Protected Bike Lane for West Main Street - pilot project

*** UPDATE***
January 2024 response from the City: "The concept design you’ve developed is basically the starting point for what we are scoping out with our planning/engineering consultants. We’re asking them to take it to the next level of design so we can do some public engagement and collect more feedback on it, which will lead us to a final restriping design that Public Service (or their contractors) can get implemented. I’m hoping to get our consultants under contract this month, the design process should take six months tops from there. From there, we’ll be discussing the logistics of implementation in terms of availability of labor and materials resources, street closures, public and business coordination, etc., but we should have a better idea of that timeline once the design questions are settled."
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West Main is a heavily traveled multi-modal street, with substandard bike infrastructure. The current bike lanes are not protected, and are often obstructed by vehicles. The bike lanes are narrow and many sections are in the "door zone" next to parked cars, making it dangerous for both people biking and those parking their cars. We have no dedicated protected bike lanes in Charlottesville. Many cities have been installing protected bike lanes, and they are shown to be a significant improvement over painted bike lanes. Better bike lanes will also help Charlottesville residents and visitors who desire to move around without having to drive everywhere. The linked proposal is divided into 4 "blocks" and while all the sections need protected bike lanes, the most urgent candidate for protected lanes is "Block 2" between W 10th St and the railroad bridge.