University Avenue Traffic Lane Modification Study

[twincitizen]

Joe Soucheray supports reducing University Avenue to two lanes so he can park his car: http://www.twincities.com/soucheray/ci_ ... -soucheray

[Silophant]

Broken clock, etc.

[Didier]

University traffic definitely calms down at non-peak times, so converting a lane to parking in certain areas could have some merit. Bikes lanes would also be a worthwhile goal.

That said, the absurdity of this article is amazing. Some highlights:

Now, if there are little cafes opening up, or tea rooms or craft breweries or loft apartments or whatever else the new urbanists saw in their dreams, I don't know about them.

There are at least 25 stoplights if you go the length of the avenue from St. Paul to deep into Minneapolis. Avoiding University Avenue, not embracing it, is now the game, at least if you are in an automobile.

As it stands now, only four months into service, it is a large, lumbering, not very efficient intrusion on development. Pedestrians are at risk. It does nothing to enhance commuter travel. And because it was never intended to enhance commuter travel -- the planners now admit that -- the only good that can come from it is to scale back the automobile traffic on University Avenue and challenge the train to do what it was supposed to do: change the cityscape.

[LRV Op Dude]

[mattaudio]

Is there any chance to provide parking AND a cycle facility here? Looks like it's 22' curb to curb, as a guess. 10/5/7 is done elsewhere, but I'm not a fan as it's a really tight bike lane.

[froggie]

Short of eating into the sidewalk, no. The choices are a 2nd lane, on-street parking, or a cycle facility...but unless the street is widened (only way to do that is narrow the sidewalk), you will only be able to get one of the three on any given segment.

[PhilmerPhil]

How about just a bike lane and a parking lane?

[nBode]

Yeah, University is basically an all-or-nothing corridor in regards to bike facilities. If they want parking, there doesn't seem to be any way to make it bikeable. I think it's probably better to push for making Marshall or some other street bike-friendly. Or, like Phil said, take cars off of University entirely (not going to happen, IMO).

[PhilmerPhil]

No I didn't say take cars off entirely. They can still park there.

[Silophant]

2015 is like two months away. Just be patient.

[mamundsen]

Yeah, University is basically an all-or-nothing corridor in regards to bike facilities. If they want parking, there doesn't seem to be any way to make it bikeable. I think it's probably better to push for making Marshall or some other street bike-friendly. Or, like Phil said, take cars off of University entirely (not going to happen, IMO).

St Paul is making (or made?) Charles Ave a bike boulevard(which is 2 blocks north of University).

http://stpaul.gov/charles

[Snelbian]

Made. Last year.

[mulad]

Eh, it bled into this year quite a bit. I'm 99% sure I tried it this spring before it had really gotten done (signage was missing and I had to stop too often), and then never really got the motivation to try again. While the Charles Ave improvements make it more comfortable for riding, you really have no idea what you're passing by on University.

[froggie]

It was made. My aunt owns a house along Charles Ave. Her current tenant is a cyclist and a U student and it's great that she can bike down Charles towards the U and/or take the Green Line.

[twincitizen]

http://parkingpossibilitiesmsp.com/

Check out the scope of this study. Take the survey.

My main comment will be "make all parking metered", though I'm sure pretty much anyone can understand why free parking on the Green Line would be a bad idea.

[twincitizen]

With Mayor Coleman's recent proposal to add parking meters to Grand Avenue and extended meter hours downtown, it re-ignited my memory of this topic. So what ever happened with this? I'd guess the city/county are still a little cautious to make any changes so soon. Not a terrible idea to wait a few years and see what happens to auto traffic levels, if some of the people who got accustomed to avoiding University during construction have come back, if new development adds car traffic, etc.

I think when the dust settles in a few years there is going to be support for a lane reduction and adding some metered parking in certain stretches.

Have any St. Paulites heard anything on this issue in the last year?

[Wedgeguy]

Now that I'm not driving, I'm for the longer meter times in the appropriate areas. Definitely think that meter near the Vintage is a good idea. Will cut down on the clowns who do u turns in the middle of Selby and screw up the traffic flow. Make 30 minutes the same as parking in the Vintage lot or just a bit more. Increasing the time in the Lowertown I think would be good. No need to lengthen the rest of downtown. But I suppose the Ordway and the Xcel would require longer times when there is something happening at them. Get them paying on the street or the ramps. St. Paul like any city can sue the revenue.

[mattaudio]

On-street parking proposed along University Avenue in St. Paul
About 450 spaces would open up after 6 p.m. along the Green Line.
http://www.startribune.com/on-street-pa ... 367990021/

Seems like a mistake to only do this for part of the day... Just paint shoulder lines and create full-time parking already.

[seanrichardryan]

University is in the bike plan to have in-street lanes between Pelham & Al dine. This proposal directly conflicts with that. With that and opposition from businesses (which was the overall conclusion from the survey the city conducted) led Union Park District Council to oppose the parking.

[mattaudio]

There's plenty of space for parking AND bike lanes. It looks like there's already two 11 foot lanes plus a 2ft gutter pan in most sections. 8 ft parking, 6 ft bike lane, 10 ft travel lane. Problem. Solved.