Bike &Walk Ithaca

This is Andy Goodell’s summary of discussion regarding the “Cheese Grater Bridge” at the BPAC meeting on 11/19/09.

We spent a looong time discussing the bridge on Clinton St last night. Several options were discussed, and there was no straightforward action that can be taken to fix the problem, but there are some things that can be done. Essentially, this bridge has been in place for at least a few decades with very few issues reported (reported being the key word here) so there had been some reluctance to put a lot of money into it for the last 2 years of its life. Obviously, the two known incidents this year are tragic enough that many are concerned about this bridge.

Suggestions included adding better signs and increasing the traction of the surface by either adding a more solid surface or painting with gritty goop. Signs are relatively cheap and easy and may make newcomers more aware of the dangers of a steel grate bridge, but do nothing to help those of us that are already extremely aware of this issue. A 5ft wide surface covering, made of 1/4in metal plating with a higher-traction surface was researched, but would come at a considerable cost ($9k). Myself and others were skeptical about the effectiveness of this type of plate, given that it’s still metal and possibly holds water and ice more since it is a solid surface. It would also have an edge, which could cause issues if you were on the steel grate and tried to ease onto the plate. The price is certainly very high, given that for a similar cost we could be adding a new bike lane (or the beginning of one) elsewhere for that amount. It is possible to get a sample of this bridge covering though, to determine if it’s any good or not.

For the time being, the proposed action was to add new signs under the current “Steel Deck Bridge” signs that would say “Bike Hazard” or “Bikes Use Caution.” This at least alerts riders that there is a hazard. There was also the possibility of adding paint on the road to indicate a similar message (since cyclists are often staring at the road for potholes and glass and now bike markings) in the spring, although this does have a significant cost and limited lifespan since the bridge is planned to be replaced in under 2 years.

I’m split on this. I’d love to see a fix to this so that more people are not injured, but I’m also not convinced that a steel covering or added signs are really an effective solution either. If you do have to ride over steel grate bridges, I strongly recommend approaching them slowly, riding in a straight line, and avoiding using the brakes. The steel grate on the walkway is actually tighter, so although it is still a terrible surface, it should offer more grip and less maiming if you do fall.

If you have any thoughts or suggestions, let me know!

-Andy

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