Gainesville Cycling Club
December 3, 2013 eNews

8th Avenue Needs Your Help Now

Dear Member,

While the data overwhelmingly supports the lane reduction of 8th Avenue, public response to a poorly advertised Public Works survey shows 85% of respondents supporting four lanes. Four lanes would absolutely prevent any bike lanes from being built and ruin the overall function of this vital corridor for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.

The traffic study done over the last four months shows no accident changes, increased cycling (by 38%), and no loss of service levels whatsoever from the lane reduction. But public opinion is powerful. We need you to add your voice by coming to the City Commission meeting on Thursday, December 5th (downtown at City Hall). We'll post the meeting time, as it becomes more evident, on GCCMail and on Facebook (it is currently scheduled for the afternoon session, but there is discussion about moving it to the evening).

If you are on Facebook, please join the event.

Please write a letter supporting two lanes on 8th Avenue (which allows the bike lanes to be built) at citycomm@cityofgainesville.org.

There is still a chance to save our streets for responsible and efficient motoring, cycling, and walking.

Did we mention it is cheaper (because of grading issues) to reduce the lanes and add bike lanes than to repave four lanes? Yeah, kind of a no brainer isn't it.

Please add your voice. We don't have much time.

Regards,

Gainesville Cycling Club


8th Ave Background

The portion of 8th Ave being discussed runs east from NW 34th St to the hill at NW 22nd St. There are no intersecting streets in the area that has now been two laned, and the roadway has always been two lanes to the east of this section.

Before the reduction to two lanes, speeds of 60 mph were common on this roadway as drivers raced to be the first to the two lane section on the hill.

The sorely needed repaving project includes the roadway from NW 6th Street west to at least NW 43rd St. Thus the area in question is only a small portion of the project. The design for the roadway to the east of the lane reduction is scheduled to include bike lanes that would feed in to the new ones that are now in place.