Pedestrian Safety and Infrastructure Improvements

Roads - Rails - Sidewalks - Bikeways
EOst
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Re: Pedestrian Safety and Infrastructure Improvements

Postby EOst » September 9th, 2016, 3:37 pm

Yep. In Minneapolis, I really got used to being able to watch the pedestrian signal to know how long I had (on bike) before the light turned yellow/red. Doesn't work at all in St. Paul; I've seen greens that lasted 15-20 seconds longer than the pedestrian signal on Como, for example.

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mister.shoes
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Re: Pedestrian Safety and Infrastructure Improvements

Postby mister.shoes » October 7th, 2016, 9:23 am

Has MPLS officially changed its policy on painting crosswalks to move toward zebras and away from parallel lines? Between the increase in zebras downtown and South Nicollet going zebras everywhere after the chip seal, I'm heartened by the rising population of striped streets.
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sdho
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Re: Pedestrian Safety and Infrastructure Improvements

Postby sdho » October 11th, 2016, 7:24 pm

I saw a post that on Facebook from Simon Blenski. Sounds like they're generally moving that direction whenever there is a "design" change (as on 3rd Ave restripe, or Nicollet restripe), and selectively at other high-ped-volume intersections -- like a few on Franklin. It seems like they'll eventually move that way altogether, but they're not in any rush to wipe out all the old transverse lines.

For at least a couple of years, they've stopped doing transverse lines at uncontrolled crosswalks.

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Re: Pedestrian Safety and Infrastructure Improvements

Postby sdho » October 11th, 2016, 7:25 pm

Since MnDOT and basically all of suburban Hennepin County use a zebra design (with slightly different proportions), I'm glad to see Mpls going with the more universal, visible marking. St. Paul also seems to have transitioned away from transverse lines.

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mister.shoes
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Re: Pedestrian Safety and Infrastructure Improvements

Postby mister.shoes » October 13th, 2016, 2:49 pm

That's good news. I really like the visibility of zebras over the lines (duh), though I noticed drivers pulling into zebras at Cedar/Minnehaha Pkwy on two occasions recently. Zebras still need a stop bar, I guess, to be effective.
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Anondson
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Re: Pedestrian Safety and Infrastructure Improvements

Postby Anondson » October 13th, 2016, 8:29 pm

Zebras still need a stop bar, I guess, to be effective.
That's the case on France Ave in Edina, so many stop on the crosswalk still today. Though anecdotally it feels at times it's less than when the new zebra crosswalk was fresh and new.

talindsay
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Re: Pedestrian Safety and Infrastructure Improvements

Postby talindsay » October 14th, 2016, 8:12 am

Yesterday I ran the entire Grand Rounds (slowly) and noticed that while the parallel crossing lines are still more plentiful, zebra stripes are appearing at more and more points along the parkways. It looks like *all* freshly-painted intersections are zebra stripes. I agree they're preferable.

MNdible
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Re: Pedestrian Safety and Infrastructure Improvements

Postby MNdible » October 14th, 2016, 9:00 am

Technical question: Are they actually using paint, or are they using the reflective thermoplastic?

mamundsen
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Re: Pedestrian Safety and Infrastructure Improvements

Postby mamundsen » October 14th, 2016, 11:21 am

Most I have seen in downtown are not paint, they are the stick-down stuff. I haven't been around at night so I don't know if it's "reflective thermoplastic."

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Pedestrian Safety and Infrastructure Improvements

Postby Anondson » December 24th, 2016, 10:10 pm

Hmong residents storm Ramsey county offices to demand a safer intersection.

http://www.twincities.com/2016/12/23/hm ... ersection/

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Pedestrian Safety and Infrastructure Improvements

Postby Anondson » January 4th, 2017, 8:43 pm

In 2004 a child was struck by a driver. The family of the victim sued the city for partial responsibility because despite posted speed limits, drivers sped on the street at high speeds. Posted limit was 30mph, driver was clocked going at 54 mph.

New York's highest court ruled city can indeed be held liable for street design that causes drivers to drive at unsafe speeds.

https://www.transalt.org/news/releases/9832

This needs to spread to more states now.

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Re: Pedestrian Safety and Infrastructure Improvements

Postby grant1simons2 » January 13th, 2017, 3:19 pm

Ilhan Omar has proposed state bonding for replacing the pedestrian bike bridge over Interstate Highway 94 connecting Cedar-Riverside and Seward

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.p ... _year=2017

SamtheBusNerd
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Re: Pedestrian Safety and Infrastructure Improvements

Postby SamtheBusNerd » February 2nd, 2017, 10:33 am

Does anyone know if, with the new public works director and complete streets policy, etc, the city of Minneapolis is going to start marking more uncontrolled crosswalks? I know that St Paul has started doing that and enforcing them with a lot of success and it would be good to see Minneapolis do the same.

twincitizen
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Re: Pedestrian Improvements

Postby twincitizen » February 3rd, 2017, 5:07 pm

Damn. This would be good to see.

"Possible overhaul for 5th St SE bike/ped bridge over 35W, it would be widened and illuminated under a plan being pushed by a University-area neighborhood."

http://www.startribune.com/local/blogs/295195871.html
Year and a half later....

MnDOT holding an open house http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projec ... tings.html

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Re: Pedestrian Safety and Infrastructure Improvements

Postby seanrichardryan » February 3rd, 2017, 6:15 pm

SInce both University and 4th are nearing the end of their useful lives, let's talk land bridge instead.
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pannierpacker
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Re: Pedestrian Safety and Infrastructure Improvements

Postby pannierpacker » February 3rd, 2017, 10:11 pm

The 5th street bridge is great. I like it as it is today (even the small/cozyness of it), but I could see how someone with ADA would have trouble with it. I wish there were nice bridges like the 5th street one (accessible and completing great ped/bike streets) in other cities as well.

On a side note, how is it that bridges over rivers last up to a 100 years while these bike/ped bridges only last 50? MNDOT?

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Re: Pedestrian Safety and Infrastructure Improvements

Postby MNdible » February 4th, 2017, 10:17 am

A cast in place concrete bridge in a freeway location like this is getting attacked from all sides by road salt spray, degrading the rebar. It's a brutal environment.

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Re: Pedestrian Safety and Infrastructure Improvements

Postby Mikey » February 5th, 2017, 8:15 am

SInce both University and 4th are nearing the end of their useful lives, let's talk land bridge instead.
I'll second this. Maybe a provision for a future highway BRT station?
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Anondson
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Re: Pedestrian Safety and Infrastructure Improvements

Postby Anondson » February 21st, 2017, 8:06 pm

The latest year of the Connect The Park sidewalk improvements were voted on. Most of the recommended segments were approved.

http://sailor.mnsun.com/2017/02/21/st-l ... -projects/

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Re: Pedestrian Safety and Infrastructure Improvements

Postby MNdible » February 27th, 2017, 2:48 pm

Regarding the 5th Street SE Ped/Bike bridge, Option 2 is in front of the Minneapolis TPW Committee as the recommended option. It shifts the bridge a half block north from its current alignment, which is probably a win for bikers and a loss for pedestrians. It eliminates the need for switchbacks, but adds a block in travel distance for walkers.


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