Bikeway safety is an important
need on the Olivette Bikeway system, just as it is on similar facilities across
the country. Safety has been a key consideration during the planning phase
of this project, and safety features will be incorporated into the design
of the bikeway as well. The following is a summary of key safety elements:
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Access
by police -- regular patrols by the Olivette Police Department. The trail
portion of the bikeway will be designed so that official police vehicles
can travel on the trail. Regular patrols by police cars will be supplemented
with periodic patrolling by the department's Bicycle Police Patrol.
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Different
safety needs -- The three trail elements of the system are in different
areas of the city, and will have different safety needs. The east trail
runs on an old rail alignment which is generally parallel to Price Road
north of Olive, and will be a buffer between an industrial park and residential
neighborhoods to the east and the north. It can be patrolled on a more frequent
schedule if, upon operation, the need for this exists. The other trail components
- the longer trail at Stacy park and the short cut-through at the east terminus
of Grandview - are in residential neighborhoods where community safety levels
are already high.
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Hours
-- The trail portion will only be open from dawn to dusk. As with other
park facilities, the Parks and Recreation Department as well as the Police
Department will enforce these hours.
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The
on-street trail component-- The on-street portion of the bikeway is primarily
located on existing neighborhood and subdivision streets. Signs including
"Bicycle Route" and "Share the Road with Bicycles" will be placed throughout
the system and this will increase the safety level for children who already
use subdivision streets to ride bicycles. Several larger streets are also
a part of the bikeway system. As with similar bikeways in existence elsewhere,
this portion is intended for use by adult riders. Much of this street system
is already used by adult cyclists. The placement of signs including "Bicycle
Route" and "Share the Road with Bicycles" signs will improve safety conditions
of these riders. Finally, as a part of the city's overall street system,
all bicycle routes are incorporated in the existing public right-of-way
which is already patrolled regularly.
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Importance
of design and maintenance -- Design as well as the degree of maintenance
are important considerations in establishing bikeway safety. Olivette's
trail components will have adequate widths, sight lines and turn radii to
allow for safe movement by all users -- bicyclists, walkers, runners, roller
bladers, wheelchair users and others. There will be no steep grades on the
trails. The trail surface will be asphalt for ease of use by bicycles and
other non motorized, wheeled users. The trail components will be regularly
maintained by the Parks and Recreation Department to the same quality standards
as the rest of the city's park system.
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Access
by ambulances-- The trail components will be accessible by ambulance. In
fact, portions of the trail system, such as at the Grandview Drive trail
cut-through, can shorten access time by ambulances and fire vehicles traveling
from the station on Olive Boulevard to neighborhoods.
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Security
-- Questions are sometimes asked whether the introduction of a trail running
through a neighborhood creates problems for adjacent or nearby residents.
The presence of problems is related to whether there are adequate management
and security practices by the host city. Because trails developed with TEA-21
Enhancement funds also receive substantial in-kind or monetary investment
from the local sponsoring jurisdiction, most localities institute adequate
management and security efforts, such as those identified above, in order
to protect its citizens as well as the municipal investment. Olivette has
committed to the provision of these safeguards for the Olivette Bikeway
System.