Two-Way Cycle Tracks Coming to Robinson Street

What a two-way cycle track looks like (Source)

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By Mark Baratelli 
Robinson Street was named for Samuel Robinson, a surveyor and civil engineer who surveyed most of Orange County and laid out the network of streets in Orlando.It links the western side of the City’s core, west of Interstate 4 (I-4), runs east to the Orlando Executive Airport, and borders many of Downtown’s historic residential neighborhoods, such as ornton Park, Lake Eola Heights, Colonialtown South, and East Central Park. 


For cyclists, there's some bike-positive changes coming: the street will be getting two-way cycle tracks along 1.4 miles of the road's 2.3 mile length. 

Two-way cycle tracks are physically separated from auto traffic and allow bicycle movement in both directions on one side of the road. Two-way cycle tracks protect bicycle space and improves perceived comfort and safety. The increased width allows safer overtaking for bicyclists. 

Many two-way cycle tracks have been implemented across the country in recent years as they provide exclusive space for bicycles and are separated from motor vehicle travel lanes, parking lanes, and sidewalks. The level of treatment and investment can vary– from delineating using paint and markers, to higher-level investments such as raised curbs, special pavers, and landscaping.

Two-way cycle tracks: 
  1. May require special signing at driveways and side streets to increase awareness of bi-directional bicycle travel. 
  2. May require special bicycle and No Right-Turn-on-Red phasing to protect bicycle movements at signalized intersections.

Let's look at where the two-way cycle tracks will be located and what they will look like. 

Robinson Street Sections:
1. Central Business District - Hughey to Rosalind - .4 miles - two-way cycle track 
2. Lake Eola District - Rosalind to Hyer - .6 miles - two-way cycle track 
3. Neighborhood District - Hyer to Bumby - .9 miles - bikes and cars in same lanes 
4. Milk District - Bumby to Maguire -.4 miles -  two-way cycle track 



1. Central Business District
Hughey to Rosalind (.4 miles) - The Central Business District would include a two-way cycle track on the south side of the road. 




2. Lake Eola District
Rosalind to Hyer (0.6 Miles) - Lake Eola District continues the two-way cycle track on the south of the road with a 4-foot buffer between the travel lanes and cycle track and 3-foot buffer between cycle track and sidewalk.



3. Neighborhood District
Hyer to Bumby (0.9 Miles) - The Neighborhood District's bicycle accommodation along the corridor transitions from two-way cycle track to shared lane markings (sharrow) near Hyer Avenue, just west of Mills Ave. A cyclist who wants to continue on exclusive bike facility along the corridor would use the Howard Middle School pedestrian signal to connect from the cycle track to a potential shared use path on Hyer Avenue, connecting to the existing Livingston Avenue bike lanes to travel through the Neighborhood District. The reason for the lack of two-way cycle tracks along this stretch is it does not have many destinations and origins for bicycle travel and the relatively higher frequency of driveways limits the feasibility of implementing a separated cycle track through this District.




4. Milk District
Bumby to Maguire (0.4 Miles) - The Milk District re-introduces the two-way cycle track on the north side of the roadway along the TG Lee property and Festival Park and would connect to the shared use path along Maguire Avenue.
 


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Alternative Designs: Alternative 2A/2B reconfigures the roadway to have three travel lanes between Hughey Avenue and Hyer Avenue in the Central Business District and Lake Eola District, and will maintain the existing four lanes in the Neighborhood District and Milk District. The four lanes east of Hyer will allow for more vehicle capacity where traffic volumes are highest along the corridor, and allow a higher level of bicycle and pedestrian accommodation where there are more needs and destinations for walking and bicycling near Downtown and Lake Eola Park. Alternative 2B, a variation of Alternative 2A, includes three lanes in the Milk District to accommodate on-street parking for the Milk District shops and restaurants.