Unfortunately, with the new Mayor's office looking at the possibility of reversing some of the previous administrations efforts at improving cyclist and pedestrian safety, we wondered what the current state of downtown riding was like, so we took to the streets and here's what we found.
Dangers lurk pretty much everywhere.
No one will or should ever accuse any form or transportation in a congested downtown area of being easy or free from risk. It isn't. When you put cars and buses and trains and bikes and people on foot all in proximity to one another, all trying to get somewhere (often quickly), it's a recipe for disaster. This was no less true of our ride on a beautiful Friday morning in and around downtown. Cars turn unexpectedly out of buildings that intersect lanes without warning and pedestrians don't always pay attention. So, the first rule of riding down there is pay attention.
Despite the lanes, usage appears to be pretty low.
One thing you might not have to worry about, however, are other cyclists. We saw exactly one on the dedicated bike lanes we traveled for over an hour. Compared to the dedicated hike and bike trails we road on our way to downtown, it was deserted. The hike and bike trails along area bayous are often teaming with riders and pedestrians at all hours of the day and regardless of the day of the week. Not so on this sunny, cool Friday morning in downtown.
Paint on bike lanes is crumbling.
The Bagby dedicated lanes were clearly the best and newest of the bunch with a shared pedestrian/cycling "sidewalk" of sorts that was well marked with a kind of cobblestone design. But that wasn't the case for every set of lanes downtown, particularly Lamar where the fully painted lanes had begun to peel and crack. Huge shingles of green paint littered the lanes and the nearby street. That decay was less present on other lanes along Austin and Gray because instead of painting the entire lane as it was in preparation for St. Patrick's Day, only the intersections were marked with the green paint. As a result, they seemed to fare better from wear and tear.
Emergency vehicles blocking downtown bike lanes mean riding on the sidewalk near a hospital.
Photo by Jeff Balke
When we reached the St. Joseph's Hospital complex along Austin, we ran into another problem: cars blocking the bike lanes. In this case, repair trucks and orange cones prevented any passing. The only way around was the sidewalk since street traffic was going in the opposite direction one way. We don't recommend using a sidewalk in most instances, but around a hospital? Even worse.
The bike stoplights work quite well.
At every intersection of a dedicated bike lane, there is a specific stop light for cyclists. But, smartly, they changed just ahead of the actual stop lights giving riders a bit of a head start which we found both convenient and safe. Even e-bikes cannot always go from zero to pace quickly, so having a few extra seconds to get moving was incredibly helpful. Same goes for the yellow and red lights seconds ahead of car traffic. The warnings were incredibly beneficial.
Getting in and out of lanes is sometimes awkward.
Unless you bring your bike downtown via a car (or maybe the light rail), your most likely entrance is via one of the city's dedicated hike and bike trails. In our case, we used the Heights and Buffalo Bayou trails to get into town. The problem is finding access. The easiest way appears to be crossing the pedestrian bridge near the Wortham and heading back north to Allen's Landing. From there, it's an ascent up a curved ramp followed by a ride across a bridge really not meant for bikes.
Even weirder is that the bike lanes often end without warning. The lanes on Gray simple stop heading both directions. We found ourselves sitting at the light at Bagby and Gray with no lane ahead, only a bustling sidewalk outside of local restaurants. We had to traverse the sidewalk over to First Ward to get back to the safety of the dedicated trails along Allen Parkway.
Final Thoughts
Downtown has improved markedly over the years for cyclists, gone from no protection to a smattering of dedicated lanes crisscrossing the busy streets. The timing of the bike-specific stop lights and the wide two-lane paths make for pretty easy riding and relative safety. But, as usual, the normal pitfalls of absent-minded drivers and pedestrians apply. And, yes, there are some infrastructure issues that should be addressed.
We are hopeful the city will continue to protect its most vulnerable and keep up what we already have, but some thoughtful changes and expansion of what already exists would not only make riding downtown safer, but better for everyone including those in vehicles.
