FYI that I was at the meeting tonight. Businesses that attended included reps from Whit Hanks, Wiggys and Sweetish Hill. LOBV reps and many other cyclists were on hand to view the plans.

The main point of contention from merchants there was that the reverse angle parking would hurt business because:

1) It would create traffic problems and hazardouse situations, and it shouldn’t be piloted on a busy thoroughfare like 6th.
2) People uncomforable with it wouldn’t want to bother trying to park, and therefore wouldn’t shop there.

I think city staff and bicyclists present refuted point #1 and made some headway into explaining that it certainly wouldn’t be more dangerous and likely would be less dangerous to have reverse angle parking. And as we all know, the right lane on 6th is always coming to a screeching halt with people backing out or stopping at Z Tejas to look for spots…so I don’t think cars putting their blinker on and trying to back in will be much different…although it certainly could be a bit hard on unsuspecting motorists at first.

On point #2, the merchants noted that with things so bad economy wise right now, every little bit of lost business it too much.

City staff suggested that since the bike lanes on that segment wouldn’t go in until after construction of the new parallel parking insets and sidewalk, there’s no need to put the reverse angle parking in immediately, and it could wait until the construction starts after the holidays in January. Bicyclists were OK with this, since we can obviously wait a few months to ease any hardship on business there. COA staff noted that perhaps the city could try and educate existing customers at the shops about the forthcoming reverse angle parking…perhaps through some signage, fliers, merchant newsletters, etc.

To be fair too…I don’t think the parking count noted before is accurate. Since the existing angled spaces aren’t wide enough in some instances, the new wider reverse angle spaces would necessitate losing a few spaces for the proper width…so you’d probably lose three or so angled but gain three inset parallel.

I tried to outline a longer term vision of how bike lanes and connectivity between Downtown and West Austin/Lake Austin Boulevard would benefit the West Sixth Street businesses…but it’s hard to see that future when things are so rough right now. I personally don’t think they will lose many customers to reverse angle, though, and hopefully they’ll gain a few on bikes.

A couple of other interesting discussions:

1) COA likely will put a bike turn out/stop area at the end of the bike lane at Patterson to allow them to wait and cross the MoPac entrance ramp…likely a widened inset/sidewalk. Bicyclists will get a gap in cars when the light turns red at Campbell…letting them cross. Even if cars are turning from West Lynn or Campbell to go West, bikes still would have about a dozen seconds or so to make the jump, either to go under MoPac or cross onto the Johnson hike/bike trail entrance.

2) It may actually be feasible to continue the bike lane all the way under MoPac to Lake Austin Blvd. That work, however, likely would have to wait on resurfacing of that segment, and COA thinks that project will be delayed…so could be a year or so.