Starting today, bike riders can enjoy a temporary bike lane on St Bernard Avenue, between North Claiborne and St Claude avenues.
Bike Easy created the lane as a part of its initiative to encourage safe biking across New Orleans. The temporary bike lane will be active July 31 to August 11.
Created in collaboration with the City of New Orleans, Bike Easy created a protected Bike lane that uses the parking lane as a buffer between bike riders and automobile traffic.
After August 11, the temporary lane will revert back to a regular parking lane.
“The idea stemmed from having complete streets with bike lanes, crosswalks, pedestrian signals, ADA accessibility, and safe-driving across the City of New Orleans,” says Dan Favre, executive Director of Bike Easy. “Bike Easy has worked with closely with City of New Orleans on the design and getting permission to use the streets for the temporary popups,” he adds.
Bike Easy created its #IBikeNOLA campaign to demonstrate how New Orleans streets can be safer for pedestrians, bike riders, and drivers.
“We want to hear the stories of the people that want to ride every day or want to ride more, and understand how biking and walking safety impacts the lives of New Orleanians,” Favre says.
Bike Easy chose St Bernard as the first popups because of its large biking population. Right now, the 7th Ward has a Bike Score of 93.
“We’re looking forward to seeing the city implement a strong policy that leads to a low stress bike network throughout the city that allows everyone to travel safely,” Favre says.
While not officially part of the City’s plan to increase bike usage, last March the Department of Public Works, in cooperation with People for Bikes, announced plans to increase bike lanes over the next three years.
Interested in giving feedback on the new bike lane? Check out Bike Easy’s official website.
This fall New Orleans will also start its Bike Share program that will have 700 Bicycles and 70 stations located across the city.
- Happening now - St Bernard #IBIKENOLA Pop-up Bikeway [Bike Easy]
- NOLA plans to double bike usage over the next three years [Curbed NOLA]
- Everything about New Orleans’s new bike share program [Curbed NOLA]