Healdsburg takes steps toward removing bollards
Healdsburg is planning to remove some of the bollards from the Foss Creek Path, following the death of a cyclist who collided with a post on the West County Trail outside of Graton earlier this year.
The Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition pushed for the removal of nearly all the bollards from the Healdsburg path, arguing that the potential risk to cyclists outweighed the usefulness of the posts. Healdsburg officials said some bollards are necessary to prevent cars from accidentally driving onto the path.
The city intends to reduce the number of bollards at several entry points, in most cases leaving just one bollard in the center of the path. The remaining bollards will be repainted and made reflective for better visibility. The City Council also requested the removal of bollards on either side of a bridge near Grove Street, questioning their usefulness.
Santa Rosa chef and cyclist Rob Reyes was killed in August when he crashed into a bollard near an entry point on the West County Trail. The accident has prompted discussions on several local boards about the necessity of bollards on trails. Sonoma County Regional Parks has repainted the bollards on the West County Trail to improve visibility.
North Dutton Bike Lanes on the Way
We were thrilled to see that Santa Rosa is planning to install protected bike lanes on a roughly one-mile stretch of North Dutton Avenue between West Third Street and West College Avenue. SCBC strongly advocates for protected lanes as one of the best ways to meet the needs of cyclists and encourage more people to ride.
At a recent community meeting, the city unveiled plans to build a series of bike lanes on North Dutton that are protected either by posts or a row of parked cars. Some narrower stretches of the road that could not accommodate protected lanes would include buffered bike lanes instead.
The city is working to secure funding for the project. The designs will next be presented to the city’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board on December 15.
Inviting cyclists to use 5th Street
Petaluma is working to convert 5th Street into a “Bike Boulevard,” a low-traffic street that is inviting to cyclists and pedestrians. The project would include the installation of signs, speed humps and crosswalks. The city is also looking at the possibility of installing traffic circles at a couple of intersections, and “traffic diverters” to keep extra cars off of 5th Street.
The 5th Street Bike Boulevard would connect to Petaluma Boulevard South, where the city has recently made improvements to bike infrastructure.
The city expects to have a proposed design in January, with installation to follow shortly thereafter. For more information on the project and to share your thoughts on a survey, click here.