Efforts to make East and West Mercer Way more biker-friendly top the 2009 Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities Plan. The draft plan, which was discussed by City Council members on March 2, highlights several ways to improve safety along the “Island loop,” a popular bike route for local cyclists.

Painting “sharrows” (bike symbols warning drivers that the road is shared with cyclists) along East and West Mercer Way, widening the inside shoulder of these roads and restricting shoulder parking are a few ideas proposed in the plan. Others include regulating roadside vegetation overgrowth, encouraging bikers to take a clockwise route around the Island and introducing more “share the road” signs.

Although the city has already made an effort to widen “the Mercers” for cyclists and pedestrians, there is still room for improvement. Island drivers complain about having to navigate around large groups of cyclists, while cyclists complain about discourteous drivers cutting them off. Each side poses a danger to the other.

Albert Meerscheidt, a member of the Cascade Bicycle Club, frequently leads cyclists on the “Island loop” route, which he said is a club favorite. The main problem with East and West Mercer Ways, he explained, is that drivers and cyclists often get trapped in a stalemate where one party is hesitant to pass the other.

“I understand, from a driver’s point of view, how annoying it can be to have bikes in front of you, especially going up hills. But some cars get impatient and pass us around blind corners, which can be quite dangerous,” Meerscheidt said. “If there were wide spots for us to tuck into for a car to pass, that would really help.”

Ideally, the Island loop would include a shoulder wide enough for an official bike lane. But the East and West Mercer topography, according to Mercer Island Development Services Director Steve Lancaster, prohibits this possibility.

“The topography is such that it would be difficult to get a full standard bike lane that would also accommodate pedestrian traffic,” he said.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) requires that a roadside bike lane must be at least five feet wide. The shoulders of East Mercer and West Mercer, which have been gradually widened since 1996, are currently between three and four feet, Lancaster said. The southern tip of Mercer Island has an even thinner shoulder.

“Right now, there is a formal shoulder on East Mercer as far south as 53rd, and on West Mercer it goes as far south as 65th. The portion south of here will be completed over the next several years,” Lancaster explained.

In addition to widening the Island loop’s southern tip, the city is planning to paint sharrows along the Mercers. Island citizen Steve Ryan spoke in favor of this move at the March 3 City Council meeting.

“Sharrows are something Seattle has had a good response from,” he said. “They help people see that the street is dedicated to mixed use. I encourage the use of these.”

Another problem to be tackled is roadside overgrowth.

“Overgrown vegetation limits the use of bicycle/pedestrian facilities by encroaching into their rights of way, thereby reducing the space available for movement or limiting visibility,” the draft Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities Plan reads.

Meerscheidt, for one, agrees with this observation.

“The overgrowth — that’s absolutely a problem. There are some driveways where people can’t see us as we’re coming around corner,” he said.

The city has proposed solving the problem by requiring property owners to cut back their vegetation to allow for safe visibility on the road.

“This is an issue that has potential for controversy,” Lancaster said, adding that some Islanders may try to argue their way around the restrictions.

Another issue that could spur public outcry is the city’s proposal to limit parking along the Mercers.

“The plan wants to deal with many areas where there are parking conflicts with pedestrians and bikes. In certain situations, we may consider limiting parking, specifically in regard to East and West Mercer Way, where it comes up most frequently,” Lancaster said.

The City Council, in discussing this proposal, was split on whether it was a realistic option.

“I think the status quo is something to keep,” said City Mayor Jim Pearman. “I just don’t know how we can regulate [East and West Mercer Way parking].”

Councilmember Mike Grady disagreed.

“We regulate parking all over the Island. If it’s a public safety issue, let’s raise it. Maybe not on all areas of the roads, but in certain areas. We didn’t build these [shoulders] for parking. I’m sorry, but they’re for bikes and pedestrians,” he said.

In the end, the Council agreed that the topic deserves further discussion.

The draft Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities Plan will be opened to public review later this month, said Lancaster. In April, the city expects to organize a community workshop on the plan. It will then be passed on to the Planning Commission in May, and back to the City Council for final approval.