1st Avenue to become "Bike Boulevard?" - An opinion

Submitted by George Murphy

June 23, 2016 10:53 a.m.

On June 13, 2016, at City Hall, a transportation consultant, Mr Theodore Petritsch, displayed the results of a study paid for by the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization to examine the "best routes for cyclists and pedestrians to move around the Island". The final plan which is still being edited, impacts quiet residential roads all over the City of Fernandina Beach.

Although the study reflects the desires of some of the biking community to "meander through quiet subdivisions," the study is not empirical in that it does not have the benefit of input by the Fernandina residents whose streets are directly affected.

I did attend the meeting on June 13th after reading an article in the Independent announcing same. The study is to be presented to the City Commission when finalized.

One of the current and primary proposals is to make 1st Avenue, in its entirety, a "Bicycle Boulevard" to be accomplished by removing all of the stop signs and rerouting bike traffic from S Fletcher Ave. The proposal gives no consideration to multiple costs including adding sidewalks which are not necessary for current usage.

If this proposal is submitted, it will be the third attempt by the biking community to accomplish this route. The first was rejected by the entire City Commission on October 21, 2009. The second was to "backdoor" unauthorized routing signs from Fletcher to 1st Ave on June 30, 2013. Then City Manager Joe Gerrity had them removed.

The stop signs on 1st Ave were put there years ago for good reason. It had become a speed-way for cars that threatened children, pedestrians, casual bikers and elderly. This was a serious threat and the neighborhood fought very hard for the signs. Removing the signs means more speed! Is this required to become "bicycle friendly"?

If there was a legitimate safety reason for installing the signs then and given the population growth on 1st Ave now, what justifies their removal today? Removal of the signs WILL result in a danger to all present users of 1st Ave, including the additional bikers. It also would violate the intent and spirit of an R1 Zone which the Fernandina code designed to "protect the quality and character of existing low-density single family neighborhoods".

In addition to the threat of automobiles speeding add the menace of speeding bikers, who cannot be heard, to the many pedestrians and residents who presently have to walk in the street as there are no sidewalks. Designating 1st Ave as a "Bicycle Boulevard" has a lot of other negative ramifications for residents such as; Installation of bike lanes requiring street widening; Demands/criticisms from the bikers to enforce the lanes, as we have already seen in the local press, directed to our police department, an award winning, certified and much respected organization for many factors including it's common sense; Reconfiguration of the street impacting current parking space and destruction of shrubbery. All of this and more will require City tax dollars that, unbelievably, will DUPLICATE Government dollars already spent on a parallel route on Fletcher for bikers. Who will pay these undesired costs, the bikers or local residents?

Right now 1st avenue is enjoyed by law abiding neighborhood family and individual bicyclists cognizant of the stop signs, joggers, walkers and property tax paying residents, their children and animals.

It is a fact that the considerable number of casual bikers presently utilizing 1st Ave have never complained about the stop signs and are able to enjoy meandering on this marvelous street without objection from residents. We are currently "bicycle friendly" on 1st Ave. Why spoil this positive relationship and create an adversarial one?

All of the above contributes to the destruction of our neighborhood ambiance. THERE IS NOTHING POSITIVE FOR LOCALS IN THIS PROPOSAL! Is it not time to protect our tax paying residents from this growing intrusion?

I URGE THE CITIZENS AND COMMISSION TO REJECT ANY ATTEMPT TO REMOVE STOP SIGNS ON 1ST AVENUE.

Editor's Note: George Murphy is a 30 year resident of Fernandina Beach. For 21 years he was involved with corporate security for IBM and Mobil Corp, and for 18 years was president of Security Virtual, Incorporated. He was an associate professor at the University of Georgia for 3 years and also served for 5 years as regional administrator for the United State Justice Department Law Enforcement Assistance Administration Program. Murphy served 13 years on the street in local, state, and federal law enforcement and two years in the U.S. Army.

Murphy has been a member of the Fernandina Beach Men's Golf Association serving as president twice and has served as chairman of Fernandina Beach Golf Advisory Board.

For 51 years he has been married to Bjorg Murphy of Norway. They have 4 children and 11 grandchildren.