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3:41 pm
August 25, 2010
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anthonycsiracusa
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It looks like the Mayor will be making a final decision about the street. We sent him an Executive Summary of our plans this morning, which he will review in the next week or so.
Please send your comments to the Mayor directly at May...@memphistn.gov or to his assistant, Kerry Hayes, at kerr...@memphistn.gov
 Read original blog post
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11:47 am
August 24, 2010
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Emily
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The city plans to repave Cooper Street in spring 2011 and hopefully the repaving will include bike lanes and redesigning Cooper Street to make it safer. There are two plans being discussed, one from the CY Business Association and one from Revolutions. The CYCA wants to hear from residents and visitors about the redesign of Cooper Street and where the bike lanes should go.
The CY Business Association has been working on a plan to redesign Cooper Street for a couple of years. In the CY Business Association plan, Cooper Street would be reduced to one lane of traffic in each direction with a designated turn lane in the middle. Bike lanes would be on both sides of the street from Central to Young Avenue. The stretch of Cooper Street from Young to Southern would only have “Share the Road” signs and parking would remain on both sides of the street.
A new plan by Revolutions Bike Shop was presented to CY business leaders at a meeting on August 9th at Tsunami. The purpose of the meeting was to present new information about a safer design option for bike lanes and to come to a consensus on a recommendation to the city for when it repaves Cooper Street.
The Revolutions plan also reduces the traffic lanes on Cooper Street to one lane in each direction with a designated turn lane from Central to Young Avenue. The location of the bike lane on this stretch is the big difference. Instead of being next to the moving traffic, the bike lanes would be next to the sidewalk with the row of parallel-parked cars protecting it from the moving traffic. This model of “protected” bike lanes has not been done before in Memphis but it has been successful in other cities. The bicyclist will still have to be careful of opening passenger doors but they will be safe from driver doors and moving traffic.
Charlie Ryan with the CY Business Association stated that “while the business association is pro both pedestrian, parking, and bicycles we are still far apart …” Ryan does not see room for a compromise and added, “We need to come to an understanding that we just don’t agree.” The reason Ryan gives for not wanting the protected bike lanes is that he doesn’t want drivers who park on the street to have to open their doors next to the lane of traffic. Currently, parked cars do just that.
The new plan from Revolutions also includes protected bike lanes on both sides of the street on Cooper from Young to Southern. The four parking spaces on the west side of Cooper in front of the upholstery shop would be removed. All of the parking on the east side of Cooper in front of First Congregational Church would remain.
Street parking is important to both business owners and residents. Businesses want their customers to be able to safely park close to their businesses. Residents want the businesses to thrive but also want to minimize the traffic, trash, and temptation to would-be criminals that parking in front of their homes invites. The loss of four spaces on Cooper Street would allow bike lanes to continue from Young to Southern.
The CY Business Association has stated their opposition to any loss of on street parking to bike lanes. Individual business owners have voiced their support for the new plan. In an email to the Mayor’s office, Tiger Bryant, owner of the Young Avenue Deli and Soul Fish wrote, “While maintaining as much on street parking is of great importance to me the safety of my customers and the community at large are equally important. I support the bike lanes being put as far away from traffic as possible, which lends me to supporting putting them between the parked cars and curbs NOT running along traffic.”
The CYCA would very much like to hear from you about this important issue! We need your input!
A forum discussion will be opening soon – watch for a new post about the Cooper Street Bike Lanes.
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12:19 pm
August 24, 2010
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Patrick
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Absolutely they should go where the new plan describes. Safety and parking vs parking and less safety?? Why are we even considering the second one.. I'm sorry, but the loss of 4 parking spaces is not enough reason to put the bikers in competition with the cars. Why even bother with bike lanes if we're just going to do "share the road" lanes… that's not very far from what we have today really.
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1:22 pm
August 24, 2010
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lovecy
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The safety of bicyclists and pedestrians was the original intent of this plan, we must go with the safest option. I agree with Revolutions' plan, and I believe most of the business owners will as well.
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1:39 pm
August 24, 2010
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Brad
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Bike lanes should be next to the sidewalk as outlined in the Revolutions plan. Being worried about people opening car doors into traffic is yet another ridiculous excuse considering it is an integral part of parallel parking.
The loss of four parking spots is definitely a worthy cost of bike lanes south of Young Avenue.
Cooper Young has a great opportunity to define itself as a shining example of a Complete Street neighborhood, and that has tons of value for businesses and residents.
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2:55 pm
August 24, 2010
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Chad
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This is an opportunity for us to make a bold and smart move toward being accessible in more than one way in CY – the bike lanes need to be protected. I don't want to be so cliche as to profess "build it and they will come" but by creating a more attractive commercial area that's fully accessible to bikes, I believe that business will increase – and regardless of how you got there, you are still carrying your wallet. Let's do this right instead of squandering an opportunity to make a smart move in our neighborhood. The folks at Revolutions have done a great deal of research on this issue and I believe the lessons they've taken from other communities will transfer to CY, if not to Memphis as a whole.
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10:01 pm
August 24, 2010
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repbishop
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Who will make the final decision about the bike lanes on Cooper? Is it Mayor Wharton? If the repaving will happen in the spring when will a decision be made?
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12:22 am
August 25, 2010
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junebug322
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I applaud the guys from Revolutions for doing their research and seeing what has worked in other cities. Memphis has been behind the times in many instances, and I hope that the city takes this opportunity to help Cooper Young achieve bike-friendly status, which I think would only increase publicity for this great neighborhood. It is perfectly fine for the community to "agree to disagree" with the CYBA on this one over a few parking spaces. The plan is a good compromise, and I believe that the residents, as well as the businesses, will reap the benefits when it finally gets done.
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8:26 am
August 25, 2010
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Mike D.
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I have to go with the folks at Revolutions. I think safety is the key. I frequently tow our toddler in child's trailer, but usually stay away from Cooper. The kind of arrangement described would give me more confidence in using Cooper, as opposed to Barksdale to go North and South.
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8:29 am
August 25, 2010
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Chad
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good question about who is making the final call. Is this our only forum for voicing opinions and concerns?
I'm worried that the CYBA has friends in the right places and will have influence beyond the "will of the people" who post here. It's clear to me that Revolutions' plan is the better choice for future sustainability and traffic. It's harrowing enough to ride on Cooper with my daughter in her bike seat behind me, but dealing with cars crossing the bike lane to park or leave parking spaces while dealing with the traffic on Cooper itself? Why waste our time and money? The more I consider that possibility the more it seems even less safe than what we have now, because cars won't have the wiggle room they have now.
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11:28 am
August 25, 2010
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kimblelynn
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A resounding vote for Revolutions plan. Here's my opinion as a resident, patron, biker and automobile driver: Drivers already open their doors next to moving traffic on Cooper. When I do, I have the luxury of being imobile and having rear view mirrors to help inform my decision. It's preposterous to propose that bikers and the lane be my buffer. Bikers are moving with traffic and clearly will have a harder time looking behind them while dodging me when I open my door. I no not want to be responsible for forcing a biker into the street and possibly being injured by a moving vehicle. Should we look to the CYBA to take responsibility?
If the loss of 4 spaces is really the only NEW result of Revolutions proposal, get rid of them. I live south of Walker and have found that the congested parking on the west side of cooper right next to the cooper young intersection is harrowing for cars, pedestrians and bikers anyway .
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11:54 am
August 25, 2010
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Amanda
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Safety first (for everyone)! We need the protected bike lanes, hands down! It creates safety for everyone, not just the bikers…
It is is safer for the bikers, but also for the drivers getting out of the cars, and the moving traffic not having to watch for veering bicycles as well.
Let's work together on this and get it right the first time around 
I believe if we also work together on the parking issue, we can find a solution to create MORE parking spaces while at the same time adding in the bike lanes. Can we get research and engineers to look at that possibility?
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12:48 pm
August 25, 2010
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mountainbikingchick
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Let me preface this by saying that I am a bike commuter and recreational rider as well. I have been riding my bike to work for over two years. I ride on Cooper often and have never had any 'close calls' with traffic. I have always considered Cooper as one of the more bike friendly in town. I get honked at on Peabody (really, people? as big as those lanes are you really think I'm in your way?) but so far never on Cooper has a driver been unfriendly to me. Now that being said I agree with the revolutions plan, although I am a bit concerned about passenger doors opening up in front of me. Drivers are used to having to look in the side mirror before opening their doors but passengers, being used to being next to the curb, do not generally look for obstacles before opening the door. Children especially are quick to throw open doors and jump out. If I have to ride the lanes slow and in fear of that I would rather be on the left side of the cars. As for their only being two traffic lanes on cooper with this plan–that sounds good to me as people do not need to be tearing through here at break neck speeds anyway. I will sit back and watch what happens because regardless of what I think–we all know the most influential voice will win. AND–since I ride many many streets in Memphis, if cy gets the revolution plan it will be the only street in Memphis like it so I will still be riding along the left side of parked cars everywhere else.
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1:43 pm
August 25, 2010
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anthonycsiracusa
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Mountainbiking chick-
Thanks for your comments and concerns. In regards to your concern over passanger side doors opening into the bike lane: we have designed a 3 foot buffer zone to prevent bike riders from being hit by opening doors.
[Image Removed by User]
Hopefully this will help with some of your concern. And remember: it is not required that you use this facility by law. You can still use the roadway as a vehicle. This facility is designed to enable less experienced riders to safely use the roads.
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1:44 pm
August 25, 2010
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anthonycsiracusa
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Buffer zone:
 
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2:48 pm
August 25, 2010
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Warren Knowles
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I'd like to weigh in on this issue, but before I do, I'd like to give a little background about who I am and how Cooper-Young has shaped my life.
I lived on Meda Street growing up. I went to Peabody Elementary, then Snowden Middle, then Central High. I've had jobs in Cooper-Young; I go to church at First Congregational. Now I live in Massachusetts and go to Amherst College. I am also a cycling commuter. I built my first bicycle at Revolutions, and my primary use for it was getting to and from school – all three, in fact.
On August 14th, I was riding down Island Place on Mud Island. It is a prime example of a bad street for cyclists; it is a very wide road with no dotted line down the middle separating lanes. There are no areas designated for cyclists to use. Cars sometimes park on the sides of the street, but often there are none. On August 14th of this year, I ran into the back of a parked SUV on Island Place. I broke two teeth, had a concussion, and would probably be dead (or have serious brain injuries) if I hadn't been wearing my helmet. My bicycle (a Trek 1000) is now totaled.
That wreck could have been entirely my fault. Or, as usually happens on that street, a car could have come up on my left and approached me too close for comfort, causing me to lose panic and wheel further right. It could have been that I simply didn't see the car parked in front of me. It seems unlikely, though, since I am used to cycling on that street and avoiding parked cars.
In any case, I think this anecdote about my recent injury is useful for community business owners in Cooper-Young. I understand the need for lots of parking in Cooper-Young. But as someone who was raised in Cooper-Young (and would hopefully live here should I live in Memphis after graduation), I think we should consider safety too. Four parking spots is a fairly small loss when compared to cycling commuters' safety. And our teeth. And our heads. We'll keep supporting your businesses in the future if we still have them, too.
I'd like to thank Emily Bishop, Karen Lebovitz, and Karen Carrier for their support in the Memphis Flyer article about this issue. Oh, and after looking at both plans, I'd also like to say that the worries about car doors with the Revolutions plan is a little silly. We already have to look out for them as the roads are, and there is plenty of space in the Revolutions plan for cyclists to pull to the right and avoid them.
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3:24 pm
August 25, 2010
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Brad
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anthonycsiracusa said:
Buffer zone:
Anthony, thanks for including the graphic. Do you know who will be making the final decision?
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7:26 pm
August 25, 2010
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scottbanbury
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I hope to ride all the way down Cooper to Southern on a parking protected bike lane sometime next spring. Thank you.
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8:05 pm
August 25, 2010
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Naomi Van Tol
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My household happily pays dues to the Cooper-Young Neighborhood Association even though we technically live in Lenox, north of Central and east of Cooper. We wholeheartedly support the Revolutions plan for separated bike lanes.
It does seem that reducing Cooper to two vehicle lanes would make it much harder for pedestrians to safely cross the street during busy times. The signaled intersections along Cooper are all at least a quarter-mile apart between Union and Southern so, currently, pedestrians must jaywalk or walk as much as a half-mile extra to get where they're going.
How about adding a few zebra-striped crossings with median islands at high foot-traffic locations, like Harbert & Cooper and/or Cowden & Cooper?
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9:51 pm
August 25, 2010
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mountainbikingchick
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anthonycsiracusa said:
Buffer zone: thanks for the picture. did not see it posted originally.
anthonycsiracusa said:
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