Cyclists not fond of rumble strip project on Hwy 1′s North Coast, reader says

And what the highway departments says.u00a0 They have an effectiveness section on accident reduction.nnhttp://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadway_dept/pavement/rumble_strips/

There are many places on that section of Hwy 1 where the shoulder is less than 5′ wide (Cal Trans standard for rumble strips)…especially the section betweenu00a0Smith Grade Rdu00a0/ Back Ranch Rd and Davenport. u00a0If they widened the shoulder at those locations it MIGHT be a good idea. Putting the rumble strip down the center line might also be confusing since it will sound the same to cyclists as if the car was running down the strip between the roadway and the shoulder and unecessarily frighten them. When I drive, and I see a cyclist traveling on an inadequate road shoulder, I will move over the center line (provided there isn’t any on comming traffic) to get a little extra margin for error….a cyclist might dodge an obstacle in the road, or foliage growing out from the side and I want to be prepared for that. I wish more people would do the same when I am riding on my bicycle.

“nPutting the rumble strip down the center line might also be confusing since it will sound the same to cyclists as if the car was running down the strip between the roadway and the shoulder and unecessarily frighten them.” <= specious reasoning here; cyclists are not that nervously fragile. Having the rumble strips in the center only is a good compromise; cyclists will appreciate the warning sound overtaking them, so they have just enough time to move out of potential harm's way.n"When I drive, and I see a cyclist traveling on an inadequate road shoulder, I will move over the center line…" <= more specious reasoning here; do you not realize that with the standard width of a paved roadway, a car driver moving left toward the centerline BUT NEVER CROSSING OVER IT allows a very ample berth of clearance to the fog line (6-8 feet, at least). This assumesu00a0of courseu00a0that the bike rider is riding on or immediately to the right of the fog line, and tracking in a straight line. u00a0For the record, I as a highly experienced, formerly race-trained bicyclist find it crazy and even offensive when the car driver thinks he's making the situation safer by crossing over a double yellow line, to allow enough berth of safety for the bike rider. I'm almost wondering whether it's something in our drinking water that making people think and behave this way. u00a0Still, the thought is appreciated, albeit very misguided.

How much would the project cost? Could this money from the transportationnbudget be redirected to the proposed u00a0rail corridor bike path? The bikeu00a0npath would be a thousand times safer than the highway with rumble strips.