Blue or Gray (Residential?). If streets must have colors to visually indicate factors such as number of lanes, average daily traffic volume, presence of on street parking, speed, etc., don’t use the inflammatory colors orange and red. Use more neutral colors such as green, blue, yellow. Maybe orange or red can be used to show the interstates, as a guide to location in the whole area. Instead of language which incites fear, describe the choice among simple and more complicated streets in terms of an activity which is practiced and learned, and enjoyed. The “residential” and “green” streets are suitable for younger children and novice adult cyclists. The collectors and easy arterials (“blue”?) are the next step up for more mature children and adults as they practice and gain skill and confidence. Ultimately, the pre-motoring teens who have learned to cycle properly, and practiced adults, will be able to confidently cycle on just about any street or road they choose.
2) What other physical info is necessary (i.e. places of interest, cycling obstacles, etc.)?
Lack of street names is makes it pointless reminiscent of MVRPC Trail Map, Bridges, Bus stops
3) What bike infrastructure should be shown?
Consider labeling the Jefferson Street Bike Lane as Red/Not Recommended? Why, placing a bike lane in a parked car door zone is not helping cyclists, over 50 opportunities to pop the unaware.
4)What information is important to have on the reverse side of the map (rules of the road, traffic laws, bike shop locations, etc)?
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Emergency Numbers, Traffic Signs. Reuse MVRPC pamphlets:
. Getting Started Using Your Bicycle as Basic Transportation
. Bicycle Equipment Checklist
. Cycling Safely, Predictably and Visibly
Overall this map needs a lot more work. Did anyone think about labeling streets as “NOT RECOMMENDED” could disadvantage cyclist in any legal case? The Government “imprimatur” in a sense is undermining cyclists legal rights.
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There is some great stuff coming out of this blog and I’m excited to see all the excitement and constructive feedback.
I want to reaffirm the fact that the City of Dayton has stated that this is a very rough draft and they are aware much more needs to be done.
One thing they already have completed is the labeling of the streets, which so many of you have mentioned. I personally think the fact that the regional bikeway maps lacks street labeling makes it nearly useless for anyone out of town or geographically challenged, like UD students who never leave campus.
Keep the positive stuff coming. The more we get out there the more voice we will have. Now we just need to get more cyclists on the road, in traffic, riding their bikes.
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For those of us not familiar with the Dayton area, it would be helpful if trailhead parking areas on the regional bike trails were added to the map.
An overview map, or inserts, for the regional bike trails showing where the trails that continue beyond the limits of the map go, would also be helpful.
Mileage marked on the map at one mile intervals for the regional bike trails would be a nice touch.
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Mark Stosberg has nicely documented the process they went through to create bike maps in Richmond, Indiana:
http://mark.stosberg.com/bike/bike-route-mapping/
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I second a couple statements by Danc:
“Consider Columbia, MO Skill Level legend: Beginner, Experience & Advanced
“• Beginner: Streets that have low to medium traffic volumes, slower motor vehicle speeds, or wide pavement widths.”
These streets would be GREEN.
“• Experienced: Streets that experienced riders use for commuting and cross-town traveling. Includes streets with medium to high traffic volumes.”
These streets would be BLUE.?
“• Advanced: Streets with high traffic volumes and speeds, narrow street widths, or difficult intersections.”
These streets would be YELLOW or RED.
“Did anyone think about labeling streets as “NOT RECOMMENDED” could disadvantage cyclist in any legal case? The Government “imprimatur” in a sense is undermining cyclists legal rights. ”
My experience as a victim in court is that an auto driver’s defense lawyer could indeed use the map with “not recommended” against a cyclist.
Now for some direct observations about the map:
1. The overlay of Riverside Dr. from Helena south over the bike path should be reversed.
2. The bikeway-bridge over the Miami north of the confluence with Mad River should be removed.
3. The walk-bike-way across the Riverside Dr bridge should be added.
4. Remove the pale yellow color and pale magenta boundary for City of Dayton limits.
5. I disagree with the GREEN designations of Cornell Dr, all downtown streets, Catalpa, and Stewart streets. My personal use says they have too much traffic for a preferred route or beginner route. Their color should be yellow (or blue for experienced cyclists.
6. I disagree with leaving the bikeway green from the Experience Center (on Magee) south to Catalpa/Oakridge. It should be yellow, due to its disrepair.
7. I suggest adding Princeton from Salem to Wesleyan Park as a green route.
8. I suggest adding Belmonte Pk N to Superior to Catalpa as a green route.
9. I suggest adding Broadway from W 3rd north to Superior as a yellow route.
10. Add the bikeway from Wesleyan Park to the Experience Center.
11. The red downtown streets could be designated yellow.
12. Jackson St to the biekway overpass of US 35 could be designated green.
13. The “bikeway” designated at the boundary of Dayton and Oakwood should be yellow. It is traversable only by mountain bike. With shocks.
14. Enlist Oakwood, Riverside, Kettering, Moraine, Jeffereson Twp, Trotwood, Harrison Twp, and Huber Heights to contribute to this map!
15. This map, with its disjunct routes, should become a tool to support signage and development for direct, cross-city cycling routes for school access, park access, and commuting!
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I agree; this map should identify a network of streets that work WELL for cyclists. There is no need to show a red street unless it is the only alternative in that area.
Consider Portland, Oregon’s bike map (http://www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm?c=34809&a=181308). SE Hawthorne Blvd is certainly not a recommended route, although some cyclists use it. Hawthorne is not highlighted on the map, but is the same gray as any other non-route street. It is drawn with a thicker line to help with navigation, but the point of this map is to identify the GOOD alternatives a few blocks away: Salmon/Taylor and Harrison/Lincoln.
Here in Dayton, East 3rd street should not be drawn in red. Instead, either 4th or 5th can be shown as a better alternative.
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Bikerichmond.org (Mark Stosberg) shows a excellent general purpose map for commuters and the process of identifying bike routes.
http://mark.stosberg.com/bike/bike-route-mapping/
Questions that need to be addressed:
1) Who is the primary map user: transportation, recreational cyclists?
2) Is there a need from “traffic volume” rating?
3) Level of street identification, which major and minor streets?
4) Cartographer with bike experience (Steve Spindler Cartography or Stosberg)?
5) Need for web (mobile) interface with user input?
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I’d love to see an overlay of population concentration on this map. Wherever there are high concentrations of people, there should be solid green routes reaching them.
I’d like to see the criteria for making a street green, yellow or red on this map. I wouldn’t consider brown st by UD yellow, and if you look at that section of town, there are gaps connecting the university (or MVH) to downtown in any way.
There’s also no way to get from the northside of the river to downtown without using a red street. There is a bridge over the Great Miami near the Jewish Center that doesn’t exist, and the Monument Street Bridge is missing altogether. You could make the Monument bridge a bike friendly bridge since the traffic is lighter there than main or third streets, but it is currently designated one way for motor vehicles.
There are also no ways to get to downtown from the deep east or northwest (including Grandview Hospital) – which is where a lot of cyclists who rely on bikes as a major means of transportation live.
Call me crazy, but those seem like significant issues, and this map only makes that more apparent. Perhaps the map was created to better understand the issues we are facing to make the community bike friendly?
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I spent 3 months in early 2008 working out of our Denver office. Being there for an extended period of time, I was able to take my bike with me and spend time commuting to work as well as riding around Denver on the weekends.
Denver has a good Bicycle Route map (www.dbtc.org). I totally agree with the comment below that you need to highlight Bicylce ROUTES, not routes that are NOT recommended for bicycles. I say this becasue I believe you want to target the less expereienced/novice rider to a medium level riders. Expereinced riders will find their own way regardless of a map.
The primary items labeled on the Denver map are: (1) primary bike paths like our River Cooridoor Trail system; (2) on-street bike routes (i.e., marked bike lanes); (3) secondary bike paths; (4) trail head parking lots; (5) points of interest; and (6) Park n Rides.
It is great to see the Dayton Region taking this so seriously.
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Version 2.0 of the City of Dayton Bike Map now available. Check it out. http://www.daytonmostmetro.com/?p=4256
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