The City of St. Petersburg has started installing bike lane barriers on First Avenue N. between 20th and 28th Street. According to the City’s transportation manager Cheryl Stacks, the traffic lane dividers, known as ‘the Zipper system,’ are typically installed in the buffer spaces between motor vehicle and bicycle lanes.

Improving Safety

A couple of years ago, the city made some improvements to the bike lane on First Avenue N. When the roadway was resurfaced, a buffer was created, but it was narrow and lacked a vertical element to prevent motorists from drifting into the bike lane. Stacks explained that the initial buffer was just a painted area, which made it easy for people to unintentionally enter the bike lane, especially at high speeds.

The new dividers are about the same height as a curb and are designed to provide a safer environment for bicyclists and motorists. The installation process is expected to be completed by the end of the week, weather permitting. The initiative will cost close to $100,000, including materials and labor.

Testing the Zipper System

The City is testing the Zipper system at this location, and the devices are more affordable than vertical alternatives, such as concrete barriers or planters. As part of the pilot program, the City will compare the devices with other solutions, monitoring crashes, traffic speeds, and violations of people parking in the bike lane.

If the technology proves to be successful, the City is interested in installing Zipper system devices on other corridors with narrow barriers, such as First Avenue S., Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, and 31st Street. The goal is to create a safer environment for bicyclists and motorists, addressing the safety challenges by making it harder for motorists to inadvertently enter the bike lane.

Original reporting: St. Pete Catalyst — read the source article.