In our May 2024 issue of The Pedal Post (eNewsletter), Bike Fort Collins posed the question: “Have you experienced conflict or felt unsafe while traveling through the intersection of West Drake Road and Mason Trail?”
Thank you to those who responded. Below is a recap of the results.
WHAT HAPPENED?
In addition, for those who reported conflict, we asked them to describe their experience. Here is a sampling of the responses we received:
- “People were unsure with dual lights when to go when not to go in their cars which made me feel unsafe on my bike.”
- “West bound drivers stop on the crosswalk and block the bike/pedestrian route. I now try to cross Drake by crossing where the smaller crossroad (don’t know name) is… at the end of the curb. At other times East bound drivers stop a couple car lengths before the white bar in the road thus backing up traffic and blocking the crosswalk.”
- “An idiot speeding in a pickup truck grazed me. Less than an inch from killing me.”
- “Long waits to cross, traffic ignores red light.”
- “Cars to the immediate left side of the trail making right turns when the sign says no turns. Also cars going west on Drake stopping in the bike lane for crossing Drake on the Mason Trail.”
- “Cars often try to squeeze through on a red light for them and walk sign for me.”
- “When riding north on Mason Trail, waiting for the bike light, drivers waiting to make a right turn on red are so concentrated on looking left they don’t see the no-right turn light and proceed with their turn even when the bike crossing signal is lit. It’s only happened a couple of times over the last year but it’s still scary. Also, cars heading east on Drake waiting to turn left onto Redwing get caught when the light turns red and they end up blocking the crappy little gap in the median where bikes are supposed to ride.”
HOW CAN IT BE IMPROVED?
Finally, we asked respondents how they thought the intersection/facility could be improved. Here is a sampling of the responses we received:
- “Ideally only one light. Improve signage possibly audio directions.”
- “Move crosswalk to the edge of the cross street. Or, have underpass…this would be a great location for underpass. Pedestrians and bikes get backed up at very narrow sidewalk on S side of Drake. That sidewalk needs to be wider in both N/S and E/W directions.”
- “I talked to the City and they are redoing that area.”
- “Bike crossing light north/southbound is slow, otherwise this intersection is fine. Feels very safe, just slow to cross.”
- “Increase timing of signals.”
- “Right turn on signal only. Sign on Drake — no stopping in bike lane.”
- “Place red light cameras at these crossings.”
- “Mark the path bikes/peds are supposed to take crossing Drake so drivers can clearly see a crosswalk and put up signs saying don’t block the crosswalk.”
Again, thank you to all who responded—and for sharing their experiences. Stay tuned for additional surveys inquiring about other intersections and bicycle facilities.