If you live in one of the more-than-50 cities that already have these wave delineators or other pop-up bike lane barriers (or are in a city that is agile and able to act quickly to implement fun new ideas), join me in a #RollingWaveSummer across the USA and around the world!
Let’s build on the success of the #Rolling Wave social media campaign for World Bicycle Day to encourage temporary, pop-up fun to keep our positive energy rolling (or assuage the heaviness of the ongoing pandemic, if that is your current lived reality). Simply ride your bike by the wave delineators in your city, take a photo or video (bonus points for waving!), and post it across social media tagged #RollingWaveSummer.
If you are a city leader that doesn’t want to be left behind during the biggest bike boom since the 1970s*, order your wave delineators now, set up a pop-up protected bike lane, invite your community to test it out, and share their friendly waves!
Want the budget option? Order one “wave” for $200US. (See more details below.) Move it around your city (maybe even to promote various local businesses) and invite folks to find and photograph it, tagged #RollingWaveSummer! Have fun!
This ain’t brain surgery, folks. Don’t make it harder than it is. If your city tells you no, consider buying one yourself, or Your neighborhood may even be on board with buying a few (they link together) and setting up a play spot for kids. (See We Shouldn’t Have to Beg.)
As promised, I interviewed Chris Bauch, the project manager at the company (Saris Infrastructure) that makes the wave delineators. Two city councilors of mine also asked our public works director what he thought of it. Initial response feels like these things aren’t happening fast enough (or at all) where I live. However, I am happy to cover the rolling wave journey where you live! Reach out and let me know your city is on board #RollingWaveSummer, and let’s get this party rolling!
(Note: yes, yes, of course I know Jersey barriers and planters protect you more, and these just serve as visual separators. I’ve been asking for safe access since my kids were 8 and 13 with me at city hall. They are now 21 and 26. Children don’t wait — they grow up. Also, I get no commission from the sale of these. I just ride lots of places in lots of conditions and I like these.)
Here are some details:
- Each “wave” is 8 feet/2.4 meters and costs $200US (with a quantity discount for orders of 50 waves or more, with each wave then costing $135US);
- They are free-standing, like cones, although some cities (such as Atlanta) have mounted and anchored them at an additional cost;
- It takes about 4-5 weeks from order to delivery (a super-small order may be even faster), so we’re looking at August as our target month here, folks (you could also start planning for Biketober if you simply need more time);
- Cities have used them in many configurations and for anything from a one-day event to a several-month temporary protected lane;
- Doing a temporary bike lane builds excitement, gives people something to try out, and helps boost your Bicycle Friendly Community application.
- Saris is currently pilot-testing an anchored version of this in the City of Milwaukee. That version would be more permanent. They have not yet applied for AASHTO or MUTCD certifications and may do so as a result of that pilot test;
- They are made in the USA.
Hope to see you out there, Traveling at the Speed of Bike!
*Bikes have been heroes at all stages of this pandemic, and continue to provide naturally-distanced recreation, transportation, vital connections to community, and critical support for our endangered local businesses as studies show people on bikes shop locally more. Cities that had or added safe access continue to see upticks in bike riding; cities that didn’t make necessary changes have seen dramatic plunges since the surge of people on bikes in spring 2020. I often ride 10 miles where I live and don’t see one other bike rider (and definitely never a 57-year-old woman running errands), while being passed by hundreds of people driving motor vehicles to local destinations. This is my undeniable, indisputable lived reality.
Traveling at the Speed of Bike 