What You Need to Know About the New Bike Lane in Mission Valley
Motorists have an obligation to share the road with cyclists, but not everyone takes this duty seriously. As a result, many cyclists incur serious injuries on the road each year. According to the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, 818 bicyclists lost their lives in accidents with motor vehicles in 2015.
To curb the amount of cyclist-related injury and death, more municipalities are developing bike lanes to aid in the flow of traffic and clear any confusion about sharing the road. However, the new bike lane in Mission Valley is still creating some misunderstandings for motorists and cyclists alike. Here’s everything you need to know about the new bike lane and how it might affect your commute.
Where Is the New Bike Lane?
City officials installed a new bike lane along Camino Del Rio South, in Mission Valley. It effectively connects the two miles between Camino Del Rio South and Landis Street along State Route 15. The intention of the bike lane was to make a safer mode of travel for cyclists who want to travel the State Route 15 Commuter Bikeway. Previously, bikers had to weave in and out of parked cars along the Camino Del Rio South, which put them in the middle of traffic whizzing by at 50 miles per hour. To curb the risks and prevent as many accidents as possible, city officials built the bike lane, which opened recently to some confusion to both motorists and cyclists.
While the bike lane has markings, is still lacks “no parking” signs along the way. As a result, cars continue to park around the avenue, which is now technically a lane for biking commuters. Motorists may return to their vehicles to find a citation on their windshield, despite there being no clearly marked signs prohibiting parking. In the meantime, if you park in this area, you could come back to a ticket on your vehicle.
Why Bike Lanes?
In general, the safety of bike lanes is a hotly debated topic. Both parties for and against have strong opinions. Proponents of bike lanes, including city officials, argue that utilizing them improves safety by encouraging cyclists to ride in the correct direction, as well as providing a visual cue to motorists to share the road. Additionally, the solid white line reminds motorists to be on the lookout for cyclists when making a turn.
On the other hand, some critics say that bike lanes provide cyclists with a false sense of security. They argue that cyclists not only let their guards down in bicycling lanes, but they also depend highly on a motorist’s attentiveness. In other words, bike lanes are only as good as the drivers who observe them.
Unfortunately, not a lot of studies indicate whether bike lanes increase safety or not. However, what does exist points to enhanced biker safety. For this reason, more city officials are installing bike lanes on area roadways.
The latest bike lane project in the area connects the Del Rio South to Landis Street, so bikers can easily access the SR 15 Commuter bike way. This safe, effective bike route connects all Mid-City communities, including Kensington, Normal Heights, Talmadge, City Heights, and more. Using the bikeway, commuters can access retail, commercial, and educational destinations all over the Mission Valley Area. The SR-15 Commuter Bikeway enjoys complete separation from traffic and offers a safer mode of travel to anyone who wants to travel the Mid-City area by bike.
To increase the efficiency of the project, city officials must post “no parking” signs that allow for the safe flow of bike traffic – an undertaking they promise to complete within the coming weeks or months.