Frank, Thanks for the update. It would be exciting to see a climbing lane there. I would use it just the same or almost the same whether they put a lane in there or not, but I think it would provide some more 'visible' infrastructure to encourage folks to bike. With the time it's taken or taking, it feels like a failed project to me, and I hate to feel like giving up, but at this point, it makes me feel like questioning whether that project was a valuable use of time spent over the last several years. I'm not necessarily talking about my time, but all involved.
However, if we're almost to realizing it's implementation, it will be valuable to finish. I know I haven't been super involved with the Bike Board as of late since my priorities are my family and kids right now, especially with a 2 month old, but I'll be back in the loop again, especially IF we land that WVDOH Transportation Alternatives grant.
Have a nice day. I appreciate the update. ~Derek
On Wed, Oct 22, 2014 at 10:53 AM, Frank Gmeindl fgmeindl@gmail.com wrote:
Last night, City Council unanimously approved the first reading of the ordinance that will authorize the MOU between the City, WVDOH and WVU to get the climbing lane installed.
Considering that it took 2 years from the time we proposed the climbing lane for the City to convene a meeting with all the stakeholders and then 3 more years from the time these 3 parties met and reached a vocal agreement to write the MOU which is substantively identical to that which was agreed, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the MOU to actually get signed by the 3 parties and then implemented by them.
Jenny Selin raised a good point during the bike lane discussion at last night's meeting. She observed that the surface of the shoulder where the bike lane is supposed to go is poor and needs some real pavement before money's wasted striping, marking and signing it. Jeff Mikorski responded that WVDOH is responsible for paving Mon Blvd. but was not aware that WVDOH has any plans to repave it or the shoulder. He said that he hoped the City could work with WVDOH to get them to repave the shoulder if they had funds for it. Mike Fike also questioned who will keep the climbing lane clean. Jeff responded that both the WVDOH and the City sweep the shoulder.
So, you can see that the obstacles this project still needs to overcome are not unlike the glass, rocks, snow, ice and other debris that those of us that ride up Mon Blvd. must get around or over. It would be interesting to compare this project's history with that of the Evansdale Drive relocation and creation of a roadway through the Arboretum.
Frank *Lead, follow, or get out of the way*
Begin forwarded message:
*From: *Frank Gmeindl fgmeindl@gmail.com *Subject: **Mon Blvd Bicycle Climbing Lane* *Date: *October 21, 2014 2:52:52 PM EDT *To: *Bike Board - Morgantown bikeboard@bikemorgantown.com
Tonight's City Council meeting agenda item #10:
Consideration of APPROVAL of FIRST READING of AN ORDINANCE BY THE CITY OF MORGANTOWN AUTHORIZING A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN IT AND THE WV DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS, FOR INSTALLATION OF A BICYCLE LANE ALONG NORTHBOUND U.S. 19(MONONGAHELA BOULEVARD), BETWEEN EIGHTH STREET AND EVANSDALE DRIVE.
See p. 60 -61 (approximately half way through the packet) at http://www.morgantownwv.gov/wp-content/uploads/City-Council-Packet.pdf for the actual MOU. (Sorry, I couldn't cut-and-paste it legibly here.)
You could attend the meeting in City Hall or watch it live on TV.
Frank
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