Monday, December 10, 2007

More on Louisville Bike Paths & Dayton

To elaborate on the pix in the post below, here is a map of the Louisville bike system, with the pix location noted.

Note that the system is pretty extensive, with some dedicated paths along the river and in creek valley (considered "multi-functional"), and then these complete streets path,as in the pix, that are on exisitng streets (in red).

Then there are the conventional signed routes on side streets (in green).


What's interesting is that the system is pretty much confined to the pre-WWII city and some close in suburban areas, and hasn't been extended out into the suburban areas in the county. This is different then Dayton as we have a good regional backbone system in place, but weak or non-existent routes into suburbs and neighborhoods.
Apparently the city is expanding the bike path system:

Louisville is working to increase the number of bike lanes because they:

  • support and encourage bicycling as a means of transportation;
  • help define road space;
  • promote a more orderly flow of traffic;
  • encourage bicyclists to ride in the correct direction, with the flow of traffic;
  • give bicyclists a clear place to be so they are not tempted to ride on the sidewalk;
  • remind motorists to look for cyclists when turning or opening car doors;
  • signal motorists that cyclists have a right to the road;
  • reduce the chance that motorists will stray into cyclists’ path of travel;
  • make it less likely that passing motorists swerve toward opposing traffic;
  • decrease the stress level of bicyclists riding in traffic.

Another thing that is different is that Louisville is making this a governmental priority. They have a Bike Louisville web page, and a "Bycycle and Pedestrian Coordinator" on the planning and zoning department. One wonders if this would be possible in Dayton due to the municiple balkanization here?

3 comments:

kevin said...

I was in St. Matthews over this past weekend, had taken a detour and saw The Highlands and Cherokee Park. Sigh... incredible city. Thanks for your posts. Dayton can learn a lot from Louisville.

Jefferey said...

The secret subject or muse of this blog is Louisville...it is a "Louisville" interpretation of Dayton.

Greg Hunter said...

I agree and when I proposed moving the Lebanon Horse operation to the Fairgrounds that would have been the Churchill Downs of Dayton, awesome compliment to the City.