Council considers protected bike‑lane pilot; staff recommends Madison Street with alternatives

Iowa City staff and Tool Design consultants presented a planning‑level evaluation on Sept. 16 of streets where painted bike lanes could be upgraded to protected bike lanes using bollards, pavement markings and, eventually, curb changes. Kent Ralston, the city’s transportation planner, introduced Sean Murphy Lopez of Tool Design, who described a prioritization analysis that started with all existing painted bike lanes in Iowa City and scored corridors against six factors: existing lane width without moving curbs, reported bicycle‑vehicle crashes, demand for bicycling, driveway density, existence of parallel side paths, and traffic volumes. From 23 candidate streets the team identified 10 corridors for detailed planning‑level review; most fall in the city core and include Madison Street, Market/Jefferson, West Burlington, Dodge/Governor, Sycamore and Clinton. Tool Design proposed Madison Street as the most promising pilot because it could serve as an east‑west connector and coordinates with upcoming projects on Burlington and Market/Jefferson. The firm outlined three options for Market/Jefferson if Jefferson is converted from one‑way to two‑way: (A) move bike lanes from left to right, (B) consolidate bike lanes and shift parking, or (C) consolidate a two‑way protected lane on one side (each option has trade‑offs for parking, turn lanes and signal operations). Ralston and Murphy Lopez emphasized this is planning‑level work only; preliminary engineering is required to determine block‑by‑block lane assignments, curb changes, signal work and impacts on parking. Maintenance, snow removal and transit access were prominent operational concerns. Tool Design noted protected lanes often require narrower, specialized snow‑removal equipment (for example, a Bobcat‑sized machine for certain cross‑sections) and careful design at bus stops so people with disabilities can access transit. Traffic‑calming effects from narrowing travel lanes (e.g., reducing lanes from 12 feet to 10½ feet) were discussed as potential benefits for safety. Council reaction and next steps: Councilors asked whether Madison is the right pilot while Burlington Street bridge work could change traffic patterns; several suggested Clinton, Dodge, or Governor as alternatives that might be easier or quicker to implement. Staff recommended returning with an information packet (IP) that lays out pilot options, costs and a public‑engagement plan. The council asked staff to prepare that IP and consider options outside Madison if the bridge reconstruction would make Madison a poor first pilot. Why this matters: Protected bike lanes can increase safety and rider comfort and support nonmotorized mobility in a university town, but they carry trade‑offs in parking, maintenance equipment and construction timing. The council requested further analysis and public outreach before any on‑street implementation. Next steps: Staff will produce an IP memo with pilot options (Madison and alternatives), estimated costs, maintenance implications and a public‑engagement plan; funding and scheduling would be determined through future CIP and design steps.