DEAR 49 OTHER STATES WHERE DUTCH-STYLE SHARED STREETS ARE ILLEGAL: The Washington State Senate just voted to legalize them. Democrats: 97% yes Republicans: 84% yes - ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

qagggy.bsky.social • 1 day ago

DEAR 49 OTHER STATES WHERE DUTCH-STYLE SHARED STREETS ARE ILLEGAL: The Washington State Senate just voted to legalize them.

Democrats: 97% yes
Republicans: 84% yes

Comments

marsargostan.bsky.social•1 day ago

@scottwiener.bsky.social

CA next please!!!

djvanness.bsky.social•1 day ago

Has this been fully thought through given the differences in the size and maneuverability of US vehicles (causing reduced pedestrian visibility) vs. the Netherlands? Have there been any pilot projects?

qagggy.bsky.social•1 day ago

Yes. Drive to your nearest Wal-Mart parking lot to see how large American vehicles navigate a shared space with pedestrians at slow speeds.

djvanness.bsky.social•1 day ago

That picture does *not* look remotely like a Walmart parking lot. More physical obstacles. More variable walking paths. More distractions for drivers. More blocked sight lines. This seems incompatible with US mega-vehicles. There should be size limits for vehicles (compact only; no SUVs or trucks).

qagggy.bsky.social•1 day ago

That’s great!

stealmyposts.bsky.social•1 day ago

Is there anyone in MD who's working on this that I can help?

lynnbikesinalki.bsky.social•1 day ago

Wow! Thank you!! 🥂.

qagggy.bsky.social•1 day ago

It's on to the House now.

owenpick.bsky.social•1 day ago

Nice job. This is a good a time as any to re-emphasize I super appreciate your dedication and advocacy.

qagggy.bsky.social•1 day ago

Thanks!

hlayfield.bsky.social•1 day ago

That's great for Washington, but woonerfs aren't illegal in all 49 other states. Rare, yes, illegal, no.

kingrat.us•1 day ago

It's illegal in California. It was only in 2021 that a law was passed that allowed San Francisco to lower speed limits to 20 MPH. It's still illegal to have a shared street with an official speed limit of 5 MPH or 10 MPH.

https://www.sfmta.com/blog/new-law-brings-safer-speed-limits-san-francisco

qagggy.bsky.social•1 day ago

That’s great. My research hasn’t turned up a state law allowing a speed limit of 10 mph and priority for pedestrians walking in the center of the street. If you have a reference, I’d like to update my research.

jamesinclair.bsky.social•1 day ago

DC, NYC and Boston have them for sure

tanner.dev•1 day ago

I'm not sure how this relates to state law, but there's a section of 29th Street in Uptown Minneapolis that has this "Multi-Use Roadway" sign. cc @lauragmitchell.com

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tanner.dev•1 day ago

It's between Lyndale Ave and Bryant Ave, it was the first so-called "Shared Street" in Minneapolis, and it opened in 2017.

https://www2.minneapolismn.gov/media/content-assets/www2-documents/departments/Shared-Streets-Study.pdf

lauragmitchell.com•1 day ago

Yeah, sorry I hadn’t seen that before I responded!

This went in a couple years before I moved to Mpls in 2019 so I’m not sure on the full context (except what you’ve found here).

I have definitely never seen kids play on this street like the blue sign suggests could (should?) be possible. ☺️

lauragmitchell.com•1 day ago

Also not sure on law, but I’ve always been curious about this!

Is it only the 2 blocks between Bryant and Lyndale?

Since it has a sidewalk (which most peds use), it seems to function more like a mix between an alley and regular street IME.

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tanner.dev•1 day ago

That's what the PDF says that I linked to in my other tweet, and also what Street View shows. I was there last week visiting my brother and just noticed it while we were walking around

qagggy.bsky.social•1 day ago

That is a great example and there are other great examples in that PDF. They all have speed limits from 15 to 25 mph, so they don’t have all the elements to be successful shared streets but seem to be trying within the constraints of state law.

hlayfield.bsky.social•1 day ago

I am not clear on the speed limit laws, but we have a few woonerfs in Boston. The speed limit here unless otherwise posted is 25 mph, and while I've seen 15, I can't say for certain that there are any 10 mph zones. Our streets of this type are speed restricted by structural design.

jamesinclair.bsky.social•1 day ago

Here's a Cambridge, MA example of 10mph

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qagggy.bsky.social•1 day ago

That’s a great example. The yellow sign means it’s an advisory speed, not a legal speed limit. Still, very very close.

jamesinclair.bsky.social•1 day ago

I guess this example in NYC has the same issue. You're correct it's advisory signage...interesting loophole

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hlayfield.bsky.social•1 day ago

I guess I'd turn the question and ask if you can cite the code in Massachusetts that mandates higher than 10 mph speed limits.

qagggy.bsky.social•1 day ago

As a rule, I don’t take homework assignments from social media but there is a fairly comprehensive Wikipedia article on state speed limits, with references. That has been my starting point in the past.

hlayfield.bsky.social•1 day ago

Okay, but you made the claim about 49 states, so showing the work is, in fact, your job, even though you tried to assign that to me. Take care.

qagggy.bsky.social•1 day ago

In the State of Washington, we have Pike Place, which operates like a woonerf but does so in contradiction to state law and with speed limits of 20 mph.

sirwilliam.bsky.social•1 day ago

Speed limit on Pike Place is 3mph from April-October, in practical terms.

holz-bau.bsky.social•1 day ago

winkelerf! it's not a woonerf!

qagggy.bsky.social•1 day ago

There are lots of things called woonerfs (architects love the term) but aren’t. There are also woonerfs and woonerf-like spaces on private property.

fnarf.bsky.social•1 day ago

In Washington State, "woonerf" is just another way to say "parking lot". There's one up by Greenwood Avenue between 85th and 87th. It's a joke.

holz-bau.bsky.social•1 day ago

it's not a woonerf!

qagggy.bsky.social•1 day ago

Yes.

michaelis-paulus.bsky.social•1 day ago

Now we need legislation for eBikes and penalties for when eBike users ride on the sidewalk when there are bike paths on that same damn road. I don't know how many times I've almost been hit by those MF using the sidewalk and not the bike paths. I'll beat to death the 1st MF that hits me.

qagggy.bsky.social•1 day ago

This is a shared streets bill.

michaelis-paulus.bsky.social•1 day ago

Perfect. When I went to Amsterdam decades ago, I loved how there were streets that were blocked from vehicles used. The road by Pike Market needs to be closed off to vehicles.

annemariedooley.bsky.social•1 day ago

Going to work right away to get a "Living street" in my neighborhood. So we are ready for when Seattle adopts this into code. We've been trying for 2 years to slow the street down. A slow street is best for public health.

lpangborn.bsky.social•1 day ago

Wow, this is dope. Thank you for your advocacy!

I don’t see an effective date in the bill; does that mean it would be effective as soon as it’s signed into law?

qagggy.bsky.social•1 day ago

It passed the Senate. Now it goes to the House where there is already a companion bill moving forward, then the governor. I believe it becomes effective 90 days after the end of the session. So, summer.

lpangborn.bsky.social•1 day ago

Sweeeeet. Can’t wait. Thanks for the info

kingrat.us•1 day ago

that's a remarkable vote

qagggy.bsky.social•1 day ago

I hoped to get Republican votes but didn’t expect so many and didn’t expect an R senator to rise and say how much he loved the idea.

Iragersh.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy•1 hour ago

@qagggy.bsky.social a great community board resolution.

Iragersh.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy•2 hours ago

@qagggy.bsky.social The bluesky post has a photo of signage that should never be used. Share the Street. No fucking way. The sign should read "Local Access Only, bikes and pedestrians will take the lane". End of story. NO sharing! I don't want to share the road with a heavy steel box that can […]

qagggy.bsky.social•2 hours ago

None say Share the Street, but those are the (mostly wordless) signs used across Europe.

Iragersh.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy•2 hours ago

@qagggy.bsky.social Your right! We are on the same page.

I was fixated on the street scene that you said was confusing - which advised sharing the street.

The better solution is primary.

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printmatic.bsky.social•1 day ago

These road signs make it seem like it encourages kids to play in the street? Is that correct? We are making it easier for kids to play in streets and making that the priority over vehicles moving through efficiently? I'm just trying to understand what this means for the change in human experience.

qagggy.bsky.social•1 day ago

Yes. The street should be safe enough for kids, if designed properly.

seattletone.com•1 day ago

MY STREET WHEN? MY STREET NOW!

madmeson.bsky.social•1 day ago

This legislative session has been so good

tatere.bsky.social•1 day ago

What enforces the speed limit? Surely not cops.

sciencemanx.bsky.social•1 day ago

What makes them illegal in the other states (and Washington today)?

qagggy.bsky.social•1 day ago

Follow the thread up and back down again where I provide details.

yourfriendlara.bsky.social•1 day ago

this kicks ass!!!!! 💪💖🙌🎉

danielpssantos.bsky.social•17 hours ago

That's a very large majority!

aprillia.bsky.social•1 day ago

Are these going to be implemented on bus lines? Because I have suggestions!

qagggy.bsky.social•1 day ago

Possible but likely not. They are best suited to non-arterials.

caryw.bsky.social•1 day ago

Yessss! I’m excited and might have a project where I can design one.

aj-benson.bsky.social•1 day ago

👀

qagggy.bsky.social•1 day ago

Would it be on a public street?

caryw.bsky.social•1 day ago

Yes, but it would be a new local dead end road in the burbs for a 40 unit townhouse project. This would be a better fit than a normal local road.

qagggy.bsky.social•1 day ago

Excellent. That counts!

houseourneighbors.bsky.social•1 day ago

AMAZING