Bicycle Infrastructure

[Mdcastle]

I hate those things...

A 12" green traffic signal module uses 12 watts, so even with 6 of them at a crosswalk it's like leaving the light in your garage on... The savings are more because you really can't buy anything less than a full fledged traffic signal controller with 16 physical outputs and a jillion other virtual outputs and overlaps and a cabinet with several phases to control just a simple pedestrian signal, whereas HAWKs use cheaper, more specialized controllers. Also since you have new signal indications to legally define you can say drivers can go once the pedestrian has cleared the crosswalk.

[ProspectPete]

I drive Ayd Mill quite a bit, and have noticed that on the east side of the road (railroad side) there is an ample ROW which runs the length of it from Jefferson bike blvd all the way to Selby, soon to be home of higher density housing and aBRT. It's just a wide swath of grass. It could easily accomodate a cycle track / grade separated bike path. In St Paul there is a lack of good north south bike connections.

[Snelbian]

I drive Ayd Mill quite a bit, and have noticed that on the east side of the road (railroad side) there is an ample ROW which runs the length of it from Jefferson bike blvd all the way to Selby, soon to be home of higher density housing and aBRT. It's just a wide swath of grass. It could easily accomodate a cycle track / grade separated bike path. In St Paul there is a lack of good north south bike connections.

It's been a topic of discussion and dreams for a while as an extension of the Midtown Greenway. Last year the railroad all but said it was never going to happen because of (misplaced, insane, but convenient as an excuse) liability concerns.

[mattaudio]

The Short Line Bridge could probably have a trail deck put in the lower girders. You can see across it from the River Road through the superstructure.

[eazydp]

I hope we all enjoyed the 2 weeks of a "continuous" bike path on the East Bank. They have now shut down the bike path section between The Mall/Church Street for some sort of construction and detoured biked onto the scholars walk. They posted even larger signs that it's illegal to bike on the section which they detoured you to. Only at the #bikefriendly UMN...

[grant1simons2]

Remember there is a North Minneapolis Greenway meeting next Saturday at North Girard/Humboldt Avenues from West Broadway Avenue to North 42nd Avenue. More info here, http://openstreetsmpls.com/2014-north-m ... s-greenway

[seanrichardryan]

http://www.startribune.com/local/minnea ... 06601.html

[grant1simons2]

Haha saw that earlier. I still have yet to see a good clear map of the new line though. I saw it on the purposed site of Metro Council but it was a bit blurry

[xandrex]

A couple of days ago, I was stopped at 5th Ave SE where it intersects East Hennepin. There was a biker coming along the sidewalk as the signs tell them to do (for the jog over from 6th where the Presidents' bike boulevard runs) and began signaling fairly early that he wanted to turn (like, as he was still going along the same direction with traffic and not to the intersection).

Long story short, the cars didn't stopped, so he got ridiculously angry and leapt out onto the road and forced traffic to stop and screamed at them before continuing to cross. I can't blame the cars entirely...he signaled early, but it wasn't really obvious. And there just aren't all that many people who ever bike or cross there to begin with. It doesn't help that there's only an overhead sign that ask people to stop and it seems to be partially hidden for people going west/south due to the railroad bridge.

But man, this intersection is screaming for some signalization. Is there a reason it can't get a set of lights with a bike signal like 5th Avenue NE has at Broadway?

[Didier]

I've been past the site of the new bike bridge along the river but can't for the life of me figure out where it would go. Can somebody help paint this picture?

Are we talking mostly about a second exit from the current pedestrian bridge, No. 9 or whatever, that better connects to the river road? Or is this going to be a totally new bridge going from the U over to the west river road? I keep hearing there is some pre-built culvert involved but I haven't seen a thing.

[Silophant]

Assuming you're talking about the Bluff St. Trail project, there's no new bridge, or new connection to West River Road. The project is a new section of trail running from the west end of Bridge 9, north of the condo tower, underneath the 10th Ave. Bridge, and then underneath 35W (through the culvert that was placed when the new bridge was built), to connect to the stub of Bluff St. and then to 13th Ave S. and 2nd St S.

Here's an aerial view showing the area.

[Didier]

Thanks for the visual. So this is further inland than I had thought, but it still doesn't really make sense to me. How much time does this cut off from just taking Bridge 9 to the river road and then taking that up to Gold Medal Park?

[seanrichardryan]

Eh, saves you that long hill on the parkway.

[Didier]

Only like one third of the massive hill, though, to be sure.

[mullen]

just find this an unnecessary bike trail, but whatever. and it's a crap ton of money for this little spur. the main path is not far just at the river. file this under gov't waste imo. it's total vanity.

[seanrichardryan]

It's a better, more direct route that will greatly benefit bicycle commuters. It also opens up the possibility of developing 20th Avenue through the current bicycle path site. I'd love to see some residential go up there instead of weedy back-lot parkland.

[grant1simons2]

I agree with sean here, when I was trying to get around West Bank and explore that part of Minneapolis for the first time on bike, I got really lost. The routes just didn't seem to make sense, this does

[FISHMANPET]

It could use some better signage and some general improvements, but I think that we can get more bang for our buck by spending the $2 million elsewhere.

[MSPtoMKE]

You also have to cross W. River Pkwy to get to the bike trail, then cross it again a short while later to head back up the hill.

[ProspectPete]

Like a dedicated bike bridge over 35E on the gateway trail?