urbanMSP

Not sure about that, but yesterday morning and again just now it felt like the driver really gunned it when they got the signal to cross Chicago. You can see it on other rider's faces that they're surprised by it too.

Sent from my phone

There is some rather major maintenance and rail replacement occurring on the Blue Line down by Terminal 2. There is a whole lane of road traffic closed between 72nd and 73rd streets along southbound 34th Avenue. They were welding pieces of rail together today when I was going home from work. Some very interesting stuff.

Pedestrian (may have been a biker?) hit by train today.

http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/12/11 ... 6th-street

Plus a woman was killed by a Green Line train yesterday, and another person was injured when crossing the Green line last week as well.

I've started thinking some of these have to be suicides. The trains can be loud and clearly visible.

Bicyclist had died.

I've started thinking some of these have to be suicides. The trains can be loud and clearly visible.

I used to think people were just being really obtuse about how to function around a light rail until one day I was nearly hit by a train as I was crossing Fifth Street. Thankfully the conductor honked the horn. It wasn't that I wasn't trying to be aware, but in urban environments there is so much going on around you (sights, sounds, smells) and you're trying to get from Point A to Point B quickly that sometimes you miss something (and sometimes that thing is a giant train). In my case, it was the end of the work day, I was tired, I was trying to avoid some traffic, and was tuning out some stuff I clearly shouldn't have.

It's pretty terrifying we've had two of these incidences in two days. It certainly doesn't give LRT good press.

I do feel like there is a lot going on at this intersection. I bike through there pretty regularly. I don't like riding through it especially when going south. You first have to worry about crossing the intersection without getting hit by right turning vehicles. Then there is a pretty sharp right to cross the tracks via a pretty narrow sidewalk and then an immediate left to stay on the path after crossing the tracks. Having a stop arm to block the bike path/sidewalk crossing might not be a bad idea in this location.

If "twenty is plenty" for cars and buses, should we be asking about that for where trains aren't grade separated?

I have a hard time believing most people killed by LRT along either the Blue or Green Lines are being hit in zones where the train is going >20mph. They're almost all at station areas where the train is pulling in or out, right? This probably has more to do with the train's mass & body design, along with station area design elements. (and, we have to talk about this, pedestrian/cyclist carelessness).

This train was just departing 46th Street station... It was definitely going under 20 MPH.

This train was just departing 46th Street station... It was definitely going under 20 MPH.

Exactly. If this wasn't suicide (which I honestly don't think it was), it was negligence or an outright disregard for safety. I'm amazed most every day at what sort of risks people take with the trains! I couldn't be a train driver - it would fry my nerves!

This probably has more to do with the train's mass & body design, along with station area design elements. (and, we have to talk about this, pedestrian/cyclist carelessness).

I think design of the train had to play a role here. The Strib article notes that he was stuck at least partially underneath the train when first responders arrived.

It's pretty terrifying we've had two of these incidences in two days. It certainly doesn't give LRT good press.

And the person from last week is still in critical condition, too. Even if people are being careless (which, while I think is likely, I'm not 100% convinced about), it still shouldn't result in two deaths and a critical injury in one week's time.

Allow me to suggest fully-grade-separated fully-automated rapid transit with platform screen doors. Seriously, that would be amazing.

Per a speedometer smart phone app, south bound blue line trains hit about 23 when they hit the 46th street intersection and get to about 26 by the time the front of the train clears the intersection.

Per a speedometer smart phone app, south bound blue line trains hit about 23 when they hit the 46th street intersection and get to about 26 by the time the front of the train clears the intersection.

and the northbound trains are going much faster than that. I've seen many people making dumb moves to get to the northbound platform in the mornings.

http://www.startribune.com/bicyclist-ki ... 361669771/

Bicyclist killed at station Friday had been injured before at the same station in August..

“Just a concussion, some scrapes and muscle soreness. ... Stay alert people, look both ways before crossing train tracks and wear a helmet!”

He said in August

Damn. Was this fellow, I dunno, living with a mental illness?

His Facebook is still up. He seems like he was a nice and normal guy.