GObike Works with City of Lackawanna to Install a 1.4-Mile Protected Bike Lane Pilot Project on Ridge Road
The temporary pilot project allows the city to experiment with the design configuration before permanent changes are made and will provide connectivity to existing and planned bike lanes and greenways.
GObike Buffalo is working with the City of Lackawanna to install the first on-street protected bike lane in the Western New York region. The 1.4-mile temporary pilot project aims to determine the impacts of a protected two-way bike lane on Ridge Road on the economy, connectivity, safety, and quality of life.
The protected bike lane will provide bicycle connectivity to the outer harbor and the Erie County Industrial Heritage Trail, South Park Avenue, the City of Buffalo, the Shoreline Trail’s planned extension to Woodlawn Beach, and, should the lanes become permanent, the proposed 80-mile Southern Tier Trail.
‘We’re excited to partner with GObike to provide bicycling enthusiasts in Lackawanna and surrounding areas with the region’s first on-street protected bike lane,” said Lackawanna Mayor Annette Iafallo. “This innovative design will provide a safe and convenient bike path to local recreational and cultural destinations along the Lake Erie waterfront, while also connecting the larger bicycling community to the great restaurants and shops we have in Lackawanna.”
Because this is a temporary project, the City of Lackawanna can test out the design configuration before making permanent changes at a fraction of the cost. The project will also allow residents, business owners, and visitors to participate in the design process by touching and feeling the temporary protected bike lane to understand the pros and cons of a permanent installation.
“Our pop-up complete streets project program starts and ends with the community. We see and hear the demand throughout the region for safer, more comfortable streets,” said Justin Booth, Executive Director for GObike Buffalo. “We prototype a proposed street design with the community and local leaders, allowing for a permanent solution to be developed that addresses any concerns or modifications that arise during the pilot project period.”
Access to parks, greenspaces, and greenways is more important than ever. Across the region and the nation, since COVID-19 outbreak, bicycle and pedestrian activity has drastically increased, with local estimates suggesting peaks of 3,000 percent increases in area bicycle activity. According to Google’s COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports, park visitations are currently 122% above baseline visits.
GObike’s Pop-Up Projects
Since 2017, working with community leaders and organizations, GObike has installed hundreds of temporary pop-up complete street elements, including crosswalks, bike lanes, sharrow refreshes, and curb bump-outs in communities across the Western New York area.
Pop-up complete street projects provide community members and decision-makers with a tangible visualization of how walking, bicycling, and public transit facilities can create safer, more engaging streets. GObike supports complete streets because we believe everyone has a right to feel comfortable and safe from traffic violence in their neighborhood.
Design concepts and more information for the Ridge Road protected bike lane project can be found at https://gobikebuffalo.org/project/ridge-road-pop-up-protected-bike-lane.