Celebrate Construction Completion

June 24, 2013 by admin

esplanade-bike-lane2013june24photo courtesy Bike Easy
Posted on June 24, 2013 at 6:31 AM Updated today at 6:41 AM
WWLTV.com | Email: [email protected] | Twitter: @WWLTV

NEW ORLEANS – Another round of street repairs officially came to an end on Monday. Work has been underway on Esplanade Avenue and City Park Avenue since March. The $5 million project focused on City Park Avenue from Canal Boulevard to Orleans Avenue and on Esplanade Avenue from Moss Street to Claiborne Avenue.

The two lane road has been repaved and transformed into one lane each direction for cars and one lane for bikes. Some parts of Esplanade have not yet been re-striped for the new lanes. The work also included installing handicap ramps, pavement patching and curb repairs.

Paths to Progress is bigger than this one project. It represents a more than $90 million investment to improve over 60 street segments in Orleans and Jefferson parishes.

The group has also recently targeted Williams Boulevard and St. Bernard Avenue.

Big makeovers were already completed in the French Quarter and New Orleans East.

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June 24, 2013


paths2progress1
esplanade-bike-lane

Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

Monday, June 24, 2013

10:30 a.m.

Cabrini High School

1400 Moss Street

New Orleans



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March 5, 2013


https://fsjna.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Esplanade+Bike+Path+Study1a.pdf

Paths2Progress4webclick on the announcement for a larger view

Tuesday | March 5th

Meet under the big dome on the bayou –> Holy Rosary cafeteria at
3368 Moss Street in beautiful Faubourg St. John

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Orleans_Ave_Paving_Begins

Barriere Construction Company will begin the Esplanade repaving project on March 6th. One lane of traffic will remain open on each side of Esplanade during the project.

Esplanade-Paving-March6
Dean Burridge sent in this report on January 12, 2013:

The $5M project has been coordinated with the Sewer & Water Board along with area utilities, and completion by July 2013 is anticipated.

ADA curb ramps will be the items that will be the first construction to begin. A new 2″ surface of asphalt will be installed after removing of the previous material, along with curb repair. The stone curb will remain and be reset as deemed necessary.

Seven day notice will be given to area businesses and residents prior to the initiation of road work and the work will be generally continuous from 7am to 5:30pm. Some occasional evening & weekend repairs are possible. If you have any questions they may be reached at 1-800-574-7193.

One lane will remain open during construction work. Esplanade Avenue will become a one vehicle travel lane in each direction. The lane will be widened to 12′ and it is the city’s intention to have an accompanying bike lane with accompanying striping. The bike lane striping will be done later.

The Rail Road track and subsequent bump on City Park Avenue will remain. Several crosswalks at area schools, along with those in “downtown” Faubourg St. John will be done in a “bold” pattern style. None of the area parks will be utilized for construction material or devices.

https://fsjna.org/2013/01/esplanade-and-city-park-avenue-repaving/


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Paving announced July 23, 2012:

https://fsjna.org/2012/07/esplanade-to-get-upgrade-in-december/


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Request for comments November 3, 2011:

https://fsjna.org/2011/11/comments-due-on-esplanade-repaving/


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Paving announced October 12, 2011:

https://fsjna.org/2011/10/esplanade-avenue-to-be-repaved/


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The article below is by Kate Parker, former Faubourg St.John Neighborhood Association president:

The infrastructure improvements for Esplanade are not a surprise to this neighborhood. Indeed, they were discussed in 2006, 2007 and 2008 at several planning meetings. They are located within the bike master plan for the city. It is possible that not everyone here attended every meeting or was involved in every discussion. But, as a former neighborhood president, I was. And I
encouraged it, and I was not alone.

Road diets on streets with sub-standard travel lanes in a places with a high residential and business mix make sense for safety and economic development.

Crash rates between cars decrease (see FHWA report http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/humanfac/04082/index.cfm) as cars cross fewer lanes of traffic to turn minimizing the potential for conflicts.

Furthermore, the safety of pedestrians increases. Pedestrians do not have to cross as many lanes of traffic to reach their destination. We have many new families with young children in this neighborhood. We have elderly citizens who require extra time to cross streets. Let’s try to envision a neighborhood that keeps our kids and their grandparents safe.

Our neighborhood businesses cannot survive on the business of the small group of people who live in the Faubourg St. John alone. People visit Faubourg St.John from all over the city not only at Jazz Fest, but at other times of the year. There are at least three businesses that rent bikes to tourists downtown. The tourists (and our own residents) require a safe way to travel from the French Quarter to City Park. City Park is adding infrastructure for people to be active and enjoy the park. It is absurd that we would want them to drive to the park to be active.
People should be able to walk and bike there safely.

Finally, there will be an increase in cyclists and also in pedestrians. I have completed two studies in peer-reviewed journals of the impact of bike lanes in New Orleans on cycling. Both the St. Claude lane and the S. Carrollton lanes led to an increase in cyclists. (Parker et al, JPAH, 2011, & Parker et al, Annuals of Behavioral Medicine 2013). A third study I am finishing details that after the new improvements on S. Carrollton there was an increase in pedestrians too. Considering the needs of our businesses to attract customers, I think that new bike and pedestrian traffic helps them significantly. Moreover, the new comprehensive zoning ordinance has features that encourage business to include parking for bikes. Our city is moving to become more inclusive of all users of the roadways, as evidenced by the passage of the 2011 Complete Streets Ordinance.

New Orleans is a flat city in a temperate climate, well-suited to walking and biking.

Filed Under: Featured, HISTORY Tagged With: bayou, bayou st john, best neighborhood in New Orleans, bike lane, construction, esplanade, faubourg st john, New Orleans, new orleans best neighborhood, paths, paths 2 progress, progress

Bicycle Safety

May 27, 2013 by admin

http://watchoutnola.com/

article from www.good.is
We start on tricycles, graduate to training wheels, then the fateful day when we’re off on two wheels. But remember, cycling is a constantly evolving learning process. Keep fine-tuning technique and safety measures and that first moment of exhilaration can be a constant.

Be Aware of Bike Laws

Take time to learn local bike laws before hitting the road. Kurt Snyder discovered this firsthand when cycling in his Burke, Virginia neighborhood. “I was pulled over by a police officer with a radar gun,” he says. “At 15 miles per hour, I was apparently riding over the speed limit.”

Cycling laws aren’t one size fits all. “Knowing the codes, regulations and laws, as well as your rights and responsibilities is key,” says Allison Mannos, urban strategy director at the Los Angeles Bicycle Coalition. “Your state’s Department of Transportation’s website should be able to point you in the right direction.” Robyn Cooper learned California’s laws through her workplace. “My company’s commuter program filled us in on local laws,” she says. “Because of that I learned where it’s legal to ride in Burbank.”

Not sure about a law? Santa Monica-based cycling and fitness coach, Riley McAlpine suggests thinking like a driver, particularly when it comes to stop signs and stoplights. “A major reason cyclists get hit is due to running stoplights,” she says. “And if you’re not injured, you’re still eligible for a traffic violation on your driver’s license and a hefty fee.”

Be Alert to Surroundings

As a safety measure, New York resident Thom Payne plans out his route before heading out on a ride. “It’s easier to navigate the streets and a lot safer if you discover those that have bike paths,” he says.

In a time when the world is full of distractions like texting, cyclists should keep their senses highly attuned. “Never take your concentration off your surroundings,” says McAlpine. “Don’t just look in one direction. Constantly look around you, scanning the road in all directions.”

Cooper found out cars weren’t the only things to keep an eye on during one of her daily work commutes. “Walkers rarely pay attention to what’s coming up behind them,” she says. “A woman walking a dog made an unanticipated move and my front tire grazed her leg.”

Cyclists are urged never to assume a car is going to do what’s anticipated. Like many riders, Los Angeles-based Margaret McGlynn has a developed a system for avoiding potential hazards during her daily 20-mile, round-trip commutes. “Drivers aren’t looking for cyclists, they’re looking for other cars and pulling moves like changing lanes or turn without signaling,” she says. “I wave, make eye contact, look, and ask permission. I also use arm signals. Sure, people have cursed at me, but I’ve found the nicer cyclists are, the safer we are.”

Turn Up the Volume… and the Lights

Making others aware of your presence with sound like a bell. Vocals are effective, too, especially when cycling in a group. “Always announce what you’re going to do,” says Mannos. “When passing other cyclists, call out if you’re coming up on the left or right. Even announce a stop.”

Another way cyclists can ensure pedestrians and drivers notice them is by gearing up with lights (see more about gear here). Missing Link customers get the following advice from Cummings, “Have at least one white light on the front of your bike and one red on back,” she says. “Flashing ones are more visible, but most lights will do both. There are lights that go on the front and back of helmets, too.” Though she usually commutes by bike, Cummings got a dose of reality when recently driving a car. “I started noticing who was visible and who was invisible,” she says. “I came straight into work and bought a bright yellow, reflective jacket.”

Avoid Car Doors

Keeping an eye out for people exiting their driveways is a given for cyclists. Another rule of thumb – “Cycle three feet away from parked cars,” says Mannos. Why? It’s very easy to get “doored.” “If a car door opens when you’re driving past, that’s a painful situation,” says McAlpine. “Be on the lookout for brake lights. The driver has their foot on the brake and has either just parked or is about to pull out.”

Road Hazards

Cars don’t like them and neither do bicycles: potholes, wet roads and railroad tracks. “If crossing railroad tracks or a lip in road, never hit it straight on, go at an angle,” says McAlpine. And if there’s something in the road? “Look where you want to go rather than at something you don’t want to hit,” she advises. “Slowly and calmly move away without making a jerky motion.”

Another tip from McAlpine is remembering when roads are wet, avoid paint lines. Especially the white ones. “Those get very slick in rain,” she says. “And if you should happen to hit one and start skidding, never brake on water.”

Right Turn Lane

Extra care should be taken in right turn lanes, whether cyclists are continuing straight or turning. “When approaching a place where a right turn only is authorized, cyclists should not be in the right-turn only lane, or on the right edge of a dual-destination right or straight lane,” says McAlpine. “If intending to go straight, avoid riding in a lane that must turn or diverge to the right rather stay to the far right of the straight lane allowing the right turn only traffic to pass on your right.”

The Golden Rule

To experience a fantastic ride, it all comes down to this, says McAlpine. “Cyclists, drivers and pedestrians have to work together to make it a happy relationship.”

Learn more about bicycle safety and view the original article at:
http://www.good.is/post/city-biking-101-road-tips-for-a-safe-ride

Filed Under: More Great Posts! Tagged With: bayou, bayou st john, best neighborhood in New Orleans, bicycle, bicycle safety, bike, bike lane, bike safety, esplanade, faubourg st john, New Orleans, new orleans best neighborhood, ride

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