The bike lane near my old office in Austin got a full makeover over 3 years

I used to ride my bike to a job off Lamar Boulevard around 2019. The lane was just painted lines on the road, always full of parked cars and debris. Now they put in actual concrete barriers and a separate path. It's wild how much safer it feels just because of that one change. Has anyone else seen their commute route get that kind of upgrade?

2 comments

2 Comments

dylan41323d ago

You ever notice how a small physical barrier changes everything? I had a similar deal on my route in Denver where they swapped out painted lanes for those plastic flex posts and concrete curbs. It went from feeling like a daily risk to actually relaxing on the ride. The parked car issue was huge for me too, drivers would just swing doors open without looking. Now with the barrier you're protected from that and the traffic. It really makes you wonder why every city doesn't just do this from the start.

olivia_webb23d ago

The plastic flex posts are a decent start but they break down way too fast in the sun and snow plows wreck them every winter. Concrete curbs are the real deal but you gotta check if they left enough drainage gaps or you'll be riding through giant puddles after every rain. I've also found those barriers make a huge difference with the delivery trucks that used to just park in the painted lane. One thing people forget is to watch for the painted markings on the barrier itself - some cities don't add reflective tape and you can't see them at night.