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Urban Planning Fail: Stretching EV Charging Cables Across the Bike Lane

Because clotheslines are more fun when they're electrified

By Rain Noe - August 31, 2020

One of the smartest conventions urban planners have adopted in recent years is protecting bike lanes with rows of parked cars. It increases both safety and bicycle uptake. However, here's a prime example of how good design can be undone by a lack of coordination and communication.

In downtown Los Angeles, a protected bike lane was recently added--along a stretch of Grand Avenue that already had curbside EV charging stations installed. That has resulted in this incredibly foolhardy arrangement, spotted by Reddit user TezzDonut:

On the thread, fellow Redditor and good Samaritan maskdmirag wrote "Thanks for the post and the location, I got this to the attention of some people who run the car charger program and will get it moved."

Good on him, but the question is, move it how?

What is your suggested fix for this situation, assuming we'd like to keep both the protected bike lane and the EV charging station? My first thought (assuming digging into the asphalt and/or physically moving the post is untenable) was an overhead lamppost-type object that suspends the cable and hangs it down closer to where it needs to go, but I realize that brings a host of new problems. Am hoping one of you can do better.

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Jeff Spencer

4 years ago

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A Dutch solution - recess the cable. Tiles across the pavement (sorry sidewalk) with a groove for the cable and rubber to level it.
https://www.ad.nl/auto/struikel-je-over-de-laadkabel-dan-stop-je-hem-toch-in-de-grond~a01cc045/

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Jeff Spencer

4 years ago

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A Dutch solution - recess the cable. Tiles across the pavement (sorry, sidewalk) and cycle path with a groove cut out for the cable and rubber to level it.
https://www.ad.nl/auto/struikel-je-over-de-laadkabel-dan-stop-je-hem-toch-in-de-grond~a01cc045/

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- Carlos DLS
  
  Jeff Spencer
  
  4 years ago
  
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  Clever, I like that solution. Though if it snowy it might be difficult to keep those rubber grooves clean.
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Tim Freeborn

4 years ago

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The cable could simply be lengthened so it always lies flat across bike lane when in use. At worst it's then a small bump to ride over. It should also be daubed with fluorescent paint. The groove in the tarmac idea is nice but it would require installing a post within the car parking area to hold the cable, so there would be some loss of space for the car.

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Jim Reardon

4 years ago

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And furthermore, what makes you think that is a bike lane? Two thick stripes with a chevron? Why is there an interior stripe? Are bikes forbidden to ride in the gutter?

What is the purpose of that space between the interior stripe and the curb?

I live in California. Bike lanes have one stripe, or two, or their green painted (very slippery when wet), and they are routed to expose cyclists to the most dangerous traffic conditions. Cross hatches? Why?

Why can't I park my car in that space between the interior line and the sidewalk?

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Jim Reardon

4 years ago

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I think we should consider putting fuel tanks in vehicles so that they can venture into urban areas without the need for messy cord.

Or maybe we just let the EV crowd argue with the bike crowd, while the rest of us go about our daily routine, paying for gas and parking off the street.

In reality, this kind of mistake occurs all the time because modern civic improvement is all political and grant driven from above. There are competing grants for charging stations, bike lanes, wildlife crossings, wheelchair ramps, and so on. Each with its own constituency. In the community where I live, we have wheelchair ramps that expose pedestrians and property to errant vehicles (because there is no curb between street and sidewalk), and ramps that lead to -- literally -- nowhere.

If there was any actual planning going on in local communities, these kinds of things would not happen. But there is not. City staff just responds to where the money is available "from above". It's a matter of survival.

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Leoni van Montfoort

4 years ago

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Easy. Just switch the parking space with the bike lane.
The parking space should be direct next to the sidewalk and the bike lane where the parking space now is. Paint the bike lane a different colour like red or blue so that is stands out more.
Even better would be to remove the parking space and move it to an other location away from the traffic and also bikes.

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- Carlos DLS
  
  Leoni van Montfoort
  
  4 years ago
  
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  Here in the Boston area, they have moved the biked lanes to be next to the sidewalk in many places. I'm not a big fan of this as it is difficult to park without any reference point like the sidewalk. I understand it is safer for cyclists. I would prefer if they extended the sidewalk for a dedicated bike lane that is not part of the road. That way cars can park next to the sidewalk curb, have infrastructure like parking meters and charging cables that are not obstructing cyclists.
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Ray Jepson

4 years ago

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All I think when I see electric cars and rear view cameras is, "how well is this going to work after freezing rain, a foot of snow in -26°C." I'm sure it will all work great.

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Jeff Spencer

4 years ago

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(The rubber flap is open on one side to allow you to lay the cable down, and retrieve it later.)

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