Thanks to Ryan, gunnar, Chet and Chip for your input on the West Run project.
I met with Bill Austin last Thursday night. WVDOH is planning to widen the lanes on West Run to 11-feet. I don't know the termini. Bill said they're considering adding a 2-foot shoulder on each side and would like to know if that would be good for bicycles. I also got the idea from Bill that he may advocate for making the shoulder width wider on one side of the road and narrower on the other side along certain lengths to better accommodate bicycles. For example, making it wider on the climbing side of a hill or on the inside of a curve.
Bill said that Perry Keller will be here this Thursday, Jan. 20 and they might cruise West Run to discuss options. I asked to join them. Perry was one of the DOH participants in the MPO bike tour that we led in October.
OK, considering that we apparently have 26-feet to work with and DOH may be somewhat set on 11-foot lanes, what would you recommend?
Frank
On Jan 13, 2011, at 3:07 PM, Chet Parsons wrote:
Whoops - didn't hit reply all.
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Chet Parsons chetparsons@gmail.com Date: Thu, Jan 13, 2011 at 3:06 PM Subject: Re: [Bikeboard] Fwd: Work on West Run To: Frank Gmeindl frank.gmeindl@comcast.net
I was thinking more direct connection via the research park. We tried to get them to agree to continue a road over the back of the hill down the natural gulley from the book depository area through the floodplain (cornfield) and meet up with West Run around the point where the farm entrance hits West Run. Try this link http://bit.ly/e9pmVu
As far as Maple Drive, it will at a minimum be reconfigured so that it will close to through traffic. The plan I have seen thus far is for a new connection from Don Nehlen Drive to come directly across 705/Chestnut Ridge and go back over the hill for a dedicated entrance to Mon General. That is why the trailer park and other properties in that area have been purchased. Alpha Associates is the lead on this one along with Mon General.
Chet
On Thu, Jan 13, 2011 at 2:50 PM, Frank Gmeindl frank.gmeindl@comcast.net wrote: I don't know what route you're proposing. On the bike route map that I sent on Jan. 7, Subject: Bike Route Map, you'll see that the route connects the old poultry farm and research park area to West Run via Maple Dr., Heritage Pt., J.D. Anderson Dr., Pineview Dr., Riddle St., Charles St., Perry Ave., Hickory St., Winona Av., Bishop Dr. and Riddle St.. It is really rather pleasant with one big hill.
I understand that plans may be afoot that would wipe out Maple Dr. Does anybody know what they are?
On Jan 13, 2011, at 2:06 PM, Chip Wamsley wrote:
---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: Chet Parsons chetparsons@gmail.com Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:00:21 -0500
Going across the old poultry farm by the research park is a great idea as many of those people working there might be great end users.
Jim Rye rides Easton Hill all the time. Again NOT A FUN LOOKING RIDE.
I still don't see why we can't work with WVU to get access across the old poultry farm and come down on the back side of the research park to West Run. Connect right into Suncrest Town Center and the couple of housing complexes as well as Stewart St etc downtown. I guess maybe this hasn't been discussed since before Hugh came on board. Maybe worth revisiting - last time I talked it up it was shot down by Russ Lorince with the research corporation.
Chet
On Thu, Jan 13, 2011 at 12:47 PM, Gunnar Shogren gshogren@gmail.com wrote:
On Thu, Jan 13, 2011 at 12:40 PM, Frank Gmeindl frank.gmeindl@comcast.net wrote:
I think we have two concepts. One, is to modify West Run Road to make it
more bike friendly and Two is a segregated path.
Modify West Run Rd. For many years before the District, I rode West Run Rd. several
times/week around 5 pm., always from east to west. See map at http://tinyurl.com/46ofgs3 It was fine except that occasionally, I'd be head-on with some junior doctor zipping along in his BMW or S-2000 and we'd both be eyeing the fence posts, mailboxes and culverts for room to squeeze by. Improving sight-lines is imperative; widening would be nice; shared lane markings and Bicycles May Use Full Lane signs, or at least share the road signs would help. Moving, leveling and realigning the intersection with 119 is also imperative.
I used to ride the old bike route over White Avenue to Dug Hill Rd,
Pierpont Rd., across 857, down Old Cheat Rd. to Easton then along 119 to West Run as shown on the map at http://tinyurl.com/46ofgs3. Except for the little stretches of 857 and 119, there wasn't much traffic but it's quite hilly and would probably discourage novices. However, once West Run is improved, it would be a suitable extension of the bike route with appropriate mapping to indicate the hills and to warn of the high traffic zones on 857 and 119.
Segregated Path The best segregated path option would be as I think Chet is suggesting,
basically between West Run Rd. and West Run creek. Heck, let's propose to go all the way to the Mon River trail in the long run.
Coming from the District out to Easton, you can cross Easton Hill Rd. and
continue out West Run Rd. where it dead-ends at I-68. Crossing the intersection by Easton School will be a challenge. Before I-68, West Run Rd. used to continue up the hill to Pierpont Rd. (Who hasn't ridden through the West Run culverts under I-68? Perhaps you missed the BB initiation ceremony;)
Don Spencer has told me that there has been some discussion of running a
trail along the west side of I-68 over to Sabraton. We should explore this. Then, we could connect with the Decker Creek trail and have a bicycle beltway around the City:) My concern remains that if we put all our energy into projects like this, it will eventually become impossible to ride your bike from the trail to any practical destination because we were diverted from reclaiming the streets that were ours to being with.
At Easton, going up Easton Hill and across the Mileground should be an
option that could be handled by a bicycle climbing lane. If they can crane a shopping center and housing development on the side of that hill and add a full-width travel lane and roundabouts to the Mileground, they can add 8 feet to Easton Hill for a bicycle climbing lane! I still occasionally ride up Easton Hill. It's not pleasant and if you don't take the lane, you'll get squeezed into the guard rail. It is nearly impossible to walk up or down there though because there is absolutely no shoulder.
Untrue! We've seen our buddy NickH going up it a few times. Did not seem like it would be a pleasant experience *at* *all*. But maybe Nick can chime in here.
The hundreds of people living in that valley now would be stranded and
starve to death when the gasoline runs out.
And this would be a bad thing?
Frank
On Jan 13, 2011, at 11:18 AM, Gunnar Shogren wrote:
Wider road and signage. I've biked on it off and on throughout the years, problem is that it just doesn't lead anywhere easily, there's a big hill off it as soon as you go toward town, or even go away from town. Sure not many folks use it now, but perhaps they would if even to go from Apt complex to complex, to play XBox or Magic: The Gathering. Widen that puppy and put some signs up. Nice wide shoulder just to ease the minds of less experienced cyclists as well.
On Wed, Jan 12, 2011 at 3:00 PM, Chet Parsons chetparsons@gmail.com
wrote:
> I think Bill Austin already has this stuff in his head, but here's my
two
> cents. > The section from Van Voorhis to Stewartstown can be used in combination
of
> on-street markings and using the floodplain owned by WVU (basically
from the
> dairy farm to Pineview). Once you get to Stewartstown, Ryan is right. > You'll need to cut down behind Copper Beech and up between it and the
stuff
> up on the backside of the Mileground. Follow that route until you get
to
> Easton School, which will be closed soon anyway. Then tie in to
whatever
> new development is getting ready to go in along 857 out to I-68. If
you
> haven't noticed, the DOH has been clearing and widening 857 for about 4 > months now and my bet is that there will be a new development with an > additional access point by summer. > Another option, but will probably be a more expensive easement, is to
create
> a couple switchbacks up the farm on the opposite side of the hill as
West
> Run Apartments and then run a path through the apartment complex and
out to
> 119/857. > Chet > > On Wed, Jan 12, 2011 at 2:49 PM, Ryan Post rpostwvu@gmail.com wrote: >> >> West Run, from Stewartstown to 119 (where all the houses are), is
twisty,
>> narrow and hilly. >> >> >> >> Given those conditions, it can never be bike friendly. Road needs
widened
>> and/or straightened significantly. Or create a separate bike/walk
path. I
>> doubt many would walk however, since there’s very little within ½
mile.
>> >> >> >> It’s a no-man’s land of bad planning and shouldn’t have been Zoned on
w/o
>> correcting the road first, IMO. >> >> >> >> From: bikeboard-bounces@cheat.org [mailto:bikeboard-bounces@cheat.org]
On
>> Behalf Of Frank Gmeindl >> Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 7:36 AM >> To: Bicycle Board >> Subject: [Bikeboard] Fwd: Work on West Run >> >> >> >> Bicycle Board Members, >> >> >> >> Heads up. What are your ideas for making West Run more bicycle
friendly?
>> >> >> >> I don't know what DOH is planning for West Run yet. I'll keep you
posted.
>> >> >> >> Frank >> >> >> >> >> >> Begin forwarded message: >> >> From: "Bill Austin" baustin@moncpc.org >> >> Date: January 11, 2011 4:30:44 PM EST >> >> To: "'Frank Gmeindl'" frank.gmeindl@comcast.net >> >> Subject: Work on West Run >> >> Frank, >> >> >> >> DOH has a project to improve West Run. They would like to work with
you
>> and the Board on the proper way to accommodate cyclists. I would
appreciate
>> discussing the matter with you prior to the CAC Meeting Thursday.
Also, they
>> let me know they identified five grates along Mon Boulevard that they
will
>> be replacing. >> >> >> >> Thanks, >> >> >> >> Bill Austin, AICP >> >> Executive Director >> >> Morgantown Monongalia MPO >> >> 82 Hart Field Road Ste. 105 >> >> Morgantown, WVA 26505 >> >> 304-291-9571 >> >> 304-692-7225 Mobile >> >> >> >> “Nobody can go back and make a new beginning, but anyone can start
today
>> and make a new ending.”-Maria Robinson >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Bikeboard mailing list >> Bikeboard@cheat.org >> http://cheat.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard > > > _______________________________________________ > Bikeboard mailing list > Bikeboard@cheat.org > http://cheat.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard >
Bikeboard mailing list Bikeboard@cheat.org http://cheat.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard
Bikeboard mailing list Bikeboard@cheat.org http://cheat.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard
Bikeboard mailing list Bikeboard@cheat.org http://cheat.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard