Comments on: Column: Why Did the Turkey Cross the Road?

By: Cindy Overmyer

Cindy Overmyer — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 14:19:06 +0000

As a bicyclist, pedestrian and driver, I appreciate anything that slows the traffic down here. I have lost track of the number of times I’ve nearly been nailed as a pedestrian at marked intersections by drivers too anxious to make their “right turn on red” to wait for me to cross. As a cyclist even when I place myself directly behind the car to make my right turn (as I would as a driver on a non-bike lane road), cars pull ahead of me in the turn and cut me off. Perhaps there should be a total “No Right on Red” law in A2 too – seems that the drivers’ need to make that right turn at all costs is another big part of the problem.

By: John Q.

John Q. — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 05:18:22 +0000

“P.E.’s were not involved in the discussion and did not issue a report on any version of the local crosswalk ordinance. Dave Askins has provided an excellent chronology, including the relevant statements at the last Council meeting.”

I guess you missed the point Kathy which is that the current messed up transportation system that neglected pedestrian and biker safety in favor of allowing cars to go wherever possible as quickly as possible was a product of the “expertise” of P.E.s. Having learned the hard way, the “non-experts” aren’t willing to cede the decision-making to the “experts”.

By: Eric Boyd

Eric Boyd — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 21:40:43 +0000

@34: I've seen them elsewhere as well and they work fine for drivers and bikes.. This blog post has better pictures. [link] [link]

By: Vivienne Armentrout

Vivienne Armentrout — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 16:15:28 +0000

An additional success note: I’ve been pleased to see how the reconstructed Miller has added a sidewalk along one side and also several pedestrian refuge islands. I assume that road stripes and signage will make these into full-bore pedestrian crossings.

By: Vivienne Armentrout

Vivienne Armentrout — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 16:13:31 +0000

I confess that I don’t see anything in your illustration to alter my point. One picture appears to leave a little lane for bicycles, at the cost of forcing traffic to stop in each direction before weaving around the obstacles. I don’t see how we can in good conscience suggest that a major connector roadway should have obstacles that actually stop the flow of traffic to this extent. I’d rather see more signalized cross-walks and consistent traffic enforcement.

One effect of the traffic calming on Brooks (according to some of the neighborhood emails) has been increased anger and impatience on the part of drivers, so that they speed in between bumps, etc. I really hate that bump-out because it requires me to guess whether oncoming traffic will make way or not (it requires northbound traffic to veer into the parking lane to make it work as a 2-lane road). Often I have to stop and just wait (you should watch the buses try to maneuver around it).

We should not turn traffic regulation into a war between modes of travel or between neighborhoods and those who must pass through. Reasonable accommodation to all should be the goal.

By: Eric Boyd

Eric Boyd — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 12:40:28 +0000

@30: Not all possible bump-outs interfere with the bike lane. Look for images of bike chicanes, as found here: [link]

By: Rod Johnson

Rod Johnson — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 01:51:42 +0000

By the way… Kathy in #27: “I recommend a P.E. sign off on every transportation-related project, right down to parking space placement.”

Is that not already the case?

By: Rod Johnson

Rod Johnson — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 01:38:18 +0000

As an aside, the emphasis in this discussion on “PE’s” seems like a bit of a red herring. As far as I know, some of the city’s engineering staff are PE’s and some aren’t, but I’m sure they’re all competent. “PE” in engineering is not like “MD” in medicine; it’s an impressive credential, but you can be a perfectly competent professional engineer without being a Professional Engineer, and in fact in many areas of engineering it’s not an especially important thing. It’s true that PE status is important in civil engineering, and many traffic engineers are PE’s, but what’s important here is the fact that they’re traffic experts, not PE’s. Transportation planners also have expertise here, and most of them aren’t engineers at all.

By: Vivienne Armentrout

Vivienne Armentrout — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 23:01:54 +0000

Re 29: There has been talk of traffic calming on 7th. Two constructed crosswalks with pedestrian refuge islands would definitely have that effect (I like the Princeton idea).

I dislike the idea of bumpouts along 7th, partly because these don’t work as advertised (HATE the one at Pearl and Brooks) and partly because it would interfere with the bike lane. But a couple of central pedestrian islands might have a similar effect.

By: TJ

TJ — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 20:12:08 +0000

re #23 – crosswalk at Jefferson & 7th would definitely help those heading north from Madison. A crosswalk at Princeton & 7th would help those heading south (towards Pioneer). Princeton is more central between Liberty & Pauline (the existing signalized + crosswalked intersections), but adding both seems better that choosing. After all, there is a crosswalk at Snyder & 7th and that is in the much shorter segment from Pauline to Stadium.