From: Frank Gmeindl <fgmeindl@gmail.com>

Date: April 18, 2012 9:09:35 AM EDT

To: "Keller, Perry J" <Perry.J.Keller@wv.gov>

Subject: Re: maps

Thanks, Perry!  The cue sheet is much more informative.  

At first glance, I see a somewhat major error in it.  The cue sheet says WV Bike Route 7 connects to "the Pennsylvania Bicycle Route "A" which appears to follow the Monongalia-Fayette Expressway."  The PA A-Route is far from the Mon-Fayette expressway.  The PA A-Route basically follows US 19 and is considerably west of the Mon-Fayette expressway.    

The WV Bike Route 7 is a good rail trail route but if is going to connect to PA, it shouldn't follow the Deckers Creek trail as described in the cue sheet.  Just staying on the Monongahela River Trail takes you right into PA at Pt. Marion.  From Pt. Marion, there are several alternative routes to the Great Allegheny Passage which goes to Pittsburgh or Washington, DC.

The Morgantown area routes on the map at Potential connections to other States (http://www.transportation.wv.gov/highways/programplanning/planning/statewide/Documents/PotentialConnectionstoOtherStates.pdf) seem to be different than the routes on the cue sheet.  To the extent that I can resolve it, the map correctly shows the PA A-Route and connection to the PA A-Route via WV 100 but that route is not on the cue sheet.   Making WV 100 part of a bike route connection to the PA A-Route would provide a tremendous benefit to Morgantown area cyclists.  It's the flattest road route out of Morgantown and connects to the PA A-Route (as well as the popular Rising Creek Bakery in Mt. Morris.  Let's ride there next time you're in Morgantown!)

No need to do anything about these points at this time.  I'll reiterate them at the May 15 workshop in Morgantown and hopefully be able to offer some help on other parts of our great state.  Correcting the error in the cue sheet might save some work though.

I'm still wondering if those map files at http://www.transportation.wv.gov/highways/programplanning/planning/statewide/Pages/StatewideBicycleConnectivityPlan.aspx could be made available in some more flexible format than PDF.

Perry, thanks for everything you do to promote bicycling in WV.  I recognize that it's like juggling lions and tigers and bears.  

Frank

On Apr 16, 2012, at 10:39 AM, Keller, Perry J wrote:

See if this helps.

 

From: Frank Gmeindl [mailto:fgmeindl@gmail.com] 
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2012 9:23 PM
To: Keller, Perry J
Subject: maps

 

Hi Perry,

 

I'm very excited about the workshops that WVDOT is conducting to define bike routes and connections to neighboring states.  I will definitely attend at least the May 15 workshop in Morgantown.  I see at http://www.transportation.wv.gov/highways/programplanning/planning/statewide/Pages/StatewideBicycleConnectivityPlan.aspx that some work has already been done.  Unfortunately, I can't tell from the pdf maps what roads the already recommended routes are on.  Are those maps available in some other format, e.g. google maps that I could zoom in and see more detail; at least the route numbers?

 

Best wishes,

 

Frank D. Gmeindl
Chairman, Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board
LCI #1703
491 WilsonAvenue
Morgantown, WV 26501
304-376-0446
Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles

 

<Previously Proposed WV Bike Routes.pdf>