Need info on the Intersection Sight Distance In Long Beach California? Learn more about the proposed bike way and intersection site distance applicable in Long Beach…
There are many arguments pertaining to the implementation of the ‘stop as yield’ law and intersection sight distance in Long Beach California. The main aim of the new regulation and proposed bikeway in Long Beach is to experiment with the creation of a protected bikeway. This will be created on the left side of two particular one-way streets.
The experimentation has been argued as being incompatible with the guidelines and standards followed by the Streets and Highway Code of California. The proposal for intersection sight distance, which is applicable in Long Beach California, would be ineffective and troublesome. This is purported by organizations including the California Association of Biking organization.
Highway Code Specifications for Intersection Sight Distance In Long Beach California
The Highway Code has specific criteria for establishing bikeways. These would follow minimum safety design and allow constant bicycle travel only on the roadways that permit such movements. The design speed and minimum width have to be taken into account, as well as the surface of the pavement, drainage and coverage of the street.
The local agencies also have to comply with safety standards that include uniform signs and symbols, marking devices and control devices for traffic movement. The basic highway design code for bikeways should follow the Caltrans bikeway design as detailed in the highway design manual.
Reasons for the Failure of the Current Proposal
The reason the proposed project is disliked is that it requires multiple driveways and intersections. In Long Beach California there is already an introduction of signal intersections. This has been implemented by introducing left turn lanes and left turn phases for vehicles that have been separated from the bicycle lane.
However, the only cuts available in the buffer island are implemented for those intersections that do not have driveways and signals. If the intersection sights in Long Beach California are placed on the left of the vehicles that turn left, then a basic highway design element is in violation.
There is also a lack of traffic control on those intersections that do not have a signal. Other than the pavement markings, which are striped in green, the vehicles would not know that there is a bicycle crossing facility. The Long Beach drivers are expected to yield to the bicyclists much like they yield to pedestrians on the zebra crossing.
Since the project places the bike paths adjacent to the highways and streets, this is not recommended. It will be very inconvenient for bicyclists to navigate these routes. There are no design criteria in the highway codes for such a project. It would be a completely new innovation and completely experimental.
Since there is no appropriate sight distance at intersections, the bicyclists are treated as unique to using the street in Long Beach. All the signaled intersections should by law have one site distance. A clear line of sight should always be available between the stationary vehicle driver and an approaching vehicle.
