WALK LAUREL: July 2013

Finally got around to biking the entire City (existing and planned routes) all at one shot. Sunday morning was perfect for it. Pictures of the lovely mill town are below, but first some observations:

Riverfront Park is such a jewel for the City - it can't be lengthened fast enough.
Main Street - despite being 150 years old and the only walkable and bikeable commercial corridor in the City (and a city-designated bike route) - has not one single bike rack. Unexcusable.
The City streets are very easy to bike in with traffic. The designated routes are slow and drivers allow you to take the lane.
The access path from Cherry Lane to Gude Park is awesome and easier to get up and down than it looks. It still looks good after a few years - the crew that built it must know a thing or two :)
Biking on Route 1 is terrifying. But the sidewalks are too narrow and have people walking on them. It's a shame the stores don't address the street, but instead plop a giant ugly parking lot between the entrance and the City's walkers and bikers. The zoning code needs to be changed to mandate rear parking and no front yard setbacks.
The Laurel Place and Mulberry Street bike lanes will really tie the north-south network together nicely.
There are stretches of the Gude Lake path that could use a bit of smoothing and widening - particularly on the north side.
The City shold adopt the Idaho Stop. There is simply not enough vehicle traffic in the City (and too many stop signs) for it not to be adopted.
Please remove the unwarranted stop sign at 4th and Marshall - what a buzz kill for cyclists heading to Main Street (and cars, I'm sure).
Bowie Road between the tracks and Route 1: U.G.L.Y. Gravel shoulders and zero sidewalks. That should be priority number 1 on the CIP. The ROW can hold two 10' lanes and buffered bike lanes on each side, plus sidewalk and trees.
The wayfinding signage around town is nice and it should be added with any new lanes that get built.
The signal at 4th and Cherry needs a couple of extra seconds added to the southbound minimum green setting. Not quite enough time for a cyclists to completely cross prior to the main line getting a green. This could be quite the liability for the City and should be address ASAP.
All in all, a very enjoyable and quick ride.