What it takes to get a flexpost-protected bicycle lane on one side of the street is (*checks notes*) multiple pedestrian fatalities and one gruesome recent cyclist death that was caught on what would become a widely distributed video. . . plus, fierce public grumbling.
Drivers slow down when entering the area because it looks like they might scratch the paint on their vehicle. If this improves driver behavior, then so be it.
Does anyone remember when Broad Street, Prospect Street, and Charter Oak Avenue each had flex posts installed for a hot second? When they came down, there was no replacing them.
Is a bike lane really functional if it continues to be blocked by vehicles? And is a painted one with no barriers at all serving any purpose other than to make someone feel like we have forward motion?
The flex post-protected bike lane does not go the entire length of Wethersfield Avenue. In fact, it does not even begin until north of Burr Middle School. Active transporation advocates can place their guesses as to why this choice was made.
Another question: would this be as crucial if we had narrower streets to begin with, along with more robust public transit?
For those who insist that law enforcement would be better than physical infrastructure — I watched a cop roll right by all the illegally parked vehicles without so much as slowing. There is no reason to believe that the enforcement that has been absent to date would suddenly happen without constant nagging from residents who are — by and large– not being paid to advocate for our own safety.
Are the barriers an improvement? Absolutely. They made it so the nasty dude trying to proposition me from his car could not maneuver his vehicle any closer while I was taking these photos. Will these flex posts save lives? Probably. Is this the best we can do? Hell no.
