I live in T-Town and I'm impressed that someone in the city government actually got off their ass and did some work. Usually any problem reported to the city is met with the response that they don't have enough workers to take care of it, budget cuts you know.

Anything to stop progress!

The real problem is the added bike lanes. Consider the following:

Bill is driving his car on the street and Tom is riding his bike in one of these newly created bike lanes. Sadly, Tom makes a right turn through the bike lane as is legally proper in Washington State and he fails to see Tom passing so hits and kills Tom. Bills lawyer finds the bike lane is not on the books so now Tom was actually legally passing on the right of someone making a right turn and hence the party at fault. Tom's family's lawyer notes that Tom was acting according to the marked roadway and must have assumed it was correct. So who is then at fault? The city for not having properly marked roadways and the city pays out big sums of money.

I suppose they could just do what happens here. Today, I was on a road with a 45 mph limit - meaning people regularly go 55 or so. There is a very nice sidewalk along it, but the people on bicycles have to use the road. This area is hilly, so the roads don't go straight, they bend and turn. Which means slamming on the breaks (even if you're "only" going 40) when there's suddenly a bike in your lane. Now, in CA I've seen guys on bikes do a respectable job of flowing with traffic (say 35 in a 40). Don't know how they do it, don't care. These folks go maybe 15. Downhill.

I'm all for biking, but this isn't safe - and if I hit that person - even if I'm not legally at fault, it'll haunt me for ages. These aren't "regulars" one can predict. My question - why not use the sidewalk???

why not use the sidewalk???

1) A bike doing even 10-15 mph is a threat to pedestrians using the sidewalk.

2) In most places I am aware of, bikes are considered vehicles for the purposes of traffic laws.

I've used my bike on the sidewalk, for the very good reason that a policeman told me to. At least in Florida, they are allowed to use the sidewalk.

However, they are also required to avoid pedestrians, not the other way around.

The speed of 10-15 miles an hour is probably an exaggeration. The only time I got that fast is when I'm on the road, and I've never noticed anyone whipping along the sidewalk at that kind of speed.

The "dips" and sudden rises around driveways and parking lot entrances would make that speed somewhat dangerous.

The law dictates that cyclists are supposed to avoid pedestrians, not the other way around.

Ok -- this shows the bloat.

A 4.75-Gallon Blacktop Driveway Sealer is about $12 bucks in my area. The 55 gallon drum is about $395. But figure 3-5 buckets would cover the crosswalk. So about $60 of material should have covered the crosswalk. Call it another bucket to cover the bike path. Add in another $12.

How the fuck do they get to $1k? And why didn't the city simply back fill with $10 worth of paper and a vote to change to add the crosswalk to the city plans?

Jim, sealer has to match the pavement, or you get seperation. Not just anything will do.
All work must be scheduled and planned. At least two workers and a truck, possibly with a trailer for a resurfacer, would have to be dispatched from the motor pool. Work documentation is a big deal due to past fraud. Regulations to prevent errors and fraud pad the bill.

Your pro-rated share of that worker's future pension will turn $500 into $1000 like magic. It's all who is doing the counting and what they count.