Bicycle Infrastructure

Roads - Rails - Sidewalks - Bikeways
dajazz
Nicollet Mall
Posts: 176
Joined: May 12th, 2016, 8:11 am

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby dajazz » March 16th, 2021, 3:17 pm

I hope it fails, it's a waste of money and our national debt is too high. The costs of these bicycles is decreasing anyhow. So why should taxpayers borrow money to subsidize something people are going to use anyhow? I don't know that demand for these bicycles is elastic enough and that the benefits of increased E-bike ownership are beneficial enough. If I buy one it would be to haul my kid and groceries and stuff and would be instead of buying a car. Most people use them as techno toys
I can't tell if this post is satire or not....but if it's legit then bringing up the impact on the national debt as a reason to be concerned is...funny. I love people are suddenly hyper focused on the debt when now is the exact time we need to be spending. Get the economy rolling, keep people employed, focus on new green initiatives which better position us against climate change. A $400+ subsidy on a $1500 ebike isn't going to grind the US to a halt.

And FWIW I've gone 2,400 miles on mine in 8 months. Not bad for a techno toy.

karlshea
Nicollet Mall
Posts: 132
Joined: July 14th, 2014, 10:28 am

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby karlshea » March 16th, 2021, 8:13 pm

On the topic of e-bikes, the NYTimes Columnist Jamelle Bouie recently was on The War on Cars podcast to talk about his conversion into an e-bike evangelist. It's a good talk with someone who didn't come at the topic from any specific urban transportation expertise.

Link
I've followed him on Twitter for quite a long time and he occasionally posts threads all pissed off about his local city council and how they keep prioritizing parking minimums and then wonder why downtown is so barren so he'd definitely fit in here.

karlshea
Nicollet Mall
Posts: 132
Joined: July 14th, 2014, 10:28 am

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby karlshea » March 16th, 2021, 8:15 pm

This! But also for electric scooters and non electric bikes.
I really want a scooter but I feel like it would just get stolen if I actually used it to go places instead of joyriding and always parking it in the house.

Anondson
IDS Center
Posts: 4646
Joined: July 21st, 2013, 8:57 pm
Location: Where West Minneapolis Once Was

Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby Anondson » May 14th, 2021, 1:18 pm

Survey about a protected bike lane demonstration in Saint Louis Park, between Minnetonka Blvd and Lake St. This was tested last fall.

https://www.stlouispark.org/government/ ... ge-project

This runs past the High School, and will be a link in the major north/south bike connection in the city linking to the new bike bridge over the North Cedar Lake trail. M

SurlyLHT
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1262
Joined: February 21st, 2017, 3:50 pm

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby SurlyLHT » May 14th, 2021, 2:02 pm

Survey about a protected bike lane demonstration in Saint Louis Park, between Minnetonka Blvd and Lake St. This was tested last fall.

https://www.stlouispark.org/government/ ... ge-project

This runs past the High School, and will be a link in the major north/south bike connection in the city linking to the new bike bridge over the North Cedar Lake trail. M
When I first saw this during it's first stages of construction I was confused and thought it must have been part of a larger project.

DanPatchToget
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1645
Joined: March 30th, 2016, 1:26 pm

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby DanPatchToget » May 14th, 2021, 3:11 pm

I'll have to try it out sometime on my bike. I used it before they installed bollards and even that was a huge improvement over weaving between the travel lane and parking lane. Now they just need to keep it at least somewhat clear of ice and snow in the winter.

schwinnletour
Metrodome
Posts: 68
Joined: July 27th, 2017, 9:36 am

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby schwinnletour » May 27th, 2021, 10:35 am

St. Louis Park has finished the bike lane/bike sharrow project between 44th St. and Excelsior Blvd. It connects to the Edina Wooddale Ave. bikeway sharrow and Wolfe Park behind the Excelsior and Grand development to the Beltline Blvd bike lane which finally connects with the Cedar Lake Trail.

The project included getting rid of all parallel parking between 43rd St. and 44th and the addition of a couple recessed parking bays between 43rd and 43rd 1/2 St.

Project already has older women biking on Wooddale where previously almost everyone avoided Wooddale Ave (including young lycra sporting men) due to the speed of drivers.

During the planning stage a couple years ago, neighbors had "SAVE WOODDALE AVENUE" signs in their front yards.

Luckily Wooddale Avenue was saved... .

Minnehahaha
Nicollet Mall
Posts: 131
Joined: February 15th, 2014, 10:49 pm
Location: Hamline Midway

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby Minnehahaha » July 11th, 2021, 9:02 pm

Does anybody know what the status is of the southern end of the Gateway Trail? Has the state just abandoned it? In recent years I have been picking up the trail at Wheelock, but today I tried venturing farther south, picking up the trail behind the abandoned KMart. Yikes. I am an experienced urban biker, but for the first time in my life I experienced fear on a daytime ride.

LakeCharles
Foshay Tower
Posts: 898
Joined: January 16th, 2014, 8:34 am
Location: Kingfield

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby LakeCharles » July 12th, 2021, 10:09 am

Does anybody know what the status is of the southern end of the Gateway Trail? Has the state just abandoned it? In recent years I have been picking up the trail at Wheelock, but today I tried venturing farther south, picking up the trail behind the abandoned KMart. Yikes. I am an experienced urban biker, but for the first time in my life I experienced fear on a daytime ride.
Lol. I'm with you there. For all intents and purposes, the trail starts at Arlington & Mississippi. The rest is just some sidewalks and things they cobbled together.

EOst
Capella Tower
Posts: 2424
Joined: March 19th, 2014, 8:05 pm
Location: Saint Paul

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby EOst » July 13th, 2021, 7:59 am

City/county/DNR are working on getting needed easements for the rebuilt section from Arlington to Maryland. Once that's built (hopefully later this year or next) the trail will connect through to Cayuga and beyond.

LakeCharles
Foshay Tower
Posts: 898
Joined: January 16th, 2014, 8:34 am
Location: Kingfield

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby LakeCharles » October 15th, 2021, 8:41 am

Just biked the new alignment on 1st Ave S from 28th to 15th. It is now a 2-way bike avenue on the west side of the street. Painted line protection from 28th to Franklin, and then parked cars between you and traffic from Franklin to 15th. I like the arrangement much more than the skinny bike lane on the east side in the door zone as it was before. But I can't find any info online about it!

EOst
Capella Tower
Posts: 2424
Joined: March 19th, 2014, 8:05 pm
Location: Saint Paul

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby EOst » October 15th, 2021, 9:07 am

Just biked the new alignment on 1st Ave S from 28th to 15th. It is now a 2-way bike avenue on the west side of the street. Painted line protection from 28th to Franklin, and then parked cars between you and traffic from Franklin to 15th. I like the arrangement much more than the skinny bike lane on the east side in the door zone as it was before. But I can't find any info online about it!
https://www.minneapolismn.gov/governmen ... e-bikeway/

BoredAgain
Union Depot
Posts: 321
Joined: July 3rd, 2014, 1:38 pm
Location: Lyndale Neighborhood

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby BoredAgain » April 28th, 2022, 8:27 am

I am happy to report that less than 24 hours after the new signs warning drivers not to hit the new concrete medians protecting the bike lanes on Blaisdell went in, the sign on the south side of 35th has been hit and was bent over, blocking the pedestrian crossing.

I went by again, just an hour later and the damaged signpost has already been removed and replaced with a a short post without a sign. I assume this is temporary while they order a replacement.

seanrichardryan
IDS Center
Posts: 4092
Joined: June 3rd, 2012, 9:33 pm
Location: Merriam Park, St. Paul

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby seanrichardryan » April 28th, 2022, 9:41 am

Car Violence™
Q. What, what? A. In da butt.

SurlyLHT
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1262
Joined: February 21st, 2017, 3:50 pm

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby SurlyLHT » April 28th, 2022, 11:41 am

The thesis has been that infrastructure which removes cyclists from cars is better that which doesn't. This thesis is running into issues on the newly redone Plymouth Avenue N between Penn and Xerxes. Cyclists going both directions are choosing to ride in the very narrow street rather than the cycletracks. I thought this was just an issue from the ice and snow clearing issues in the Spring and Winter, but no folks insist on riding in the street.

The street was narrowed for the cycletracks which now aren't being used...instead cyclists are putting themselves in more danger by staying in the streets. I also just saw a high speed police chase near here recently in the adjacent park...when a carjacker is fleeing hopefully these folks get onto the sidewalk or etc.

Online
Silophant
Moderator
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Location: Whimsical NE

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby Silophant » April 28th, 2022, 11:58 am

Perhaps the MPD should follow their own policy from 2019 and not initiate high speed chases, given their obvious risk to the general public.
Joey Senkyr
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SurlyLHT
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1262
Joined: February 21st, 2017, 3:50 pm

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby SurlyLHT » April 28th, 2022, 12:47 pm

Perhaps the MPD should follow their own policy from 2019 and not initiate high speed chases, given their obvious risk to the general public.
Wasn't MPD, it was GVPD. It also appears we have a group of street racers or drug dealers nearby...they circle the area speeding around in their souped up Chargers and Camaros trying to avoid the PD. I remember hearing a loud bang as a drug raid was done on that house while I was in a Zoom Meeting at work. I had to explained to my colleagues that there was a drug-bust going down and apologized for being distracted.


Anyhow...cyclists avoiding a cycletrack and riding in the street still shows that there is something wrong with the theories. I was biking on the cycletrack to work today and some nice fellas in the street waved at me as they rode in the street.

amiller92
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1983
Joined: October 31st, 2014, 12:50 pm

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby amiller92 » April 28th, 2022, 1:15 pm

Anyhow...cyclists avoiding a cycletrack and riding in the street still shows that there is something wrong with the theories.
How so? Some people want to ride at car speeds so they use the street. What's the problem?

DanPatchToget
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1645
Joined: March 30th, 2016, 1:26 pm

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby DanPatchToget » April 28th, 2022, 1:55 pm

I haven't used those cycle tracks so I don't know what they're like, but if it's like the cycle tracks on 66th Street in Richfield then there's a lot of side streets and driveways where you have to slow down and prepare to stop because motorists insist on stopping right on top of the cycle track crossing. It's definitely an improvement from before the cycle tracks, but it's not like cycle tracks in Copenhagen and Amsterdam where the cycle track crossing is level and traffic has to go over a slight speed bump. Instead the cycle track crossings in Richfield are only protected with paint.

Example in Richfield: https://www.google.com/maps/@44.8835285 ... authuser=0

Example in Amsterdam:
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.3791533 ... authuser=0

If cyclists have to do a lot of slowing down and lose their momentum to safely cross many side streets and driveways then you've probably found the reason why they prefer being on the road.

COLSLAW5
Nicollet Mall
Posts: 157
Joined: April 11th, 2018, 1:20 pm

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby COLSLAW5 » April 29th, 2022, 11:55 am

I am happy to report that less than 24 hours after the new signs warning drivers not to hit the new concrete medians protecting the bike lanes on Blaisdell went in, the sign on the south side of 35th has been hit and was bent over, blocking the pedestrian crossing.

I went by again, just an hour later and the damaged signpost has already been removed and replaced with a a short post without a sign. I assume this is temporary while they order a replacement.
Not to be an apologist for that extreme of distracted driving but i drove through there the other day and the road marking are currently conflicting with the new signs making it pretty confusing on where you should be driving.

That said I also saw UPS has already managed to jump the curb to park in the bike lane to do their deliveries still. I hope that they can stick some of those flimsy bollards or something to stop that from happening.


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