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Old March 15th 18, 03:16 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
JBeattie
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Default New Bike Connection

On Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at 1:40:17 PM UTC-7, Joerg wrote:
On 2018-03-09 17:30, sms wrote:
http://www.vta.org/News-and-Media/Connect-with-VTA/Pedestrian-Underpass-at-Santa-Clara-Caltrain-Station-Wins-Golden-State-Award


This is very useful. As the story states, the alternative was a very
long way around on a busy freeway-like overpass. Many people just ran
across multiple sets of operating tracks to get across.



Probably nobody will ever know how many just didn't cycle because of the
previous condition. We even have that in our little village where people
refuse to cycle through a narrow underpass inbetween cars. So they ...
use their cars.


Here's a guess. Zero. Did you look at the tunnel? It provides access under some train tracks and cuts out having to ride or run over them elsewhere. It provides better access to the east end of Brokaw Rd. to CalTrans passengers. In the past, cyclists had to go out of their way to get over the tracks, or as SMS notes, run over the tracks with their bikes. It's certainly more convenient for CalTrans-commuting cyclists (and cyclists wanting to get to the east end of Brokaw at that alignment), but it's not any different than putting in another bridge or overpass over a river or rail yard or what-have-you. Living near Sacramento, you undoubtedly know about RR lines that cut up neighborhoods or cities and the PITA of finding a place to cross. As a practical matter, if you live north or south of the alignment, you just get east before the CalTrans station, and it's an entire non-issue. The equivalent to me is the new Tilicum Crossing: https://trimet.org/tilikum/ Lots of bicycle facilities that I could care less about. I cross the river north or south of that point and only take the bridge if I want to be annoyed by sight-seers on Biketown bikes.


-- Jay Beattie.

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