City of Columbus

Councilmember Hardin, Health Commissioner Dr. Long and Yay Bikes! Open City’s First Protected Bike Lanes On Summit Street

Yay Bikes! members and other cyclists joined Councilmember Shannon G. Hardin and Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr. Teresa Long today to open the City’s first ever protected bike lanes on Summit Street between East Hudson Street and East 11^th Avenue.  The protected bike lanes are part of a project that is adding standard bike lanes to Summit Street between East 11^th Avenue and I-670, and on North 4^th Street between East Hudson Street and I-670 this year.  The standard bike lanes will be extended on both streets through Downtown to East Fulton Street in 2016.

“These new protected bike lanes are an innovative way for the City to continue promoting multiple modes of transportation,” said Councilmember Hardin, chair of the Public Service and Transportation Committee. “Hopefully, this investment encourages residents to bike to work and play as a way of saving wear and tear on our roadways, promoting healthy and active lifestyles, and doing well for the environment.”

The two-way protected bike lanes along the west side of Summit Street between East Hudson Street and East 11^th Avenue allow cyclists to travel in either direction, separated from two southbound travel lanes by flexible posts and a parking lane.  Protected bike lanes provide a greater sense of security for cyclists who are less experienced in riding with traffic on the street.  The protected bike lanes are the result of a collaboration between Department of Public Service engineers and Yay Bikes, a local bicycle advocacy group.

“Yay Bikes! applauds the City of Columbus for taking a such a bold leap with street design that accommodates the many ways people get from place to place. The engineers' willingness to accept input from everyday cyclists gives us great hope for the future of bicycling infrastructure Columbus,” said Catherine Girves, executive director of Yay Bikes!

The protected bike lanes are the newest addition to the growing network of bike lanes, bike routes and bike paths in Columbus. 
 

“Given the rise of health issues like childhood overweight and obesity, diabetes other related conditions, making it possible for our residents to choose physical activity is important and good policy. Biking helps us improve the health and vibrancy of our community,” said Health Commissioner Long.

The project also includes bus bulbs at COTA bus stops along the protected bike lanes.  Bus bulbs are oval concrete islands that separate buses from bike riders, provide a safe place for COTA riders to wait for buses, and allow buses to stop without leaving the travel lane.

Prior to installation of the bike lanes and as part of the project, the Ohio Department of Transportation resurfaced the following streets earlier this year:

• Summit Street between East Hudson Street and I-670
• North 4^th Street between East Hudson Street and I-670
• East Hudson Street between Indianola Avenue and North 4^th Street 

To complete the resurfacing and bike lanes project, ODOT will resurface both 3^rd Street and 4^th Streets between I-670 and East Fulton Street in the spring of 2016.  Following the resurfacing, the City of Columbus will install standard bike lanes on both streets between I-670 and East Fulton Street.

The new lane configuration on Summit and North 4^th Streets includes the reduction of the number of vehicle travel lanes from three to two lanes.
 

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