21 Monday, May 11, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com City to add more bike lanes Improvements will ensure downtown cyclists' safety By JASMINE ZHU Daily News Editor Ann Arbor is pedaling forward with a plan to improve its bike lane system by adding eight miles of additional lanes and improving the 23.7 miles of existing lanes. These improvements are part of the city's goal of encouraging residents to bicycle and walk more frequently. Ann Arbor's efforts over the past year have earned it the title of a 2009 Spring Bicy- cle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. Funding for the bicycle lane improvements will come sole- ly from federal stimulus funds, capped at $250,000. At a public meeting Thursday, members of the City Transpor- tation Planning Program sought input from Ann Arbor residents on proposed improvements along Ann Street, Catherine Street, Ashley Street and First Street. Also dis- cussed was the plan to add eight miles of bike lanes along Hill Street, North University Avenue, East Uni- versity Avenue, South University Avenue and others. After the preliminary plan is approved by the Michigan Depart- ment of Transportation, the project 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaiy.com JAMIE BLOCK DAN NEWMAN Editor in Chief Business Manager 734-647-336 734-764-0558 jamblock@unich.edu tmdbusiness@gmaiL.com CONTACT INFORMATION Newsroom officehours: Sun-hurs. 11 a.m. - 2 a.m. 734-763-2459 News Tips news@michigandaily.com Corrections corrections@michigandaily.com letters tothetEditor tothedaily@rnichigandaily.com PhotoDepartment photomichigandaily.com 734-764-0533 ArtsSection artsage@michigandaily.vom Editorial Page opinion@michiganaly.com 734-764-6136 SportsSection sports@michigandaily.com 734-764-8585 Sales ailydisptay@gmaiL.com 734-764-0554 ClassifiedSales daiyctassified@gmaiL.com i34-764-05s7 Finance tmdfinance@gmaiLcom 734-763-3246 A University student rides his bike along South University Avenue, where bike lanes would be installed under the new plan. EDITORIAL STAFF Rohert Inane rsaeumnichsedu will be set in motion. Ann Arbor resident Lily Goz- man said that though Ann Arbor is, in general, a "bikeable" commu- nity, she has experienced problems when bicycling downtown. "Downtown, I've been 'doored,"' Gozman said, explaining that she had been struck by an opening car door while riding her bicycle. Gozman added that she was excited about the prospective "sharrows," which are shared-use pavement markings that alert bicy- clists to the safest place to ride on the road. Gozman said that sharrows would improve bicycle mobil- ity and eliminate the issue of being "doored." Other changes in the downtown area include "Walk Your Bike" sidewalk signs that would instruct bicyclists to walk their bicycles on sidewalks to protect pedestrians, as well as "Share the Road" signs for motorists and bicyclists. Eli Cooper, City Transportation Planning Program manager, said the reason behind the bicycle lane improvement plan is to clearly dif- ferentiate bicycle lanes from car lanes. "Some of the problems that we have are that (the roads) are not well signed, and they're not well marked using proper pavement markings and signage," Cooper said. "What happens then is some motorists don't realize it's a bicycle lane, and we believe that by creating a clear indication by using proper marking and signage, what's for the motor- ists will be used by the motorists, and what's for the bicyclists will be used by the bicyclists." Based on the new design for the existing lanes, where they begin will be marked with an arrow pavement mark and bicy- cle symbol. "Bike Lane Ahead" signs will notify motorists that bicyclists should be expected in the roadway. Signs spaced no further than a quarter-mile apart will notify motorists of continuing bicycle lanes. The end of the lanes will be tapered in order to warn bicy- clists. According to Pat Cawley, City Transportation Planning Pro- gram senior project manager, the plan for improvingbike lanes still isn't finalized. "What we're going to submit to the Michigan Department of Transportation in the next few weeks is a preliminary plan," he said. Cawley said there are no plans to startphysically workingon the project until spring 2010. Managing Editor Tara Zade MnagigssNwsEditor uSSOCATEEDITOS:asmineuZhu,rStephsnie RacheltVanGilder EditoialPage Edito Ryar Kartje Managing SportsEditor ASrSC nIEDTRhnelJnig David Ria a onsyngvns Editor drivayumichvedu Max Collins macsulynnvch.erd Managing Photo Editor Sara soboltz and rtephanie Farr Managing.esignEditors boboltzsysumich.edtuand smnfsaumich.edu LaurentSchmandt Managing Multimedia Editor lachelse@utmich.edu BUSINESSSTAFF Katie tozwiak