Eastern Bloc Cycling Club
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Let's Rumble (strips)!
Okay, bad enough we still have towns oil and chipping the roads, but now it seems that CT DOT is cutting rumble strips into some of the local state roads. I noticed they were added to Route 202 west of Canton and through Nepaug (I'm not sure how far they continue past that point). Someone else has reported new rumble strips were cut into RT 187.
I thought this ancient practice was discontinued years ago. These rumble strips force cyclists to ride either in the traffic lane or to the far right of the shoulder, in the rocks and debris.
Please report here if you encounter any other new rumble strips on your rides. We've got a few folks trying to follow up with the state and some of the advocacy groups to try to find out what is going on, and whether or not the state is considering the safety of cyclists when putting in the strips.
John, Thanks for advocating. I don't like those strips as a driver not to mention as a cycler. It sounds like you're taking years of life out of tires and suspension.
In Vermont they rumpled the center line of route 2 going through the northern islands on lake Champlain. The result is - drivers who would normally show courtesy and give you lots of space (where there isn't much shoulder) now are much less likely to move over which would activate the rumple strip.
This may be a worse issue than I originally thought. According to the CT Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee, the state is only doing this on "limited access" highways. That's right, roads that don't allow cycling. That includes the area around the Rt 187/189 intersection in East Granby/Bloomfield, as well as the section of Route 202 from Canton to a little past Steele Road (Walt & Betsy can't ride their bikes anymore!). Here is the entire list
This raises some serious issues. What if you are struck by a car on Route 202? Is the motorist off the hook because you were riding on a limited-access highway?
We've got a few folks trying to dig into this. More to come.
202 west of Canton is limited access? That's utter nonsense.
I certainly agree that it's a joke to label the section of 202 by Nepaug reservoir a limited access highway, but the rumble strips are there. Thankfully (I guess) they are along the stretch of road that has pretty wide shoulders. I did observe cyclists riding there this morning, even saw two riding side by side, so it's certainly not impassable for cyciists. And I wouldn't worry too much about this hampering Walt and Betsy Hard - they generally warm up and cool down going up and over Steele.
I have also observed rumble strips down the center of some busily travelled roads, specifically Rt. 202 from Torrington out toward Litchfield and Town Hill Rd. in New Hartford. I will say that hearing cars on the rumble strips on Town Hill Rd as they approach from behind suggests to me that they are moving over to pass safely. Some small consolation, I suppose.
Tom, you're right, the rumble strips on 202 still leave a fair amount of room to ride. However, Route 187 in East Granby has a much narrower shoulder with lots of debris and storm sewers. Not as good.
My initial fear was that the state was putting these up on all the state highways. If it is, in fact, just limited to those sections that are designated "limited access," the strips won't be a serious problem. My concern, however, is that someone decides that they want to enforce the "no bikes" restriction on these roads. I really doubt that will happen, but never underestimate the stupidity of government. Some folks are looking into this.
Don't worry until the signs appear, Prohibiting bicycles on the section of roadway. Restricting bicycles on a section of roadway cant happen, Until the State of CT, starts putting up signs ( about limiting bicycle access) to everyone traveling on the road. We have no worries. Continue to ride as we have done, before.
ONCE THE FIRST SIGN APPEARS. We will (and should be) be concerned...
Until signs are posted, I don't think riding a bike on the sections of roads with new rumble strips will be a concern, from a legal point of travel. We should ride on the roads as we all have done before. Time will tell how things progress.
If we only knew where the state was going to install new signage, we might have a little insight to what is coming.