I'm a big fan of safety in numbers, and usually I'd be completely on board for things like cycle-tracks and multi-use paths. I advocate for them all the time, because when designed properly, they provide real and perceived safety. People like to be separated from traffic, that's why people like riding on sidewalks, but we know that statistically, riding on the sidewalk can be more dangerous than riding on the street. The problem is, these cycling-tracks can't just be retrofit into any situation. When installed poorly and not planned carefully, they don't work as good as they look on paper. They don't work as good as they would in a grid system.
It's like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The peanut butter and jelly looks delicious, but without the bread, without the structure, without the grid system, it just doesn't work.
Not only do I think the proposed alternative isn't as safe as what currently exists, I think it creates some really dangerous situations. Any time a bicycle goes from being a vehicle to a pedestrian (transferring from the road to a separated path), and then back to a vehicle, you are creating major problem areas and major safety hazards.
We're talking about getting rid of grid system here that works, not only works, but has the potential to be great.
A couple of years ago Jeff Speck (one of the leading minds in mobility) was hired to do a walkability and bikeability study for Boise and this what he said.
“Downtown Boise benefits from a quite small block size—about 300 feet square—and almost none of these blocks have been consolidated into superblocks, which tend to decrease walkability by focusing traffic on fewer streets, causing them to become too wide. The logic of small blocks suggests that no further block consolidations should be allowed, such as the one currently considered at St. Luke’s, which will significantly undermine the effectiveness of the street grid in that location.”
He sited St Luke's and the street closure specifically as something that would have a detrimental affect on that area of Boise.
I can't support something that I believe puts people who ride bikes in danger.
I do hope, whatever the result of tonight, that I can help in the process and everyone can help in the process to make it better. I hope it's maintaining the grid system so it can be something great instead of trying to make the best of a bad situation.
Because of this, I can't support St Luke's Master Plan and the street closure."
Because it was 1:30am, the City Council postponed voting until next week. They are not allowed to be influenced by any additional testimony.
I don't think I won tonight, but I believe in what I said 100%.
#RideOnBoise! You gotta fight!
