Ride Boldly!

Bikes, bicycling, and road safety.

December 16, 2010
by julie
Comments Off on MNDOT Requests Input for New State Bicycle Map

MNDOT Requests Input for New State Bicycle Map

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The Minnesota Department of Transportation publishes state-wide bicycle maps. The last editions (MN East and MN West) were published in approximately 2001. Because these maps classify state highways and major roads by volume and bike-friendliness (shoulder width, pavement, etc.), you can well imagine that 10 years on these maps are highly dubious guides to state routes.

MNDOT is working on updates to those maps, however, and are running a survey of Minnesota cyclists for input to the project.

The survey asks about your bicycling habits, and also what information you would find most helpful on a new map set.

It only takes a few minutes, so do help MNDOT gather this data for their ongoing project!

November 13, 2010
by julie
Comments Off on Let It Snow: First MSP Snow of the Season

Let It Snow: First MSP Snow of the Season

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Everyone panic! It’s November 13 in Minneapolis, and we’re having the first snow. Winter riding season is here!

Personally, I don’t believe this is going to last until Wednesday. It’s to warm up on Monday, and even now it’s heavy, wet and dumb snow. The plows aren’t especially visible at this point.

If you’re looking to extend your season, one of the most popular posts I’ve ever published on this blog is about prepping for riding all winter. One thing that is true of the process is that it’ll cost a few bucks to really be able to kick it all winter long – whether it’s light acquisition, getting studded tires, looking at a bicycle that can even support studded tires. On the other hand, winterizing your car costs money. Having winter clothing of any type costs money. So.

November 6, 2010
by julie
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Common Sense & Complete Streets

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Complete Streets – a series of local, state and federal rules that require road construction and maintenance to take the needs of all road users into account – is a really awesome initiative. More and more communities are adopting local-level versions of Complete Streets, and many states have also enacted Complete Streets legislation. Federal Complete Streets legislation has been pending, ongoing, while a new transportation bill has been in progress, and is likely to now be an even longer-term project thanks to the House changeover and the personnel shifts on the Transportation Committee.

Recently in Minnesota, there’s been regular coverage of pedestrian deaths while crossing roadways. At first blush, one might think these are calls for greater awareness of the issues that Complete Streets tries to address – making roadways safe and accessible for all users. However, in multiple cases, engineering isn’t the issue. Sense is the issue.

Even under Complete Streets, it’s most reasonable to put crosswalks at intersections and controlled crossing points. In several recent cases, pedestrians are crossing outside of intersections – even when such crossings are within a block of their crossing point. Some of these crossings are also occurring in the dark. Even when an intersection has been involved, right-of-way hasn’t been, such as in the case where a pedestrian tried to run across MN36 in North Saint Paul against the light at midnight. Crossing Highway 10 near Northtown Mall before sunrise outside of a crosswalk is also an obviously bad idea.

It’s important to engineer crossings, but it’s also important for road users to show some sense. Crossings may require going a block or two out of one’s way – as do many vehicle trips requiring various turns on roadways and parkways with roundabouts and medians. Respect conditions, and be careful.

November 3, 2010
by julie
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Minnesota Election Results & Cycling

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It’s a sad morning for cyclists all over the United States this morning as a result of the voters’ choice in Minnesota’s 8th Congressional district (MN-8), which covers much of northern Minnesota and the Iron Range. Long-time Congressman Jim Oberstar was defeated in his re-election bid last night, ending his Congressional career after 18 terms in office.

Oberstar is the ranking member of the House Transportation Committee, and current chair – although that would have changed in a new Congress, even had he been re-elected. More importantly, he’s the elder statesman of bicycle issues in Congress. While in the past 20 years the Congressional Bicycle Caucus has grown and there are other notable cycling advocates in both Congress and on the Transportation Committee, he’s been the respected leader.

With the transportation bill in flux, as well as the study of the Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot Program – a key Oberstar project – ongoing, this is going to be very disruptive. Meanwhile, cycling remains an easily-attacked place to attack infrastructure funding, as can be seen in how AAA is suggesting the Highway Trust Fund should only be used for asphalt highway projects.

The LAB’s executive director has posted a good summary of why the loss of Oberstar hurts so much.

Thanks, Jim, for years of service, and I hope there’s a way you can keep contributing to the health of non-motorized transportation in Minnesota and nationally.

October 29, 2010
by julie
Comments Off on One Less River Crossing in Minneapolis

One Less River Crossing in Minneapolis

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Ever since the new I35W bridge opened – and in light of the budgetary issues facing both Minnesota and the US – it seems as though attention to the crumbling state of many bridges has quieted down.

Plymouth Bridge - MinneapolisHowever, this week Minneapolis lost a crossing of the Mississippi River for the very reason of hazard and corrosion. The Plymouth Avenue Bridge was closed October 22 as a ‘safety precaution’ after discovery of corroded bridge tendons. On October 28, the city announced the bridge would remain closed for the winter.

As bridges go, this one isn’t even one of the older bridges in town to be showing such damage – it was built in 1983.

Officials say that they will evaluate leaving the bridge open for cyclists and pedestrians, as their overall weight doesn’t provoke the strain that 10,000 vehicles a day do. Those vehicles are mostly expected to move north to the Broadway Avenue bridge, or south to the Hennepin Avenue bridge. Traffic lights near both are being adjusted to help with traffic flow.

It’s difficult to say, with this bridge closure, if the bridge will be plowed through the winter if the bridge is kept open for cyclists and pedestrians. Presumably, plowing it would become a very low priority in light of the closure (as well as budget issues). It’s safe to suggest that cyclists are going to end up detouring too through the winter, even if the bridge is ‘kept open’ for them.