The NMT task force will go thru the CBD areas to measure the roads as an effort to design the bicycle tracks.The alignment that will be evaluated will be as per below.
Since it is a closed event will post summary here on praja after the event.
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Good effort by Satya & Srinidhi
NMT side, some ground work will be going is good to see. Lot of efforts r put in by both of them.
Bangalore needs badly NMT facility to over come the traffic & pollution.
CBD Recon of NMT task force
Below is the team that met for a recon of the proposed route. It was found that in a lot of places pedestrian infrastructure was non existant. NMT Proposal is to be detailed further & presented to DULT on 28th March. The proposal will present a plan for pedestrian+bicycling infrastructure that can be done to connect the metro/BMTC modes to nearby areas.
L to R - Ravishankar, BBMP Chief Engineer; Murali, RACF; Sathya Sankaran, Praja; Prof SItaram, Chairman, CiSTUP; Bhaskar Rao, Transport Commissioner; Shailender SIngh, Officer, DULT; Manjula, Commissioner DULT; Shivanand, BMRCL; Srinidhi, Praja; Member BBMP traffic Enginering cell
BMRCL to provide bicycle parking
Mr Shivanand of BMRCL took the NMT task force members into the Trinity circle metro station to help identify parking for Bicycles. Took the opportunity to snap some pics of the station under construction. Shivanand checked if he could offer the team a ride on one of the test rides but the train wasnt going to do the trip until after 12 noon so we skipped it. Meanwhile while we got a corner identified tentatively for Bicycles at the trinity circle station he has promised to try at the MG road station. He showed us the likely spots at the ulsoor rd, CMH stations where bicycle parking can be provided.
good going, 5 stars
Seems like good progress being made on NMT here. Rated this 5 stars :)
Now, cycle your way to work
What is more, the Government seems to be keen on seeing that residents of Bangalore take to cycles in the manner in which they have taken to their private transport. It has tasked the Department of Urban Land Transport to take the lead in the issue. The department, in turn, on Saturday morning held an inspection of roads and footpaths of Bangalore so that it could prepare a blueprint.
A team of officials led by the Commissioner of Urban Land Transport Manjula and comprising among others Bhasker Rao, Shivanand, members of Riders Cycle Foundation, members of an NGO, Praja, and others went around the city from morning to noon to identify roads and footpaths for cyclists.
http://www.hindu.com/2011/03/14/stories/2011031459510300.htm
So good efforts from Satya & Srinidhi, taking out Sat. morning and going arround the CBD area. Hope to see this gtting rolled out along with METRO
looking for a NMT catch phrase..
to get this NMT project going..it should be compelling yet consise ..covering ease of accessibility, safety of pedestrianization and cycling
"safe and convenient route to transit" was one of the options
The other in Kannada is "ಸುಲಭ ಸುರಕ್ಷಿತ patha ಸಂಚಾರ"
Request more thoughts here..
Smaller bunch of praja folks
Smaller bunch of praja folks went around measuring the existing sidewalk widths along the alignment. Found that with simple junction improvements & aligning the footpaths to have uniform widths we can enable NMT easily along the proposed routes. We also explored side roads which can be used to reach the CBD from nearby residential areas & transit points
(L to R) Sanjeev & Srinidhi measuring 4 meters for NMT (Ped+cycle+wheelchair) sidewalk.
Mayo hall
We found that Mayo hall had the markings of BBMP destruction on it. +11 mtrs & +10 mtrs read the jottings on the gateway pillar of this historic building
While all of it will be destroyed for an extra lane NMT will be missed out. Instead we found on the inside more than 4 meters of clean protected walking/cycling space which can be enabled by just making an entrance & exit in the grilled compound
Cycle usage in CBD
Nobody cycles in the CBD? Think again. It probably the fastest mode of transport in Bengaluru today
Here is a cyclist at one of the most NMT friendly traffic island in Bengaluru today, its at the St marks road, SBI intersection. Notice the continuity in the pathway within the island from the Ped xing. Of course the same isnt the case on sidewalks at either ends they abruptly end without a ramp ubt that can be fixed
... and he is not alone. This picture taken on Lavelle road
We need similar infrastructure around Metro Stations
Once we get this model fully working in CBD, we might need similar infrastructure around Metro Stations also probably with cycle parking in Metro stations. IDS had opened a polll about the same and we got around 90% vote if we remember.
BMRCL eager to have bike parking at metro stn
the last meeting with the commissioners..we had representation from BMRCL also and they made it clear that bike facilities will be provided at most of metro stations..infact they also showed us prospective bike rack spaces at Trinity and Ulsoor stations.. its upto us/authorities to get them implemented now
When this is done, just need 2 more things
Once CBD has good Bicycle lanes, next job would be to get some cycles there. Either or both of thesewould help - nothing new, we have discussed elsewhere, just repeating
1) Facility to rent bikes - arrive from a Bus, rent a bike and move on
Or
2) Carry your bike in the Bus, via Bike hangers in the front or back of the Bus, get off the Bus, unload your bike, and move on.
Great work IDS, Srinidhi and Sanjeev.
Advantages of Bicycles in one ways
One of my cousin who is highly health concious always bicycles to his factory although he has got a 2 wheeler at home. Main advantage as per him is he can bypass one ways by waking on the footpath pushing the bicycle till the end of the one way road instead of taking a long detour. He bicycles from Hanumanthnagar in south to Ulsoor Defense factory. He covers in something like 40 minutes.
If the proposed infrastructure from NMT would not have one way rules for bicycles, we would get more number of bicycles.
Contraflow
if the proposed infrastructure from NMT would not have one way rules for bicycles,
It will be contraflow, means all cycle lanes/tracks will be usable both ways. You have to walk the cycle at the junctions and use the pedestrian crossings. The infrastructure will mature over time to become better with segregation etc. We need to make a start.
contra lanes are the norm..
Yes Vasanth..driving bothways on a one way street(common in CBD) is the usp for the proposal..this should encourage more people to get onto cycles..
Contraflow Bike Lanes in US
Federal law permitted contraflow bike lanes in US. Here is the link:
http://thecityfix.com/contraflow-bike-lanes-deemed-acceptable-by-fhwa/
Might be good in safety perspective since hit from a back will be avoided. Special signal cycle may be needed.
Just a clarification,
Just a clarification, contraflow will only be where BBMP is able to provide 4 meters of NMT space with either a painted marking or phycisal seperation. On mixed traffic streets cyclists have to cycle on the road following the keep left traffic rule. Practically though only narrow roads will have mixed traffic and are usually have motor vehicle calming because of size. Most of the arterial roads in this aligment are wide enough for contraflow & physical seperation from motorized traffic.
Requirement of bike parking spaces
I am very happy to see this initiative to enable bikes in CBD areas, and this will sure help bike commuters and others adopt cycling. Thanks to all your hard work in identifying the roads and making bike lanes a reality in Bangalore.
One other additional work to be done is to identify specific points for bike parking places, and mark these areas. This is very critical, so that cyclists can park bikes safely and walk to their destination.
The parking bays can be fully automated ones with security cameras, such that thefts can be traced/avoided. These can also be made as paid parking (for a small fee/or monthly subscription) such that security personnel can be deployed at the station.
I understand that the BMRCL will have designated place for bike parking and will have bike renting programs, but having parking spots in few other junction will help more people using cycles.
- Shashi