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Re: New bike path from Lincoln Park to Newark
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Home away from home
 
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Quote:
Thanks. If anyone wants to see it, here's the video: JC-Newark bike path video
Posted on: 2014/8/13 1:20
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Re: New bike path from Lincoln Park to Newark
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Home away from home
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I showed a TV reporter these trails today; she (and possibly I) will be on the air tonight at 6, 7:30 and 11 talking about weeds and sand and garbage ...
From the Bike JC Facebook page: Intrepid NJTV reporter Christie Duffy braved the weedy wilds of the Truck 1&9 bike path from Jersey City to Newark today, with a Bike JC escort, for her report on how this valuable link between the state's two largest cities has become overgrown with weeds and strewn with garbage, sand and rocks. Watch her segment tonight at 6, 7:30 and 11. Comcast Channel 23, or in HD on Ch. 261 or 800. FiOS 23 & 523. Dish 58 & 8113. Over-the-air Ch. 50. We might even say a few words. Photos of our visit here: Facebook post on TV news reporting trip
Posted on: 2014/8/11 21:48
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Re: Bike riding the wrong way on a one-way street
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Home away from home
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Quote:
While salmoning is illegal, dangerous and rude, the behavior you observed is none of those things. A street that is too narrow for a bike lane is, by definition, too narrow to have space for a bike and cars to ride side by side safely; in such a situation, it is perfectly legal for a cyclist to "take the lane," that is, ride in the regular traffic lane in line with cars. In fact, it's very dangerous to do anything else. The speed of the biker might be questioned; if he was deliberately going slow that would raise legal and courtesy issues. But it can be hard to tell what somebody's speed capabilities are. And in general, bikes are usually slower than cars. So sometimes drivers just have to wait. Just like sometimes drivers have to slow down and wait for: --Big, ungainly trucks that need to go slow down narrow city streets --Other drivers pulling in and out of parking spaces --Pedestrians, especially mobility-impaired pedestrians, crossing streets --Mail delivery trucks --Snowplows --Amish buggies ... You get the idea.
Posted on: 2014/8/10 19:47
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Re: Campaign to raise funds for 275 bike racks in Jersey City
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Home away from home
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Over $35,000!
Posted on: 2014/7/31 4:09
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Re: New bike path from Lincoln Park to Newark
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Home away from home
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The dude is a little crazy, experienced, and good at changing flat tires. This is not for newbies.
But if you can do it, do it! It's one of the only ways to bike out of JC over the rivers, and if more of us do it there will be more pressure to improve it.
Posted on: 2014/7/31 3:57
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Re: New bike path from Lincoln Park to Newark
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Home away from home
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bjay:
My whole 1&9 Truck route, in both directions, was on the north (westbound) side of the highway and the two bridges. I went through the whole in the fence and over the Hack bridge, then I turned right on Hackensack Avenue and basically went around the big block, making a left on 2nd St. and a left on Central Ave., then I cut through the Tullo Truck Stop lot to get back on the sidewalk just as it began rising to approach the Passaic bridge northern catwalk. (This approach was the part with the most sand, rocks and occasional garbage.) On the other side of the Passaic bridge, I rode down the ramp and then headed south on Doremus. Then Roanoake, Foundry, P, Roanoake, Hawkins(?) Rome, then wandered northwest through the Ironbound. Apparently, once you get off the Passaic bridge, there is now also a bike path that skirts north around the road ramps under the Skyway and spits you out onto Raymond west of the interchange, but I didn't want to mess with Raymond. There's a whole thread on Bike Forum about this general route here, with my account on the second-to-latest page by now, I think: Thread on Bike Forum
Posted on: 2014/7/30 3:40
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Re: Parking Too Close to Crosswalks
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Home away from home
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You know what's great for stopping this? Bike corrals, like they have in Hoboken.
Basically you put a bike rack in the street at curbside at the end of the block. Bikes can park there, and their small size and skeletal design allows drivers to see traffic approaching on cross streets (good), cars physically can't park there illegally (good), and cyclists get more parking (good). It's all good!
Posted on: 2014/7/29 17:12
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Re: Campaign to raise funds for 275 bike racks in Jersey City
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Home away from home
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Only 3 days left to help bring more public bike racks to our city! Please give what you can; every $5 or $10 helps.
If you own or run a business, please consider sponsoring one or more racks near your location (for every $150 you give, you get to pick the location of one rack that holds two bikes). Click here to donate to the JC bike rack fund BTW, if you already gave, look for an email with voting instructions and a link to a map where you can drop pins where you want racks to go.
Posted on: 2014/7/29 16:04
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Re: New bike path from Lincoln Park to Newark
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Home away from home
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I stuffed myself to the gills with fine Iberian cuisine and sangria for two hours at Catas, and somehow made it home to Downtown JC. The hardest part was schlepping back up over the Palisades. The riding in Newark and back through Kearny was flat and mellow except for the ramp up to the Passaic River bridge, which I bypassed by walking my bike straight up the grass slope to the bridge. (The old dirt stairs there got destroyed, but the hill is nbd.)
Posted on: 2014/7/29 15:32
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Re: New bike path connects Jersey City and Newark
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Home away from home
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I just did this about a month ago.
I rode my old hardtail mountain bike with good Armadillo hybrid tires switched in. It was fine, though not for everybody. I rode on the sidewalks and catwalks over the bridges (the only time I ever ride on sidewalks). The sidewalk approaching the first bridge (over the Hackensack River) had a lot of big, leafy weeds growing into my path, but I basically just plowed right through them, and never had to put a foot down. On the approach to the second bridge, over the Passaic, there was some sand, railroad-sized rocks, and garbage, which would have been a tad unpleasant on a road bike with skinny tires, but again I just pushed through it. The bridge catwalks themselves were quite clean (I think the Greenway people cleaned them up last year). And the views of the rivers and nearby infrastructure were awesome. Once over the Passaic and into Newark, I skipped Raymond Boulevard and headed south into the industrial areas, which (on a Sunday) were fairly deserted. I wound my way through them into the Ironbound and watched some World Cup Soccer at Catas, a great restaurant on Market Street. Then I rode home. I would like to encourage more people to do this. Yeah, it could use some more cleanup and trimming of the vegetation. But it is a way to connect and explore these two great cities by bike.
Posted on: 2014/7/26 3:33
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Re: Campaign to raise funds for 275 bike racks in Jersey City
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Home away from home
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Over $32,000 now in the fund to buy a JC hovenring ... uh, I mean 275 new bike racks!
Donate today and we'll work on a bike bridge later!
Posted on: 2014/7/25 2:02
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Re: BIKE LANES in Jersey City
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Home away from home
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Below is the section of Jersey City's code dealing with riding in bike lanes.
Note that where there is a bike lane, you are generally required to use it. Yes, you can get a ticket if you don't. As I mentioned, note that you may leave the bike lane -- after checking traffic and giving the proper hand signal -- when the lane is blocked by anything, including slower bike traffic, or when there's a dangerous condition in the bike lane, such as a pothole big enough to have its own Twitter account. You may (and should) also leave the bike lane when setting up to turn toward the opposite side of the street. In other words, if you are riding on a one-way street in one of our many left-side bike lanes, and you're planning to make a right turn onto a cross street, you should check behind you, signal right and blend into the car lane to your right. Then you should signal again and turn right at the intersection. It's just as you would do if you were driving in the left lane of a two-lane one-way street. First blend over to the lane nearest your turn, then turn. And actually, drivers are supposed to do the converse: They are supposed to blend INTO THE BIKE LANE first when they are about to turn across it. Many bikers and drivers don't know this. Why all the intrusions into each other's lanes? Because that makes our intentions clearer to each other earlier, instead of people cutting across lanes at the last minute and getting T-boned by people going straight. Finally, note that the ordinance also implies another exception: You may leave the bike lane when you are able to keep up with the normal speed of car traffic, because then you aren't impeding it. That may not be common for some of us, but it is useful for many of us once in a while; for example, when you're going fast down a steep hill and want to put some extra space between you and parked cars. Just remember that now you're in the realm of drivers and have to blend in with them like another car. Here's the JC code on bike lanes: F. Use of bicycle lanes. Whenever a bicycle lane has been established on a roadway, any person operating a bicycle upon the roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction shall ride within the bicycle lane, except that such person may move out of the lane under any of the following situations: (1) Whenever overtaking or passing another bicycle, vehicle or pedestrian within the lane or about to enter the lane if such overtaking and passing cannot be done safely within the lane. (2) When preparing for a turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway. (3) When reasonably necessary to leave the bicycle lane to avoid debris or other hazardous conditions. G. No person operating a bicycle shall leave a bicycle lane until the movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after giving an appropriate signal. H. In addition to bicyclists, the following are permitted to use bicycle lanes; (1) Individuals using roller blades, scooters, and skateboards; and (2) Individuals using motorized wheelchairs with an orange safety flag at least five feet above the street level; and (3) Bicyclists with attached trailers for children with an orange safety flag attached to the rear of the portage vehicle at least five feet above the street level.
Posted on: 2014/7/25 1:55
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Re: Campaign to raise funds for 275 bike racks in Jersey City
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Home away from home
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Oddly enough, just this evening I noticed that all the bike skeletons had been cleared from the racks at Grove PATH.
Posted on: 2014/7/23 2:02
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Re: BIKE LANES in Jersey City
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Home away from home
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FYI more green surface is being installed right now on Columbus. It's kind of a cool process to watch if you're passing by.
Posted on: 2014/7/21 14:10
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Re: Campaign to raise funds for 275 bike racks in Jersey City
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Because this money was collected from lots and lots of mostly anonymous donors, before the voting system was implemented, Bike JC is going to choose where the racks it pays for are installed. So ... any suggestions?
Posted on: 2014/7/21 14:08
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Re: BIKE LANES in Jersey City
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Correct, and perfectly legal. When a bike lane is obstructed by anything, you may leave it and go around the obstruction, then return to the bike lane once past it. Don't forget to signal, just like a car changing lanes.
Posted on: 2014/7/21 12:04
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Re: BIKE LANES in Jersey City
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Home away from home
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Quote:
This is definitely an issue with lanes on narrow streets, and a reason why a small percentage of cyclists actively oppose them. I find I can stay pretty well clear of doors, or clear enough to avoid one that opens, by riding the far edge of the bike lane when going fast, at speeds close to the car traffic. Then when I am allowing faster traffic to pass me, I give them a little more room by inching left, but I slow down to give myself more time to spot door-ers. The whole dance is similar to the control-and-release vehicular-cycling method that I use when there is no bike lane. I also ride further left when passing slow or stopped car traffic (something that is easier with a bike lane).
Posted on: 2014/7/20 18:47
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Re: BIKE LANES in Jersey City
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Various people are trying to keep up, but it's moving fast, plus technically the lanes aren't really finished until they get bike and arrow markings, etc. I'm sure the city, Bike JC and others will all have comprehensive maps available once this whole half-million-dollar contract is finished later in the year. Actually, right now on Google Maps, if you turn on Bicycle mode, you will see that the editing elves (including our friend Michael Flinck) have been at work, putting in solid green lines for some of the new lanes.
Posted on: 2014/7/20 18:31
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Re: BIKE LANES in Jersey City
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Yep, stuff is designed for better traction, drainage and wear than plain paint or smooth polymer. If it lasts longer it should end up being economical. It's only being used in very limited areas, so we'll find out cheaply enough.
Posted on: 2014/7/18 14:52
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Re: BIKE LANES in Jersey City
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Home away from home
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The green surface is being reserved for the biggest, busiest streets with bike lanes, so for now it will only show up in very limited areas.
BTW, this stuff is all covered under the same bike lane contract that has produced all the white striped lanes.
Posted on: 2014/7/18 3:56
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Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
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Home away from home
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Jersey City is getting its first GREEN, textured bike lane right now, on C. Columbus Drive west of Grove Street!
Photo and details here!
Posted on: 2014/7/17 19:40
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Re: Campaign to raise funds for 275 bike racks in Jersey City
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Home away from home
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If you tossed cash into a bucket at our bike rack fundraisers at The Iron Monkey and Barcade: All that money ($1,500) has just gone into the expanded citywide crowdfunding drive to buy up to 275 racks. Now up to $21,585!
Click here to help make biking better in JC!
Posted on: 2014/7/17 15:11
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Re: Campaign to raise funds for 275 bike racks in Jersey City
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Home away from home
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Over $20,000 in the fund now. Let's keep it growing for better biking!
Donate to the Jersey City bike rack fund!
Posted on: 2014/7/15 2:28
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Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
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Home away from home
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Quote:
I must correct myself, Bowers doesn't actually have a lane, still just the old sharrows on the west end of it. Griffith, however, is painted from end to end, from JFK to Palisade. Here are three more confirmed painted lanes that I just rode myself yesterday: Fairmont Avenue, one-way eastbound, West Side Avenue to Bergen, and Monticello to Storms. Romaine Avenue, one-way northbound, Stuyvesant to Broadway. Garrison Avenue, one-way southbound, Sip to DeKalb.
Posted on: 2014/7/15 2:21
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Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
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Home away from home
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Hearing reports of new bike lanes just striped in the Heights: Webster and Hancock Aves. north?south, Bowers & Griffith Sts. east?west.
Anybody ride them yet?
Posted on: 2014/7/11 19:19
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Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
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Home away from home
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The bike lanes will get bike symbols and directional arrows. There's a huge machine that paints the lines; apparently the contractors are rolling that till they're done with it, then they'll come back with the gear to fill them in.
This has its upsides too: lots of people are getting used to the lanes now, learning different routes, etc., which would have had to wait longer had they finished one, then started another, and so on.
Posted on: 2014/7/7 23:27
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Re: Campaign to raise funds for 275 bike racks in Jersey City
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Home away from home
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FAB, it sounds like your neighborhood has issues with bikes being ridden and parked where they don't belong, in an area where very little has been done to make more official spaces for biking.
So how 'bout we try some different things to address that, instead of knocking them in advance? Other cities generally have tried lots of different approaches, then fine-tuned them based on what worked in different situations. (E.g., NYC has both sidewalk bike racks near the curb and bike corrals in the street.) We support, and will continue to support, a variety of ways to integrate safe and orderly biking into our communities, including some you like more than this one. It just happens that for the rest of July, we're focusing on this one -- partly for its own worth and partly to build support for future projects. Donate for public bike racks, because giving an ongoing initiative a chance to succeed or fail is how most good things get done.
Posted on: 2014/7/4 18:58
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Re: Bike Share System
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Home away from home
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Quote:
As I've said elsewhere, generally I'm with ya. Street corrals for bike share, street corrals for public bike racks, all good. Bike parking should never block people from walking down the sidewalk or crossing at crosswalks. But there are surely some places where sidewalks are wide enough to put in a couple of 2-bike racks next to the curb. In a business district, those aren't any more intrusive than the million-and-one pole signs and trees and meters and mailboxes and whatnot that the bikes are currently locked to. Oh, look, you can donate to help put in 275 of those little racks right here: Bike rack crowdfunding drive page 
Posted on: 2014/7/4 3:08
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Re: Campaign to raise funds for 275 bike racks in Jersey City
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Home away from home
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Quote:
This is a totally reasonable concern. It would be terrible if most of the city were deprived of bike improvements at the expense of Downtown. It would be perfectly fine, though, if JC, like most cities, used its Downtown (with its high visibility, its longstanding flatlander bike culture, its access to NYC and Hoboken and waterfront bikeways and mass transit, etc.) as a leading wedge and a test track for bike improvements, to plant a smaller win and grow it into a larger one for the whole city. It has to spread, and you should insist on that. We definitely will.
Posted on: 2014/7/4 2:56
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Re: Campaign to raise funds for 275 bike racks in Jersey City
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Home away from home
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Quote:
I answered this already in post #10, but: You donate, you decide. Sponsor and place a rack for $150, or donate any amount and pick a spot as your vote, all votes make a heat map, and racks will go in all the areas of highest demand. If there are lots of people in your neighborhood who want bike racks, all ya gotta do is send 'em RIGHT HERE.
Posted on: 2014/7/4 2:43
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