City of Appleton On-Street Bike Lane Plan

CHAPTER 4: RECOMMENDATIONS
- Proposed Bicycle Accommodations: these corridors should be reconstructed with bicycle
and pedestrian facilities; both off-street or on-street facilities should be considered
- Bicycle/Automobile Conflict Area: usually an intersection that requires a cyclist to take a
travel lane; there may also be a short signal phase or other physical condition that
reduces cyclist comfort
- Improve Trail Connection: some trails terminated near roadways with no clear delineation
for continued travel
- Sidewalk Connection: a short-term solution in a congested area is to encourage cyclists to
use the sidewalk until bicycle facilities can be installed
- Bike/Ped Bridge: there is a bicycle and pedestrian overpass that crosses STH 441on
Carpenter Street
Downtown (Map 5D)
The downtown is difficult to negotiate on bicycle. College Avenue has narrow travel lanes, on
street parking, and a high frequency of turning movements and one-way streets. No bicycle
route will be established on College Avenue. This map was developed at Public Information
Meeting #1 to identify preferred routes to downtown on alternative streets. The map also
identifies existing and recommended bike rack locations. The intent is to allow cyclists to pedal
up to College Avenue, then either park their bicycle at a corner bike rack, or walk the bicycle
to another rack location closer to their destination. The intersection of College Avenue and
Division Street has been identified as a “Study Area” because bike racks are needed in that
location but may interfere with current activities (such as placement of food vendor trailers
near the Performing Arts Center).
Sample Downtown Bike Rack Placement (Map 5E)
To illustrate the intent of the downtown bicycle routes and parking locations (Map 5D), this
map was developed to show sample design and placement of bicycle racks along College
Avenue. Bicycle racks are shown in groups at the corners of the intersections, with single racks
located mid-block or near business entrances. Bicyclists will not be allowed to ride their
bicycles on the sidewalk, and “dismount zones” signage may be utilized to help reinforce
compliance. A sample on-street bike corral is also shown. These may be helpful during
Farmer’s Markets or other downtown events that draw large numbers of cyclists. They may
either be temporary or permanent structures depending on use.
College Avenue Bridge Approach Map (Map 5F)
An area map was prepared for the western approach to the College Avenue bridge to
demonstrate how bicyclists should handle the transition from bike lanes on the bridge, to no
bike lanes west of S Alton Court on College Avenue (where inadequate width exists for bike
lanes). The options for cyclists include taking the travel lane before/after entering/exiting the
bike lane, or using the adjacent sidewalk. Depending on weather conditions and the speed of
the cyclist, both on- and off-street options are viable. Cyclists traveling north off College
Avenue, or accessing downtown Appleton, should use the sidewalk network to access N Green
Bay Rd/N Catherine St. or continue on College Avenue to N Rankin St.
4.2.3 New Urban Sections
The Improvements Table (Table 4-1) includes two pricing structures for bike lanes. Most bike
lanes will be able to be installed within the existing built right-of-way. This will involve moving
paint, such as centerlines, the possibility of removing on-street parking in select locations, or
A PPLETON O N -STREET B IKE L ANE P LAN
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