Another re invention

Red line ideas a website of adorable inventions sports this brief description of an elevate cycle route. No pictures but a very agreeably taciturn description.
The is good for the attention to both policing and a perfect cycle surface.

Worth a check out

Mojdeh Stoakley of Fast Lane Cyclery

I've linked to this article from the Chicago examiner  to show that the idea of an elevated cycle way is an obvious step which many independent people at thinking about. Eventually one of the people touched by the idea will have the access to capital to make it happen. The odd thing is the use of the term Motoway - Moto or Motorway. Motoway Nice word anyway. 

Can you tell me about the Motoway idea? 

MS: Motoway is an elevated cycling environment plan that Anthony has been developing with several local nonprofits and architects. It is a 25-year project designed to get cyclists off the road itself for huge chunks of their ride. The Motoway system would consist of tubes which would affix to existing structures such as the El, some buildings, etc. It would be a climate-controlled environment with multiple lanes -- structured by speed so people on motorized bikes as well as other fast-moving cyclists don't compete with weekend comfort bike riders, etc.

The majority of bad bicycle accidents happen because cyclists are forced to ride on roads without bike lanes, and because too many motorists don't pay attention to the cyclists around them. The Motoway plan wouldn't solve the problem of careless motorists, but it would create an environment in which cyclists no longer have to worry about careless drivers.

Elevated cycle way in Pasadena 1897

Wow check out this link amazing link. 

There is a wonderful link to the California cycleway company from 1897 ( yes that's  1897 right this is not a typo) set up Horace Dobbins. A cycle tollway from Pasadena to downtown Los Angeles.

This was found by the late  Dennis Crowley while proposing a similar modern ( but generally unelevated ) system [here]. Given the proposal a good look at its the first time I've seen such a detailed proposal ( including trip estimates). 

You must go a look at this it is so beyond cool.

Velo-city

This is a very lovely Canadian E.C.L  


Technically my big issue with this is that they have very wide lanes. My big problem with this is that the big advantage of and E.C.L is you can retrospectively reintroduce them in to an urban environment. When you get wide lanes people start to feel they can walk down them and certainly the engineers start to think they HAVE to make them strong enough to handle a full distributed pedestrian road. This makes them VERY strong and so very heavy and so very big. 


Still why am I being so critical ? I'ts a lovely system and I'm sure they have the space. 

Elevated cycling tubes for green commuters

Tom Turner did this by in 1996.