urbanMSP

Ramsey County will be presenting 4-3 concepts for Rice Street tomorrow night at 6PM. The 61 will take you straight to it (get off at Arlington & Galtier).

Comments from the last meeting were surprisingly very positive. There is a ton of concern about losing parking on the middle section, though (roughly Geranium to Atwater), which is why I and other neighborhood partners have been pushing a two-lane section here. But any change would do massive amounts of good. Come if you can, and please give online feedback if you can't:

https://www.ramseycounty.us/residents/r ... fety-study

Two lanes with peak hour turning restrictions and/or small medians to prevent left turning traffic at some messy corners would be just fine. Good idea.

Plymouth considering turning Schmidt Lake Road from four lanes to three.

http://sailor.mnsun.com/2017/04/04/plym ... ree-lanes/

Always fun to rage-read the comments of some skeptics.

The Highway 55 / Argenta Trail intersection in Inver Grove Heights is moving, but will remain a signalized intersection on this 65 MPH expressway: https://www.co.dakota.mn.us/Transportat ... fault.aspx
This had been planned as a full interchange at one point, which would have grade separated nearly everything (except a few driveways) east of the 149-55 mess in Eagan.

Plymouth considering turning Schmidt Lake Road from four lanes to three.

http://sailor.mnsun.com/2017/04/04/plym ... ree-lanes/

Always fun to rage-read the comments of some skeptics.

I'm glad somebody else makes use of the phrase, "the motoring public"

Is there any information on what they are doing on 46th street with the bridge that went up over the east river parkway before heading across the river into highland park. Are they just renovating the little bridge there, changing lane layout?

They're replacing the bridge on 46th Street over Godfrey Parkway. Here's the County's page on the project: http://www.hennepin.us/godfreybridge

Nice! More room for bikes and pedestrians I am totally down for. Now if only they would extend the greenway across that railroad bridge into St Paul instead of just ending it at the river...

Ramsey County will have a Maryland Avenue Test Project Open House: https://www.ramseycounty.us/residents/r ... esurfacing

May 3rd, 6pm, East Side Freedom Library

This location is easily accessible via the 64 and pretty close via the 61.

The county is going to resurface Maryland avenue between Greenbrier and Johnson Parkway later in the summer. After a community meeting last year the county proposed a test 4-3 lane conversion before the resurfacing. The test will include pedestrian refuge medians at Greenbrier and Frank that will prohibit left turns. I've been told these will be constructed out of asphalt during the test period. Greenbrier is where a pedestrian was killed last year and it is also a designated bicycle boulevard.

I believe the city council representative is opposed and opponents will likely turn out for the Open House on May 3. Ramsey County Commissioner Jim McDonough is pushing the test.

http://www.twincities.com/2017/04/20/ro ... an-safety/

Worth mentioning too that this Maryland test is being used as a testcase to see if 4-3 conversions would work on similar Ramsey County roads. If this test 'fails' (which is not impossible) or doesn't get off the ground, it's really going to set things like the Rice Street study back.

Worth mentioning too that this Maryland test is being used as a testcase to see if 4-3 conversions would work on similar Ramsey County roads. If this test 'fails' (which is not impossible) or doesn't get off the ground, it's really going to set things like the Rice Street study back.

I agree, which is why turnout of positive voices is very important. Criteria for success or failure have not been outlined. MnDOT map shows the traffic volume on Maryland at over 18,000 near Payne and Arcade Streets, closer to 15,000 east of Forest St.
Maryland is currently about 40' wide in most sections, with four 10' traffic lanes. There are few east-west streets in this neighborhood because of Lake Phalen and current or former railroad corridors (like Phalen Blvd).
Phalen Blvd is an alternative route and is closer to 15,000 by both Payne and Arcade, and 11,000 east of Arcade.

Whenever I hear "Test" it begs the question... what does a successful outcome look like? what is quantifiable? I hope it's not just a test to see if they can keep LOS-A.

They've indicated a willingness to accept some increase in congestion on Maryland, but less if it creates significant backups on the rest of the road network. They also want, for example, to see how well the road handles buses making lengthy wheelchair pickups in the drive lane, as the design doesn't really have a shoulder (which would be key if Rice goes with the asymmetric concept).

They are also monitoring traffic on the parallel residential streets - Rose and Hawthorne. Of course, Maryland is also a residential street, but whatever.
They've indicated that the initial test period will be quite short (6 weeks?) and only extend to lengthier test period if it isn't catastrophic (Carmageddon). Again, what tips the scale one way or the other was not defined.

Two options for realigning the busy Superior and Wayzata Blvd intersection in Wayzata.

http://sailor.mnsun.com/2017/04/28/wayz ... ersection/

Can we 4-3 Hennepin East of Central?

Can anyone name some metro (esp. in the cities) examples of 3-lanes with buffers or bike lanes but no parking? I can think of Cedar Ave north of Riverside and parts of Como Ave east of Dale. What are some others?

Pierce Butler

I try to point out all the benefits of 4-3 conversions, and how all users on Rice would benefit. But since it includes "bike lanes" a lot of people are holding the status quo on Rice Street.

I've even heard things like "no one bikes on Rice Street! We don't need bike lanes." which tells me how little they pay attention to their surroundings. According to Strava, Rice is pretty heavily traveled by cyclists. http://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#15/-93. ... /blue/bike

Biked less than a block on Rice just now, saw three other people on bikes (all on the sidewalk). They definitely exist, but not a lot of people are looking at the sidewalks when they drive on Rice.