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Posts on South Coast paths
This is one of the posts on the Obern Trail, here at the bridge over the Maria Ygancio Creek. Photo by Ralph Fertig.
- On November 1st, 2002, commuting bicyclist Bob Biskner ran into a post on the Obern Trail path, breaking a scapula and ribs. It brought out a number of stories about collisions with posts on paths, and prompted a study of bikepath posts (or "bollards") in southern Santa Barbara county in the hope of making conditions safer for bicyclists everywhere.
- You can download the 10-page report Posts on Bikepaths as an
Adobe PDF file by clicking here. It's a
3.2 MB file, so might take a while.
- When it was first posted in late 2002, comments about the draft
version were solicited. They are all included below; some have been incorporated
into the final version. It is not comprehensive because other posts have
been reported and at least two were moved back from a bridge entrance for safety.
Comments on the study
- Date: 12/7/02 12:38 PM
From: David Madajian
- Fantastic job. You may want to make a strong recommendation that any path opening 7 feet or less should never have a post. I measured my Geo to come up with this.
- Date: 12/10/02 7:52 AM
From: Michael M. Moule
- Nice report. My suggestions:
- 1. Could you include (maybe as an appendix) the reports of crashes into posts. It would make a much stronger argument to use posts only as a last resort. You could even include a reference to each crash report under the appropriate post description in the report.
- 2. It might be helpful to at least to describe in more detail the types of crashes and potential crash hazards - you could make a reference to the numerous scrape marks on the posts.
- 3. Most folks no longer refer to "bike paths" and use "shared use paths" or "multi-use paths" instead. You might want to change this.
- 4. A lot of people refer to these posts as "bollards", how about a "posts or bollards" somewhere near the beginning.
- Do you mind if I forward your post to the association of pedestrian and bicycle professionals list?
- Date: 12/10/02 8:32 AM
From: Laurens Campbell
- We've been looking at different technologies for in pavement flashers for crosswalks lately and one product comes to mind that may prove useful to you.
- Check out the lights at this web-site: www.itemnet.org/html/site/hl_night.html
- They are solar powered. On top of the poles seems like a good idea and this may just be a good inexpensive fix.
- Laurens Campbell
TDM Technician
City of Kelowna, BC
- Date:12/10/02 1:11 PM
From: Mary Anne Koos
- We had a similar problem with the posts on the St. Marks Trail being primarily responsible for the majority of crashes. Most have now been removed, and they are not installed on new paths. We have had minimal problems with unwanted vehicles.
- Mary Anne Koos
FDOT District 3 Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator
P.O. Box 607
Chipley, FL 32428
- Date:12/29/02 6:22 PM
From: Walt Seifert
- Nice, and useful, work. Bollards are clearly a hazard and clearly not well studied or we wouldn't have so many different types and varied installation geometries.
- The report's conclusions seem sound, but it might be nice to provide a little more information on how they were reached.
- Richard Moeur's home page shows the standard regulatory sign as the R5-3 "NO MOTOR VEHICLES" rather than "MOTOR VEHICLES PROHIBITED".
- I noticed someone from FL wrote they removed bollards with minimal problems. I remember reading the same thing about Denver.
- If bollards have to be installed, I wonder if the diameter, shape (cylinder vs rectangle or other), cap and type of reflector would have a bearing on safety. It would seem that a reflector that maximized reflection (large and amber, I believe) would be the best.
- I guess I have some questions about flexibility. How flexible is flexible? If it is flexible enought not to cause a fall or stop an emergency or maintenance vehicle, it would not stop unauthorized vehicles either. Do you know of any evidence that a flexible posts results in less crashes or less severe injuries?
- It would seem to me that the downside to reflectors and flexible posts is durability--resistance to both the elements and vandalism.
- Splitting the path in two would present its own set of hazards, especially for night time cycling, but would probably be safer during the day. Perhaps rolled curbs, rather than vertical curbs, ought to be used on the approach side of the planted medians.
- You might want to use the term divided path instead of separated path. To me, a separated path is one separated from the street, not itself.
- I would suggest that this little paper has national import and you should ask Thunderhead for comments.
- Date:1/14/03 4:29 PM
From: Cheryl Everett
First let me say what a great report. Then I would like to thank who ever is responsible for the removal of the posts at the Atascadero Creek Bike path at Nueces Drive.
- I would like to strongly recommend the removal of both posts on the North Goleta Bike Route at San Jose Creek. There is no way a motorist could get on that bridge. There is a wooden fence on the west side that you have to ride around before entering the bridge and then make a quick turn to go around the post when riding from the direction of Santa Barbara to Goleta. This is very dangerous and most times I can't make the quick turn and end up riding on the left side of the post to avoid hitting it. Well there is my opinion for what it's worth.
- Date:1/21/03 9:21 PM
From: Mike Wills
Excellent report. However, there are several posts that were not included. Along the bikepath between UCSB and Isla Vista, running parallel to Ocean Road, there are several bikeposts at the entrances to the bikepath--specifically Cervantes, Picasso, Pardall, and Trigo roads and also Del Playa Drive.
- On the bikepath west of Los Carneros there are 5 tall narrow poles at the entrance to family student housing.
- Date:1/24/03 4:09 PM
From: Walt Seifert
- One more comment on posts.
- Shouldn't there be warning signs wherever posts must be installed? There are warning for medians and other impediments in roadways.
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