Bicycle Infrastructure

[RailBaronYarr]

^^ More importantly, no mention of effect on bicycles, peds, or transit when projects are done in the name of auto LOS. But fair points. I think that, given the foresight with the tunnel being there, this is a no-brainer and should save some physical strain for bicyclists - just another piece in the puzzle of making biking more attractive to the general person. (also keep in mind that a 90 second savings for a bike is likely a much larger % savings than most car trip time reductions as they travel longer distances)

[MNdible]

(also keep in mind that a 90 second savings for a bike is likely a much larger % savings than most car trip time reductions as they travel longer distances)

I know this wasn't really key to your argument, and maybe I'm just a slow biker, but my car trips are almost always shorter (time duration) than my bike trips.

[RailBaronYarr]

(also keep in mind that a 90 second savings for a bike is likely a much larger % savings than most car trip time reductions as they travel longer distances)

I know this wasn't really key to your argument, and maybe I'm just a slow biker, but my car trips are almost always shorter (time duration) than my bike trips.

I was referring more to the willingness to make the last mile of peak hour commuters 1-2 minutes quicker through added lanes/turn lanes/etc. For these folks, the commute is already 27+ minutes. I would say most people biking within Minneapolis aren't biking super long distances, but I agree with you that equivalent distance car trips are quicker than bikes (and one could go 2-3x farther in the same amount of time, typically.)

[eazydp]

The Southern Connection project is finally underway. This project was funded for 2012 but got bumped to 2013 for some reason. I biked it last night and they had all of the non-artery intersection improvements underway. I believe they are all mini-roundabouts. The biking experience was already improved and should only get better.

Here is an update from the DT Journal.
http://www.journalmpls.com/voices/voice ... ion-season

Apparently the "Presidents" Bike Blvd is also being worked on.

[Anondson]

I attended a Three Rivers Park District open house this evening held at The Depot, park and city reps were in abundance! The park district will be realigning the Cedar Lake Trail where it crosses Excelsior this fall, likely November.

The crossing currently parallels the rail crossing. This crossing is going to be eliminated. All trail traffic will be routed to cross Excelsior at the 169 ramp intersection and continue in front of the Cargill campus. Relinking to the existing trail at the Jackson Avenue/St. Louis avenue intersection.

The construction will involve removing the abandoned trail, turning the trail signs, and smoothing out one of the trail turns. I'll post a photo of the map when I get a chance.

[VAStationDude]

I've always preferred the Cargillw route over the one parallel to the tracks.

[Anondson]

Cedar Lake Trail project images of the maps from the open house.


Trail Realign before after by xeoth, on Flickr

The finished project will route like this.


Realign by xeoth, on Flickr


[My first experiment posting from flickr hosting]

[Tom H.]

I just hope the signage is good. My first attempt through this area involved a lot of guessing, which is not fun on a bike amidst fast-moving automobiles.

[commissioner]

Does anyone know when the bike path along the Blue line between downtown Mpls and Cedar riverside opens up again? Thanks!

[twincitizen]

I enjoyed these comics: http://bikeyface.com/2012/12/05/middle-of-the-road/

[orangevening]

[quote="commissioner"]Does anyone know when the bike path along the Blue line between downtown Mpls and Cedar riverside opens up again? Thanks![/quote
I wouldn't get my hopes up for that to be open unti lthe line is (spring at the earliest). Is it me or does it seem like there are more more people um....hanging out, by the goat path lately?

[Jeremie]

Cedar Lake Trail project images of the maps from the open house.


Trail Realign before after by xeoth, on Flickr

The finished project will route like this.


Realign by xeoth, on Flickr


[My first experiment posting from flickr hosting]

Well this seems really effing annoying. I ride this daily and what they really aught to do is make a diagonal crossing across the intersection that goes parallel to the tracks across Excelsior. There is a perfect moment when both sides of Excelsior have a green left turn arrow and you can go straight across the intersection without interrupting traffic at all. Right now it works, but with thought and maybe even a 'bike stoplight' or something it could be made even better.

[Anondson]

Well this seems really effing annoying. I ride this daily and what they really aught to do is make a diagonal crossing across the intersection that goes parallel to the tracks across Excelsior. There is a perfect moment when both sides of Excelsior have a green left turn arrow and you can go straight across the intersection without interrupting traffic at all. Right now it works, but with thought and maybe even a 'bike stoplight' or something it could be made even better.

I had expressed a few concerns to Three Rivers and the city over this.
1- even more (now all) trail traffic will pass in front of the parking lot, this is an increase of car-bike mixing.
2- the crossing from the trails on the north side of Excelsior to the island is unsignalized with traffic often accelerating around the curve to highway speeds to go up the ramp to 169 northbound. With this even more (all) trail traffic will use this unsignalized crossing where drivers often have poor sight lines to the cyclists waiting to cross here.
3- I'm concerned the island will prove too small for all the cyclists waiting for the beg-light to turn, even maybe backing up waiting cyclists into the unsignalized crossing. This island also has a bus stop, a bus stopped here often must block the trail crossing.

None of these things are reasons to not do this realignment, but I think they are things that will beg for improvement.

[PhilmerPhil]

I just got back from a three week trip that included 5 days in Amsterdam, and it was lovely. Check out this refreshing and inspiring video just posted on Streetfilms all about biking Amsterdam: http://www.streetfilms.org/bicycle-anec ... amsterdam/

[MSPtoMKE]

They are tinkering with the 1st Ave. Bike lanes again. I haven't taken a close look, but they don't seem to have painted the green at all intersections yet:

1st Ave Bike Lanes by MSPdude, on Flickr

[woofner]

It would be great if they would staple in the candlestick bollards along the entire protected section. Every time I ride 1st, there is someone parked partially in the bike like in the unbollarded section, and there is never any of that in the bollarded section. Seems like an unqualified success (as should have been obvious from the beginning).

Despite a couple high-profile crashes, I never have trouble with unyielding right-turning motorists on 1st. But I ride it mostly at rush hour, so maybe it's worse during the day.

Also, 1st will always be crappy until they fix the bump-outs around Target Center. Another trouble spot is the bus station, where the bike lane is always used for drop-off. I'd think that since most commuter traffic turns by 10th, one of the two NE-bound lanes could be dropped here, freeing up space for a bollarded protected lane. But that would require actually paying attention to pain points and correcting them, rather than just laying down flashy green paint.

[bubzki2]

I didn't see anything in this thread relating to this so I apologize if this has been answered, but has anyone seen the reconstruction along Cedar Lake Parkway / Theodore Wirth Trail on the off-street trails? Holy cow, they're finally updating what was an absolute deathtrap just west of i-394, and they've even improved the formerly-circuitous bike alignment by moving the parking lot further in for the west Cedar Lake beach. I just thought it deserved to be mentioned and this stretch, once they put pavement back on will no longer be a stretch to avoid!

[eazydp]

Southern Bike connection construction is rolling along. They have poured the connection from 17th Ave S to Minnehaha Parkway. I would imagine it will be done just in time for the winter biking season.

Also, it appears from the photo ^^^above that the city is finally learning the lesson about what materials to use for painting intersections. Maybe... Just maybe some of the lanes will actually be around and still painted this spring.

[mister.shoes]

Of note on that connection from 17th Ave S to Minnehaha Parkway: they used concrete instead of the typical asphalt used for bike trails everywhere else along the creek. That surprised the heck out of me.

[talindsay]

Of note on that connection from 17th Ave S to Minnehaha Parkway: they used concrete instead of the typical asphalt used for bike trails everywhere else along the creek. That surprised the heck out of me.

Suck. I know for bicycles good concrete can be better than asphalt, but for running concrete is horrible, and along much of the parkways that means runners have to use the bike path since many of the walking paths are concrete (apparently because nobody on the park board runs). If even the bike trails are going concrete we'll see a spike in injuries among runners in the next couple years.