Bicycle Infrastructure

Roads - Rails - Sidewalks - Bikeways
Minneapolisite

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby Minneapolisite » April 5th, 2014, 5:28 pm

Oh yeah, I remember reading about it a ways back: cool seeing it in action. Can we get one on 27th in NE? Seriously though, since we're talking about innovative infrastructure I wonder just how much would it cost to build an elevated system right over/next to major commercial streets. The reality is that we as a city are too unwilling to create safe biking environments ironically where the heaviest concentration of bikeable destinations are and even a cycle track is unable to totally eliminate conflicts at intersections. Imagine biking along (over rather) a major commercial street full of cars and trucks and not once having to worry about right hook turns or the last second left hook from oncoming traffic. Chicago has the "L" which itself is an attractive amenity along certain elevated stretches due to the views you get up from there and I'm sure this was way more expensive to build and maintain than an elevated bike highway system. And for urban geeks armed with a camera just think of all the cool new angles you could get of Downtown and other major districts like Lyn-Lake, not to mention all those rooftop patios: even better if these spots were equipped with ramps that would connect them. Now that would be some great bar hopping.

After all, Lyndale, combined with Lake and Hennepin forms a triangle which would make for a short (read less expensive), yet well-connected system in and of itself chock full of places to go with no dead zones along the entire stretch to worry about low ridership in some spots. Guess by default we'd have to call it the "T". It would also be perfectly situated to be able to hop directly on or off of the Lake Calhoun trail (2.6 miles for the triangle and another .4 totaling 3 miles for a connecter to Lake Calhoun) . And London has been talking about doing the 1st of a total of ten to cut commute times in half with the 1st roughly 3 3/4 mile route costing about $300 million, but they're thinking it'll take at least 20 years to build the entire thing out, but there are plenty of people who would buy a plane ticket purely to experience riding around on an elevated bike highway system. Oh, and speaking of Chicago they're also looking at elevated bike lanes, although not quite to that extent: they're building a raised bike lane which is a few inches higher than the neighboring traffic lane.

Minneapolisite

Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby Minneapolisite » April 7th, 2014, 3:11 pm

Riding north up Bryant last night while crossing the Loring Greenway Bridge I was looking southbound over Lyndale along the southern end of this bottleneck and from up there you can very easily imagine just how cool it would be if you could turn right and ride straight down above Lyndale on an elevated bikeway without having to deal with 40+ MPH traffic all the way down to Lake. Just something to think about the next time you ride over this bridge.

froggie
Rice Park
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby froggie » April 9th, 2014, 4:15 pm

Two reasons why you'll never see such elevated bikeways in the Twin Cities:

- Aesthetics
- Maintenance, especially in the winter

eazydp
Metrodome
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby eazydp » April 10th, 2014, 10:34 pm

Southern Motorcycle connection??? (17th Ave and 42nd St S).

Image

VAStationDude
US Bank Plaza
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby VAStationDude » April 11th, 2014, 6:31 am

Yeah, motorists violate the 40th Street and Cedar bike crossing all the time.

Tcmetro
Wells Fargo Center
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby Tcmetro » April 11th, 2014, 8:04 am

Met Council Regional Bike Plan map:
http://metrocouncil.org/Council-Meeting ... 79%29.aspx

blobs
Nicollet Mall
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby blobs » April 11th, 2014, 9:58 am

What if we had bicycle infrastructure in the skyways? Serious question.

VAStationDude
US Bank Plaza
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby VAStationDude » April 11th, 2014, 10:02 am

Worst. Idea. Ever.

Anondson
IDS Center
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby Anondson » April 11th, 2014, 10:07 am

Call it "Grade-Separated Climate-Controlled Cycletracks".

mattaudio
Stone Arch Bridge
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby mattaudio » April 11th, 2014, 10:30 am

What if we had motorcycles in the skyways?

mulad
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby mulad » April 11th, 2014, 12:19 pm

What if we had bicycle infrastructure in the skyways? Serious question.
Watch that last step, it's a doozy.


orangevening
Nicollet Mall
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby orangevening » April 11th, 2014, 2:45 pm

On kfan they had a guess proposing that very idea sometime last year. Of course the anti-bike Barrrieo ripped on him big time and barely let get a word in.

VAStationDude
US Bank Plaza
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby VAStationDude » April 11th, 2014, 4:17 pm

The fan thing was a bit. It did showcase the extent to which many suburbanites understand Minneapolis. Though I believe a candidate for mayor in 2009 proposed allowing bikes in the skyway.

eazydp
Metrodome
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Joined: June 19th, 2012, 5:12 pm

Laws/Ordinaces around new(ish) infrastructure

Postby eazydp » April 17th, 2014, 12:10 pm

Are there any good resource out there about the laws/rules/ordinances around the new bike infrastructure? I am curious because I got scolded by a police officer for doing a move I thought to be perfectly legal. Turning from a bike box onto an off-street when the pedestrian/trail cycle was active.

The bike box paint was entirely nearly entirely scraped off, but that's a different story.

beauss
Block E
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby beauss » April 21st, 2014, 5:51 pm

Lots of stakes in the ground at Bluff Street Park laying out the new trail to go under 35W. There are also flags where the stairway connecting the Dinkytown Greenway to 15th Ave. will be.

TheUrbanGopher
Nicollet Mall
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby TheUrbanGopher » April 30th, 2014, 11:34 pm

Strib has started a Twin Cities Cycling blog, led by Patrick Stephenson, the guy who helps run the 30 Days of Cycling event in April. So far, he has some good stuff about the manager of the Midtown Bike Center and puddle hopping.

http://www.startribune.com/local/yourvo ... ities.html

Mdcastle
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby Mdcastle » May 1st, 2014, 9:45 am

Black Dog Road in Burnsville to be replaced by a bicycle trail.
http://www.startribune.com/local/south/257431151.html

Anondson
IDS Center
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby Anondson » May 2nd, 2014, 10:09 pm

Hennepin county is having two open houses to present the county bike plan. May 7th at Minnetonka Community Center (City Hall) and May 8th at Minneapolis Central Library.

http://www.hennepin.us/bikeplan

Anondson
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby Anondson » May 4th, 2014, 11:37 am

An article that posited, counterintuitively, how bicycle helmets decrease safety for all cyclists, inspired a follow up post.

http://www.howiechong.com/journal/2014/ ... ate-change

A summary version of the post is this, to improve safety of cyclists we better serve safety by improving cycling infrastructure that separates cycling from autos. You will bring out more casual cyclists, and more cyclists mean drivers will be more cautious of all cyclists. (For what it is worth, the animated GIF in the article is excellent.)

The previous post I referenced is linked in the post, it may provide context.

Orbi
Block E
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Re: Bicycle Infrastructure

Postby Orbi » May 4th, 2014, 7:20 pm

I believe that was the reason Shaun Murphy (the Minneapolis bicycle coordinator) gave for not wearing a helmet.


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