ASCE HPT UPDATE SEPTEMBER 1999
From: Mac Elliott mac.elliott@home.com
2530 San Elijo Ave. Cardiff, CA 92007
tel(and fax on request) 760)-944-7324

September 15, 1999

HPT Website. http://www.ascehpt.homestead.com

TO All ASCE Human Powered Transportation Committee (HPT Com) Members & Friends.

1. Kevin St. Jacques succeeds David Loutzenheiser as HPT Com Chair. Active in HPT Com since its 1991 inception, experienced transp. engineer, presently Associate in Charge of Dallas office of Wilbur Smith Associates. In charge of Houston Bikeway Program before moving to Dallas this year. HPT Com fortunate to have Kevin's abilities and experience at the helm. Address: Kevin St. Jacques P.E., Wilbur Smith Assoc, 4925 Greenville Ave, Suite 915, Dallas, TX 75206. <kevins@wilbursmith.com> 214-890-4460 tel, 214-890-7521 fax.

HPT Com owes a real debt of thanks to Dave Loutzenheiser for his 2 years of hard work and service at the Chair. Dave remains an active member as Past Chair of the Committee.

2. Shoulder Rumble Strips. (See previous Updates) Reports of more bike routes lost to shoulder rumble strips in Montana, Colorado, Kentucky & elsewhere. Milled rumbles particularly jarring. Rumble strip on shoulder with guard rail particularly hazardous. Need wider smooth pavement between rumble and rail. (5 ft or more) Contact Elliott.

2a. California has moratorium on installing rumble strips, pending testing various configurations. Probable 2 month time frame. At least 4 different ground-in, 1 or more rolled-in, 4 raised thermoplastic. (Latter not for snow country). Car, truck, & bike tests. Noise, vibration, etc. Uncertain whether tractor tread grooves, 1 1/4 inch wide by 3/8 inch deep by 12 inches long (bike friendly) spaced from 9 inches to 8 feet o.c.will be tested. Large contractor investment in present automated milling (grinding) machines. Change to automated sawcutting could be costly. Wider spacings could cut costs. Cars @ 60 mph = 88 ft per sec. Grooves @ 4 ft o.c. = 22 thumps per sec., @ 8 ft o.c. = 11 thumps per sec. Hopefully would alert motorist. Maggie O'Mara, Caltrans 916-654-2400. Troy Bucko, Caltrans, 916-654-3917.

2b. PennDOT testing rumbles. at Penn State Univ. Ground-in divot types only, due to limitations of contractor's machines. Different profiles, different spacings. etc. Prelim results with "Standard" 3/8 to 1/2 inch depths and 7 or 8 inch lingitudinal cut circle segment profiles confirm severe bike jarring. Lesser (4 inch) longitudinal cuts help some. Presently assessing prelim results. Darrin Torbic 814-863-5472.

2c. Alex Sorton 847-491-5040 suggested considering rumble patterns consisting of groups of 2 or 3 tractor tread grooves spaced at say 12 inches o.c. within each group, alternating with say 12 foot smooth gaps between groups. Would accomodate 4 degree departure angle of motor vehicle, and multiple grooves may give stronger thump than single grooves.

2d. Richard Moeur 602-255-6661, headed bike testing of rumble strips with periodic gaps for Ariz DOT. For 12 inch wide strips, report recommends 12 ft long gaps at 40 or 60 ft oc.at non-controlled access roads. (Gaps help, but don't reduce jarring when bike hits divots on narrow shoulders). See <http://members.aol.com/rcmoeur/rumble.html> .

2e. Jim Growney 518-431-4224, is FHWA lead for rumble strips. Has FHWA website, <http://mchs.fhwa.dot.gov/rumblestrips/> with "Rumble Strip & Bike", and "Milled vs Rolled Rumble Strip" discussion groups. Growney favors milled over rolled, for stronger truck rumble. Presently hopes to issue interim FHWA Technical Advisory (TA) for Rumble Strips, reference ongoing testing, & note that a subsequest TA will reflect results of tests.

3. Roundabouts. Joe Bared, 202-493-3314, in charge of FHWA Roundabout Guide being prepared by Kittleson & Assoc. Revised draft (incorporating input from non-motorist parties among others) is undergoing 2 to 3 month internal review by FHWA & AASHTO. Hopes to publish shortly after 1st of year 2000. Joe feels earlier concerns expressed by HPT Com have been met.

3a. David Harkey <harkey@claire.hrsc.unc.edu>, 919-962-8705, of Univ of NC Hwy Safety Research Ctr (UNCHSRC) conducting all-day Roundabout Workshop at Jan TRB mtg (see item 13). From perspective of drivers, peds, & bicyclists. Special emphasis on Senior Drivers, Vision Impaired Peds, & Youth Cyclists,

3b. Elliott saw several roundabouts in England. 2 lanes inside each roundabout. Rapid traffic flow. NO cyclists rode with traffic. Difficult for peds to cross. Will need good Guides to ensure safe U.S. practice.

4. AASHTO released 1999 edition Guide for Development of Bicycle Facilities.. Supplants 1991 edition. With the wide range of needs and desires, often conflicting and vehemently expressed, with ongoing changes and research, no such document could completely satisfy all. This one comes close. A much improved, very useful document.. John LaPlante, in charge of project, to be congratulated for knowledge, skill, diplomacy that made result possible.. Order Guide from AASHTO at 800-231-3475. Cost $30.00.

5. John LaPlante, T.Y.Lin Bascor, also managing development of AASHTO Pedestrian Facility Guide. Stage 1 is compiling & organizing existing state, national, & international info. Synthesis due this fall, with. interim report to TRB etc Jan 2000. Stage 2 will then develop Guide..

6. Alex Sorton's Hwy Capacity Manual Committee completed revision of Ped & Bike chapters. Major upgrade (1st since 1985), now going thru final editing. Will include Levels Of Service of mixed use paths with varying uses & widths. Also delays on cyclists & peds caused by signalized intersections . Issuance slated July 2000. ..

7. FHWA Bike & Ped College Course: FHWA held March 99 Maryland workshop with 20 -25 transp profs attending. Final Drafts of both Student Guide and Instructor Guide now undergoing in-house review. Nov 99 FHWA Workshop open to Transp Profs and other Bike & Ped education practitioners. For workshop info contact Leverson Boodlal at FHWA, <leverson.boodlal@fhwa.dot.gov>, 202 -366-8044 tel, 366-7908 fax, or Carol Tan Esse FHWA 202 493-3315.

8. James Mackay reports Florida DOT has study on "Evaluation of Red Shoulders as Bike Facility". Study done by Univ of NC Hwy Safety Research Ctr. Available <http://www.dot.state.fl.us/safety/ped_bike/ped_bike_reports.htm> "Report concludes red shoulders produce operational benefits for both bicyclists and motorists."

9. David Harkey (Item 3a) reports USDOT established Ped & Bike Info Center, operated by Univ of NC HRSC. Goal is to provide info & resources re safe places for walking & biking. Website on line in October. See <www.walkinginfo.org> and <www.bicyclinginfo.org> . Also 1-877-WALKBIKE (toll free tel).

10. James Mackay PE, Denver Bike Planner, <Mackayjd@ci.denver.co.us>, will appreciate recommendations for how best to represent bike & ped interests on Denver area MPO Transp Policy Committee. (Administers federal transp funding via local Transp Improvement Programs.) Air Quality big issue. Mackay particularly interested in ped or policies already adopted by MPOs, plus what are needed.

11. John Luton, President, Greater Victoria Cycling Assoc, <jluton@horizon.bc.ca> needs convincing examples or formula to show difference of bike traffic expected on paved vs unpaved paths, in order to have paths paved.

12. Velo Mondial, Amsterdam 18-22 June 2000. Should be outstanding international conference, set in western world's Bicycle City. For info, Call for Papers, etc, contact Elliott, or Velo Mondial 2000 Secretariat, PO Box 1558, 6501 BN Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Fax +31 24 360 11 59. Internet <www.velomondial2000.nl> .

13. TRB Annual Mtg Jan 9-13, 2000 Wash DC. Always worthwhile HPT sessions. (e.g., See item 3a.) See <http://www.national-academies.org/trb/meeting> or 301-694-5243. Watch HPT Com Website (see URL at beginning of .this Update) for info on ASCE HPT Com meeting there.

 Mac Elliott. Vice Chair. ASCE HPT Com.