Business owner highlights unforeseen problems with Saratoga Springs bike lane project
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (WRGB) - Businesses are reacting to bikes on Henry Street.
Saratoga Springs is testing a two-way bike lane on the busy downtown road located just east of Broadway. It's in order to connect a 24-mile bike trail through the city. The design required engineers to eliminate one lane of traffic, and a local business owner says she's afraid it's just not going to work!
“We've got some concerns.”
Franesa Pyle owns Saratoga Botanicals at 80 Henry Street. This new two-way bike lane goes right by her shop.
“We love the idea of making Saratoga more bike friendly, but this activity is really only 6 months of a year,” Pyle said.
Pyle says the pilot project is already revealing big problems with the new configuration, which reduced traffic to one lane, and eliminated some parking for customers and employees.
“A lot of them that are coming in are commuting from Glens Falls, Malta, Albany and they need places to park,” Pyle said.
She says she can't imagine cars and delivery trucks, and snow packing into one lane.
“In winter months it’s going to be more difficult with parking. Getting around these semis on a one-way road is going to be tricky,” she said.
Our cameras also spotted issues. Two cars going the wrong way on the now one-way street, and cars having trouble getting into parking spots due to the tight space.
“People are not used to driving in such a narrow road, people have been hitting the traffic cones.”
Saratoga Springs Administrator of Parks Tina Carton says the city has been getting plenty of feedback, but says the point of the project is to work out the kinks.
“Before the city makes significant investments in intersection improvements we want to make sure we get the route right,” Carton said.
She says cameras went up before the project to study the before and after effects.
“Overall we've had a lot of positive comments, but like I said there have been people who haven’t been happy with the pilot, all of that will be going to city council,” she said.
Not everyone is concerned about the project, the owner of Henry Street Taproom told us he's excited, and that customers have been biking in.
In about a month, the city will hold two public meetings before the council votes to make this permanent.
In the meantime, you can give your feedback on this city survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mvpfw6q
