City installs bike lane barrier devices on First Avenue N.

Last week, the City of St. Petersburg began installing bike lane barriers on First Avenue N. between 20th and 28th Street. 

According to the City’s transportation manager Cheryl Stacks, the traffic lane dividers, known as “the Zipper system,” are typically installed in the buffer spaces between motor vehicle and bicycle lanes. 

“A couple of years ago, we were able to make some improvements to the bike lane on First Avenue N.,” she explained. “When we resurfaced the roadway, we were able to create a buffer, but it was a little bit narrow and we didn’t have a really good device that we could put in that buffer space to kind of provide a vertical element.” 

That initial buffer was just a painted area. 

“It’s really easy for people, if they’re not paying attention or the motorist isn’t staying in their lane, to drift over into the bike lane,” Stacks said. “That’s pretty nerve-racking, especially at the speeds that some people drive on First Avenue N. So, having this vertical element is really nice.” 

She added that the dividers are about the same height of a curb. Any devices on a roadway system have to be authorized by the Florida Department of Transportation. 

“Just recently, this product became available on the approved products list so it kind of opened up the door and gave us another tool in the toolbox,” Stacks explained. “We’re testing it out at this location.”

The dividers will be tested in a pilot program. If successful, they could be installed on corridors such as First Avenue S., Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street and 31th Street.

The installation process should be completed by the end of this week, weather permitting. 

The initiative will cost close to $100,000, including materials and labor. She said that the Zipper system is also more affordable than vertical alternatives, such as concrete barriers or planters. As part of the pilot program, the City will compare the devices with other solutions. Key metrics will include safety benefits, maintenance and aesthetics. 

“We’re monitoring crashes and traffic speeds,” Stacks added. “We’re measuring whether we are getting any violations of people parking in the bike lane. That’s been a little bit of a challenge for us. Where the bike lane is now, we used to have on-street parking.” 

The St. Petersburg government will also determine if more bicyclists are using the road.

If the technology proves to be successful, the City is interested in installing Zipper system devices on “other corridors that also have a skinny barrier” such as First Avenue S., Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street and 31st Street. 

“We have seen an uptick in the number of bicycle crashes in the last couple of years, particularly those involving an e-bike,” she said. “So, that’s why it’s pretty important for us to make sure that we’re doing our part in trying to create a safe environment and safer infrastructure for bicyclists and motorists too. This will help us address some of the safety challenges by making it just a little bit harder for a motorist to inadvertently enter the bike lane.”