By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Hays City Commissioner Henry Schwaller sees a “silver lining” in what he calls the “controversial” Bike Hays project. He also has two regrets.
“The major portion of the city’s cost of the project went to the repair and reinforcement of the (Big Creek) levee–the floodwater control system on the west and south side of Hays,” Schwaller said during Thursday night’s commission work session.
The levee has been capped with a concrete multi-purpose path.
“It’s important because the levee had not been touched since the 1950s and we discovered it was not built correctly in some areas. Now we can protect homes that are in the flood plain and subject to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) loans.
“I think every dime we spent there was worth it and I’d do it again.”
However, Schwaller said he has two regrets.
“I’m very concerned about the design of the symbols, the paths and the signs. This was a Kansas Department of Transportation (engineering) project and they designed everything.
“I knew this going in. But if I’d known it would look the way it does–there’s no rhyme or reason to it to us–and it’s confusing to the public. I think it’ll get better over time but right now I have to say I’m not happy with the final project and I think we made a mistake on that.
“I also think the application (of bike symbols and lane designations on the streets) was not done well.
“More importantly, if this is going to work, we’re going to have to be much more aggressive in enforcement (of bicyclists disobeying of traffic laws). One-hundred percent of the people I’ve seen using the bike lanes were doing so incorrectly. Even if the paths weren’t there, they’d be violating (state and city) statutes.
“Every stop sign that I’ve been to since these have been installed…bicyclists just blow right through them. They’re going to get hit; accidents will happen. Unless we have vigorous law enforcement, we’re going to have a problem.
“Even if we didn’t have these lanes, people will still ride foolishly. But now that we have (Bike Hays), people will say it’s the lanes’ fault. It’s not.
“I’m encouraging the police chief and city staff to enforce and educate the public that bicyclists must adhere to the same rules that drivers do, and if they don’t they will warned and they then will be ticketed.
“As more and more people use the bike lanes–and I hope they do–we’re setting ourselves up for some serious problems,” Schwaller said.
Schwaller gave an example with what he saw on his way to city hall Thursday night–“a woman bicycling left-of-center, on the wrong side of the street, on the wrong bicycle path, while her companion was in the appropriate lane.”
Mayor Eber Phelps said he is “very pleased with the project” and educating the public about bicycling safety “will take time.”
“The city began implementing water conservation programs 25 years ago. We’ve been educating the public and school kids since then and a day doesn’t go by that somebody asks (questions about it.) So the education process is ongoing.
“Bicycles have been around forever; some people obey the rules, some people don’t. I’ve detected some positive comments that at least the markings and signs are reminding motorists they are sharing the road with bicyclists,” Phelps added.