Initiatives serve to improve Cincinnati's environment

The City of Cincinnati has initiated two programs meant to improve the City's environmental quality.

The first, the ALL-Electric Car Incentive Program Pilot Project, allows the owner of 100 percent electric-powered cars to park for free in the Fountain Square South Garage, Garfield Garage, Fifth and Race Parking Lot, Seventh Street Garage, and at any parking meter within the City limits.

To take advantage of the program, drivers must obtain a free City-issued sticker from to Office of Environmental Quality.

Time limits posted for metered parking will still apply.

Cincinnati also has become the first municipality in the region to install sharrows, beginning a pilot program to install the bicycle-friendly pavement markings on Clifton Avenue.

Sharrows, or "shared lane arrows", serve to remind motorists to share the lane with cyclists, while also helping cyclists ride far enough away from parked cars to prevent them from being hit by suddenly-opened car doors.

These markings are typically placed in areas where dedicated bike lanes are unsafe or unworkable.

Throughout the month, sharrows will be painted every few hundred feet feet along Clifton and Ludlow avenues and along Madison Road, between Beechcrest Lane and Torrence Parkway.

"Share the Road" signage will be installed along Spring Grove Avenue, Hamilton Avenue, and Riverside Drive.

Sharrows photos courtesy of Melissa McVay, city planner, City of Cincinnati Division of Transportation Planning and Urban Design.

Previous reading on BC:
Dohoney: Spring Grove bike lanes need more study (5/14/09)
OKI bike plan updated, Cincinnati's moving forward (5/5/09)
Cyclists to advocate for safety, input (10/22/08)