{"id":743,"date":"2014-09-07T19:26:56","date_gmt":"2014-09-08T00:26:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/safetga.org\/?p=743"},"modified":"2014-10-19T21:11:55","modified_gmt":"2014-10-20T02:11:55","slug":"cycling-tower-grove-avenue-when-kingshighway-closes-a-response-to-the-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/safetga.org\/?p=743","title":{"rendered":"Cycling TGA when Kingshighway Closes: Our Response to City Plans"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last week we wrote about cycling hazards on Tower Grove Avenue when Kingshighway closes<\/a> for a year and a half.\u00a0 <\/span>We are pleased to have heard back from Emma Klues, Communications Director for Great Rivers Greenway.\u00a0 <\/span>Emma wrote the following on behalf of Bike St. Louis partners Great Rivers Greenway and the City of St. Louis:<\/p>\n

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A road diet and buffered bike lanes on Tower Grove Avenue from Magnolia to Shaw are part of Phase III of Bike St. Louis and all partners are committed to executing that plan, available at http:\/\/bit.ly\/BikeSTLPhaseIII<\/a>. When the Kingshighway bridge construction begins in early 2015, a couple things will happen:<\/p>\n

1) There will be a temporary bikeable route between Magnolia and Shaw on Tower Grove Ave;<\/p>\n

2) Traffic levels will be monitored to see how patterns are emerging to ensure that there are appropriate alternatives for all modes of transportation;<\/p>\n

3) Alternate routes for cyclists will include creating a biking and walking-friendly renovation of the Thurman Underpass.<\/p>\n

We will install the full Phase III Bike St. Louis improvements along Tower Grove Ave as quickly as possible after monitoring how the closure is affecting all forms of traffic. We look forward to implementing this project and many more to make City of St. Louis streets better for bicycles!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In short, the current plan is that no new bicycle facilities will be placed on Tower Grove Avenue before the start of construction, and after that the City will conduct traffic studies.\u00a0 <\/span>The Thurman Underpass will create a partial detour for cyclists, allowing them to ride on a residential street 1\/3 mile west of Tower Grove Avenue.<\/p>\n

The City’s approach seems to be to let cyclists fend for themselves during the Kingshighway construction, and the response leaves many critical details unanswered.\u00a0 <\/span>In thinking about cyclist safety along that route, a number of concerns come to mind.\u00a0 <\/span>Specifically, we’d like to know:<\/p>\n