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
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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