Bicycle Infrastructure

Roads - Rails - Sidewalks - Bikeways
twincitizen
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure.

Postby twincitizen » October 17th, 2012, 7:04 pm

Here's an interesting topic: Do you have to be on a bike to use on-street bike lanes? Or are skateboarders/longboarders/unicyclists free to use them as well?

Obviously this was an exception rather than the rule, but a few weeks ago this effing moron was longboarding in the bike lane (green stripe) on Hennepin Ave downtown DURING AM RUSH HOUR. Try as he might, he wasn't moving very fast. I was on the bus behind this fool, and I could tell the driver was getting frustrated (and probably nervous as hell). I thought about having some words with him when I got off the bus. I would have honked at him if I was the bus driver.

PhilmerPhil
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure.

Postby PhilmerPhil » October 17th, 2012, 8:50 pm

As a skateboarder myself, when I'm on the board, absolutely no rules apply. (Longboarders suck tho!)

MNdible
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure.

Postby MNdible » October 17th, 2012, 10:54 pm

Skate tough or go home.

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Cyclotron
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure.

Postby Cyclotron » October 18th, 2012, 11:35 am

Skateboarding is not a crime.
The greatest danger of bombs is in the explosion of stupidity that they provoke. - Octave Mirbeau

mplsjaromir
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure.

Postby mplsjaromir » October 18th, 2012, 1:57 pm

Build ramps, not bombs.

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woofner
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure.

Postby woofner » October 18th, 2012, 2:13 pm

Skate tough or go home.
I think you mean Skate or Die.

Image
"Who rescued whom!"

Lancestar2

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure.

Postby Lancestar2 » October 18th, 2012, 9:57 pm

Skateboarding is not a crime.
yes, it is a crime in most spaces that people choose to skateboard. I personally dislike the sport as it's rarely used as a productive means of transportation. Always jumping off curbs kids getting hurt, security guards being paid 10-14 dollars an hour to scare off the kids :roll: such a waste to the productivity of society!

Minneapolisite

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure.

Postby Minneapolisite » October 21st, 2012, 7:15 pm

As of 2011 only three American cities are above 3% for frequent bike commuters according to this article from People for Bikes: after that you only see Chicago over the 1% mark. Anyone who's been riding since 2011 knows a lot of new stuff has popped up all over: should be seeing an increase for 2012 that keeps Mpls far ahead of everyone else save for Portland in this department (although a side by side comparison on Bike Score shows Mpls' strength is in its widespread quality infrastructure which ranks higher than Portland's. Frequent bike commuters is the one department where Mpls falters in being the best cycling city: I know I did my part last winter!

Image
http://www.peopleforbikes.org/blog/entr ... in_the_u.s

What do you guys think could make this number jump up? I'm thinking that calming roads that need it, like Portland and Park which have narrow bike lanes and very fast traffic, will go farther in getting people to bike there. Just goes to show that it takes more than just slapping a bike lane onto a street to get results.

ECtransplant
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure.

Postby ECtransplant » October 21st, 2012, 10:36 pm

Jobs need to be more centrally located. Too many jobs in the metro, relatively speaking, are out in the burbs outside of bicycling distance to most workers.

There are other things that could help. But the general sprawl of our metro is probably the biggest impediment to greater improvement.

Minneapolisite

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure.

Postby Minneapolisite » October 22nd, 2012, 1:26 pm

I was thinking that the larger city borders,more than 2x what Mpls has, and 200,000 more people can't hurt, not to mention the metro's urban growth boundary for more walkable and bikeable development to occur in surrounding suburbs. Having more than one active LRT line probably helps too. At the same time, we were tied with Portland in 2007 and I'm pretty sure biking has gotten easier over here since then, what with the debut of Nice Ride and expanded bike facilities. Currently, I bus and/or bike to work and usually ride back: live in Mpls and work in Roseville/The Burbs. Does putting your bike on a bus bike rack count, I wonder?

PhilmerPhil
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure.

Postby PhilmerPhil » October 22nd, 2012, 1:47 pm

Biking has gotten better for us existing cyclists, but the city has a long way to go before everyone, people like my mom, will feel comfortable riding. In recent years, other cities have been implementing networks of separated bike facilities, while it almost seems that Minneapolis has settled on quality infrastructure once we were awarded #1 city for biking in the US. Bold moves and tough political choices will make cycling a realistic and safe option for everyone and will bring our momentum back. This includes lane reductions, parking removal, street closures, and speed limit reductions.

As a side note, in the US in general, biking is seen more as a sport or recreational activity. Obsessive helmet promotion, and gear fetishism by many in cycling communities contribute to this. There needs to be a cultural shift from viewing cycling as something for outsiders, to something as simple as hopping on a bike and riding.

Great video below:
[BBvideo 425,350]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn2s6ax_7TM[/BBvideo]

Minneapolisite

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure.

Postby Minneapolisite » October 22nd, 2012, 6:06 pm

I have to say that moving up here from Columbus that the demographics are much more diverse than what I saw back in Ohio. I've seen grey-haired businessmen in suits on bikes, parents with their toddlers or baby trailer, and just before I setup shop in this coffee shop a young female professional riding down Hennepin south of 12th on a Nice Ride bike: no helmet. Actually, I've see a good percentage of cyclists who are women. Over here, the separated trails, like Midtown and Cedar Lake, are very useful for getting to nearby destinations, so I can't imagine anyone's mom being scared to get started on those and branch off from there. I'm all but certain I've seen lots of moms riding there.

My friend from Columbus who just won't ride a bike for transportation there (walk or bus only) came up here for a visit and rode with me from Downtown to the lakes and down along Minnehaha to the falls and up to West Bank thanks to Nice Ride being in place along with the trails. That's more bike riding in one weekend than the years he's lived there. Coming from a low-ranking city I can say that over there you're much more likely to see a stereotypical cyclist of some sort whether it's the lycra-clad variety or hipsters on fixies and I do think that has an effect of them vs. us (bikes are for people wearing skin-tight clothing, not for me), though I think not having even decent bike infrastructure between neighborhoods is a much larger obstacle to seeing a rise in frequent utilitarian cycling.

I'm thinking as far as non-separated infrastructure that quiet side streets which parallel busy high traffic commercial streets turned into well made bike boulevards are probably the best bet for getting the average mom out on a bike for utilitarian purposes. Riding down an already quiet and sufficiently calmed side street is probably more appealing to them than a separated bike facility on a street like Lyndale where you'd have to watch at every intersection for high-speed turning traffic. One improvement that I'd like to see a bit more of on local bike boulevards are cut off points at high-traffic streets blocking car traffic, but stay open to bike traffic. Broadway and 5th is one such example (the only?), though I'd rather see less bollards in future implementaions.

MNdible
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure.

Postby MNdible » October 22nd, 2012, 8:16 pm

I'm thinking as far as non-separated infrastructure that quiet side streets which parallel busy high traffic commercial streets turned into well made bike boulevards are probably the best bet for getting the average mom out on a bike for utilitarian purposes. Riding down an already quiet and sufficiently calmed side street is probably more appealing to them than a separated bike facility on a street like Lyndale where you'd have to watch at every intersection for high-speed turning traffic.
Bingo.

PhilmerPhil
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure.

Postby PhilmerPhil » October 23rd, 2012, 8:42 pm


Civilization

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure.

Postby Civilization » October 28th, 2012, 10:31 am

explains the driving habits of the folks who think in that manner.

Unrealistic, lack of problem solving, and cannot think out of the box.

One enormous draw of cycling is the amazing array of gadgets people can buy. I think that alone must be 40% of the attraction for new cyclists.

Manpantists when they view this add can list at least $1400 in cycling accessories to address the needs of these new commuters in thr vid.

helsinki
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure.

Postby helsinki » October 30th, 2012, 6:17 am

Jobs need to be more centrally located. Too many jobs in the metro, relatively speaking, are out in the burbs outside of bicycling distance to most workers.

There are other things that could help. But the general sprawl of our metro is probably the biggest impediment to greater improvement.
Agreed.

But someone needs to make the case to employers that locating centrally is beneficial to them, despite the perceived lack of parking and higher taxes in the city. I think there is a strong case to be made (greater transit use by employees if mode is available, the 'stealing employers by lowering taxes' tactic of the burbs will end as they face rising poverty, legacy issues of deteriorating infrastructure, etc.) And more fundamentally, businesses need to cluster to innovate and survive; Maplewood doesn't (and can't) provide the environment for such cross-pollination. Minneapolis currently doesn't make this case very effectively though. It can't be stated as "We're open for business because we have low taxes and no regulations" - this will never be Mpls because people here care about good schools and the environment and things like that. The must be stated as "We offer a higher quality of place for you and your employees" through greater accessibility, amenities, etc.

But more simply, I don't think biking will be a truly competitive commuting mode until the majority of offices have showers. You're not going to last long in this labor market with a sweat stained shirt.

twincitizen
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby twincitizen » November 2nd, 2012, 2:11 pm

Nice Ride Season 3 to end at 10pm Sunday Nov. 4. Removal of bikes and stations will begin Monday.

After having a subscription in 2011, which I used WAY more than I ever thought I would, I kind of missed the dopey green bikes this summer. I think I rented one just once in all of 2012. Having a free transit pass and my own functioning bike definitely ate up a bunch of my potential Nice Ride trips.

PhilmerPhil
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby PhilmerPhil » November 2nd, 2012, 2:54 pm

After having a subscription in 2011, which I used WAY more than I ever thought I would, I kind of missed the dopey green bikes this summer.
I feel like this is the case with a lot of people. I got a discounted NiceRide pass the last couple years ($15) and it comes in very handy, more than I ever imagined it could. Perfect for quick trips, flat tires, or when a friend needs a ride, it is well worth the $65/yr. If NiceRide gave out free one year subscriptions to anyone living within the system area next spring, they would build such a strong repeat customer base for the following years and potentially change the culture of transportation in the cities.

twincitizen
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby twincitizen » November 3rd, 2012, 1:59 pm

Maybe not a free subscription, but certainly a couple 24-hour passes to every household in the service area couldn't hurt. It's amazingly simple to use, but looks confusing and awkward if you haven't tried it.

I like the idea of offering discounted 1-year subscriptions for first timers for sure. I don't know if I would've signed up in 2011 if it hadn't been offered to me for $30. $65 is kinda steep for something you're already skeptical about how much you're going to use it.

Lancestar2

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby Lancestar2 » November 3rd, 2012, 9:00 pm

considering you only have 30 min it seems a bit short but I guess if you ride from station to station it is enough time. Also I had thought about trying it out but never did I bought a cheap 80 dollar bike (it was a great sale!) and a 20 dollar lock. Even though the bike I got was pretty crappy I think in the long run it's more cost effective if your cheap like me! However when the blue, green lines are fully extended it would really start to become a great service if used with the LRT. For example take the Nice Ride bike to a LRT station, jump on the train, then take another Nice Ride bike to your destination. Then it would make using the Nice Ride much more easier than trying to carry your bike on LRT.

I personally would prefer if Nice Ride offered a discount when it was combined with a Metro Transit monthly pass. Also allow a 1st time signing up online to get say one free 24 hour subscription (limited amounts each month of course) or 1/2 price for a monthly subscription. Discounts for a full year service seems way to much of a deal! I'm still hoping Red Line will have a few nice ride stations around apple valley city center, MOA, and of course the outlet mall :D


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