General Road and Highway Discussion

[danbrotherston]

I still don’t understand why they insist on putting the barrier curb between the bicycle lane and the boulevard, rather than between the motor vehicle lanes and the bicycle lane

My first guess was snow plowing, because this would allow snowplows to drop the side plowing blade down, but it may be for the stormdrains. I don't know if they plow them in the winter.

So, snow clearing is the "official" reason for the roll curb between the bike lane and the roadway.

However, this reason is dubious...other cities have stated that they can clear the bike lane using the wing blade when there is a barrier curb. And certainly there is no reason that the roll curb must be so completely flat. Like no exaggeration, the curb I have to go over to enter most MUTs in the city is VASTLY more aggressive than the curb protecting me from distracted drivers here. There's zero excuse for that....engineering malpractice.

There is still ZERO reason for a barrier curb between the bike lane and the sidewalk, which makes no sense, just a waste of money, the bike lane is already angled towards the roll curb, so there is no water flowing along the curb...

As for the drainage question, there's nothing about a roll curb that makes drainage better, water can cascade off a barrier curb just fine.