By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Hays City Commissioners and city staff are getting a lot of comments and questions about the new Bike Hays program.
Numerous signs and street markings for bicycle traffic have been appearing across town this week. Some residents are excited and have been looking forward to the changes–others, not so much.
Confusion seems to be rampant, whether it’s a “conversation at the local donut shop or talk on social media,” Vice-Mayor Shaun Musil said Thursday night. “Bike Hays is a good thing. It’s just going to take time.”
Musil said he keeps a bunch of the Bike Hays Biking Guide pamphlets with him so he can hand them out when he gets questions from residents.
The commission was given an update about the program by Assistant Hays City Manager Paul Briseno during their Thursday night meeting.
“Bicycles have always been allowed on the city streets (along with motorists), regardless of the new system,” Briseno reminded the audience, which included cable TV and Internet viewers watching the meeting live.
The on-street system is about half-way done–roughly nine miles–which includes the bike lanes and sharrows throughout the community, Briseno reported.
The levee west of Main Street is complete, while the levee section east of Main is scheduled to be finished next week.
The desire for a bike system by a majority of Hays residents was first noted in the 1995 city comprehensive plan and, most recently, in the 2012 comprehensive plan.
The entire system, about 21 miles when it’s completed, has been engineered and overseen by the Kansas Department of Transportation, according to Briseno.
“So therefore, the bike lanes as well as the sharrows are strategically placed according to national standards,” he said.
Local social media, including Hays Post, has been abuzz recently with complaints that the bike markings are “in the middle of the street.”
“When you see the sharrow markings on the road–the bike with arrows–both motorists and bicyclists should know that’s an designated area both will be utilizing…What we’re trying to do is provide a safe route for bicyclists to use and to encourage motorists to understand you can expect to see more bikes in these areas,” Briseno said.
“The system was set up to create a process for bicyclists to get from Point A to Point B with the least amount of stop signs.”
Commissioner James Meier, who just assumed his seat in late April, questioned what it cost the city to implement Bike Hays. “We’ve created a long-term liability. That’s why I ask.”
Briseno told him $600,000 was paid by KDOT–60% of the roughly $1 million project. The remaining 40%–$400,000–plus engineering costs, were paid by Hays.
“About half of the $400,000 came from the Special Parks fund, which is created by alcohol purchase taxes in Hays and can only be used for (special) park projects. The other half was paid by Stormwater funds utilized to protect the cap of the (Big Creek dike) levee by placing the (concrete) path on there.”
The pavement markings, created with a special paint which includes bits of ground glass for light refraction, are guaranteed for one year, according to Briseno. The city is responsible for upkeep the next 10 years.
“I have budgeted in future years roughly $50,000 in the Special Parks fund to touch up the markings or should citizens come before the commission and ask for more markings or more lanes,” he said.
Meier told commissioners he “turned onto 13th Street from Douglas and drove to Vine. I think I saw three Bike Lane signs.”
“It may be a little overkill,” said City Manager Toby Dougherty, “but this is very new for us…and we’re doing it all at once, so we felt like it was a good idea to make sure (Bike Hays) routes are well-marked with signs.”