What do you wish existed for your commute?

[Trek420]

The city I live in has recently made a huge effort in cleaning our bike/ped overpass.

I'm sure they're spending thousands of dollars on new lighting newly installed on the overpass and at both ends.

Our regional bike advocacy group has asked them .... no signs.

Nobody knows it's there. So I networked at the pet store with some customers I overheard talking about city council meetings and I think I found the right person to bug, this is what I wrote:


Dear Mr. Beaurocrat,

First I want to express my thanks for the recent cleaning and trimming the shrubs on the bike overpass. It's lovely. Also the lights are a nice idea. I'm sure it will make the area more safe.

But what would really increase safety is .... get some riders and pedestrians on it. In Four years of bike commuting I've seen a grand total of 3 other riders!!!

I'm a long time resident of H 15 years. Four years ago I moved to South H.

As a bike commuter I looked for a safe way to ride to BART which I now do about twice weekly. Maybe I'm a slow learner but it took me almost a year to find the bike/pedestrian freeway overpass off Colaraga. After many experiments and rides, trying different routes I finally spied it .... while driving. Yep, I have a car too.

Imagine my surprise when looking up there it was, like a mirage, an oaisis. We have a bike overpass, one of only two in the Bay area.

We should be proud of this and sign it.

Instead when one rides up West Tennyson towards BART (or anything else that way) as the intersection of W. Tennyson and Colarago there is a tiny sign that says "bike route ends". Same thing on Tennyson heading home at Tampa "bike route ends"

Maybe you ride, if so just ignore me but the average urban cyclist, riders we affectionately call "invisible cyclists", are not riders who do club rides, charity rides, ride for fun and fitness. These men and women ride more miles than I do are just trying to get to work or shopping on the affordable transportation they have, their bike.

Since they are not in a cycling community they don't know that the first tip of safe urban riding is "don't ride the same route you would drive. Think sides streets, off roads, parallel roads ... go where the cars AREN'T. And then obey the traffic laws there".

They know to get from point A to B you take Tennyson and up Tennyson they go. There these (usually not helmeted, they are not wearing bright visible clothing) riders face 4 (four) freeway on and off ramps on each direction.

Also frankly they are tired, hard working folks. This is not a sport to them. For me it was kind of fun, each day exploring the neighborhood encountering dead ends to the bike route but finding "oh, I can get to the Bay Trail this way, and look I can take Colarago to the Eon Cafe and ...." These hard working folks are not going to make a weekend of trying to find a safer route.

We need a sign. A $10.00 sign, instead of "bike route ends" we need "this way to the bike/pedestrian overpass". The funny thing is on both ends if one just turns and rides or walks ..... there it is but not on the main traveled route.

A $10.00 sign on both ends to save lives.

I see women with kids and strollers on that overpass, elderly people on their bikes. Yes, it's legal, yes they can walk on the sidewalk there. Should they? I don't. I've ridden from SF to LA 5 times and I don't.

Let's show them the safe route before we loose a life.

Thanks for your prompt attention