Des Moines draws lines to become 'Bicycle Friendly'

Mike Kilen
Wed August 28 2013
Posted Aug 28, 2013
14,857

Motorists and bicyclists are urged to do what mother always asked: share.

That advice became official this week on downtown Des Moines streets when shared-lane street markings — painted stick-figure bicyclists with arrows — were finished along Locust Street and Grand Avenue from west (Western Gateway Park) to east (Iowa Capitol Complex) and a north-south vine connecting them on one-way Fifth Avenue with a “contraflow” bike lane, the only one in Iowa. Cyclists pedal into one-way traffic, albeit in their own bike lane set off by double yellow lines.

While some may trumpet the work as yet another step in Des Moines’ evolution to a bike-friendly city, others say it’s one step forward to remain a few steps behind more progressive bicycling cities in other states.

“Bike lanes provide new riders and trails-only riders the confidence to ride on our streets,” said Carl Voss of the Des Moines Bicycle Collective. But Des Moines is still “five to seven years behind” other cities, he said, so “while we are celebrating bike lanes here, some progressive cities are already on to to the next step for bike accommodations.”

First, the celebration. It comes from the likes of bike commuter Steve Falck, who rides Locust Street east, down to Fifth Avenue, and up to Grand Avenue to head to work.

“I just feel safer. Cars know that is a bike lane,” he said. “I had been riding the sidewalk to get over to Grand; now I take Fifth Avenue. At first it feels odd (going against traffic). But the double yellow strip is there, and motorists respect it.”

The work is part of the Des Moines Bike and Trails Master Plan. A federal air quality grant paid for $300,000 of the $360,000 project, and it increases the miles of on-street bike accommodations in the city to 17 miles, or 10 percent of the goal of 170 miles.

“We have this neat system of trails, but we need to realize bicycling isn’t just for recreation but for transportation. Without on-street accommodations, the trails only get you so far,” said Jennifer Bohac, city traffic engineer.

Shared lanes and bike lanes downtown didn’t generate the controversy of lanes in areas such as Ingersoll Avenue on the west side and Hubbell Avenue on the east.

The Ingersoll lanes created fewer lanes for vehicle travel, but now 227 bicyclists per day use them during warm months, according to a 2012 count. The Hubbell project was eventually shot down by the City Council after resident complaints last year.

“The bicycle users weren’t going to do well; there was potential for accidents and injuries,” said east-side resident Curtis Christiansen, who was against the Hubbell plan. “But downtown, especially in the East Village, I think bike lanes are a nice addition.”