A while back, I heard that the City is studying potential updates to the traffic signal timing in downtown. This is a great opportunity to consider a "green wave" for bicycles -- timing traffic signals at 13-15 miles per hour, the average travel speed of a bicycle.
[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/1910758?pg=embed&sec=1910758[/vimeo]
Dutch cities like Copenhagen and Odense have incorporated green waves, like the one shown in the video above, with great success. The City of Portland optimized traffic signals throughout its downtown area, which not only benefits bicyclists, but has reduced an estimated 1,750,000 gallons of gas and 15,460 tons of CO2 each year. While I worked at the City of San Francisco, we piloted a green wave on Valencia Street, a popular bicycle and transit route, which was made permanent earlier this year.
I would love to see a green wave on some of the main downtown bike streets -- First Avenue, Nicollet Mall, and even Park and Portland Avenue (paired with a protected bike lane -- some day!).
