Thanks, Chet. I had already been there before I replied to Don. Don's message seems to indicate that there's more detail than one finds in the 2030 Transportation Plan to which you refer. Perhaps he just meant that there are more options than we're considering.
In the 2030 plan, a table of non-motorized projects, Table 30 begins on page 111. One project there #8 is, "Include bike-ped facilities in West Run road corridor". The descriptive text below the table says, "This project will ensure that bicycles and pedestrians are accommodated in the West Run Road transportation corridor and an additional connection to the Mon River Trail is provided. As part of the recommended roadway projects a bike trail is proposed along one side of the road." Aside from the bike trail along one side of the road, it doesn't say what those "facilities" might be. A map, Figure 25 on page 98 shows West Run but adds no useful info.
Three other projects that Don might be thinking of are #2, #3 and #4. Project #2 is relevant because it connects the eastern terminus of West Run Rd. near I-68 with the Decker Creek Trail through the Dug Hill Rd. corridor. I raised that in the dialog below. The other projects, as well as the remainder of #2 may be outside the scope of the West Run project. The remainder of #2 goes out to Cheat Lake along 857, #3 goes out Old Cheat Rd. and #4 connects Tyrone Rd. to the Decker Creek Trail through Brookhaven Rd. and Dug Hill Rd. They all involve adding a "bike lane/paved shoulder". Don are these what you meant?
Chet, thanks for prompting me to revisit the 2030 transportation plan. I had forgot much of it. While looking for the pages you indicated, I re-read the motorized plan for West Run. Page 109 contains a nice arial view of the plan to widen West Run, add a 3rd lane from Riddle to Van Voorhis and a description turn lanes to be added at Van Voohis, Riddle, Stewartstown and 119. It will be interesting to compare what DOH now has in mind with that which is currently in the 2030 plan.
Also, I see that item 22 on page 101 is a 3-lane corridor from the Research Park to West Run. That's a pretty big bike path:)
I highly recommend that anyone who worked on the BB Bike Route map study the map, Figure 25 on page 98 of section 9 of the 2030 plan, http://www.plantogether.org/plan.html . It verifies what we did but might give us some other ideas.
Frank
On Jan 17, 2011, at 10:13 AM, Chet Parsons wrote:
I can jump in here - thanks for the idea Don.
I think Don is referring to the nonmotorized segment of the 2030 Plan. If you go to that location on the MPO website you can look at Chapter Nine, the Recommended Plan (http://www.plantogether.org/plan.html). If you go to Page 112 you'll see the nonmotorized Plan. Most of the items referenced are footnoted with a number in a circle - these are highway projects that have a nonmotorized component. You can look back at Table 29 on page 101 for a listing of all the highway projects and their associated costs. Note item 22 there.
Table 30 shows the nonmotorized projects - of note are item 8 for West Run Road (note this plan was done before all the stuff got developed on West Run between Stewartstown and 119.
Chet
On Mon, Jan 17, 2011 at 9:18 AM, Frank Gmeindl frank.gmeindl@comcast.net wrote: Don,
What is the MPO bicycle route plan? Can you point me to it? I did a cursory search of the MPO website and didn't find it. I did find a "screening addendum" (attached) that contains a map showing a couple options around Dug Hill Rd. Is that it?
Frank
On Jan 16, 2011, at 10:44 PM, Don Spencer wrote:
Frank – On the West Run related issues, I urge you to take a look at the MPO bicycle route plan. There is quite a few recommendations in that plan for establishing a “ring route” from the rail trail in Sabraton to Easton Hill and then down West Run to the River. The information does not address the width issues per se, but I think that referencing the Plan in our discussions with the MPO and DOH is to our advantage.
Don
From: bikeboard-bounces@cheat.org [mailto:bikeboard-bounces@cheat.org] On Behalf Of Gunnar Shogren Sent: Thursday, January 13, 2011 12:47 PM To: Frank Gmeindl Cc: Bicycle Board Subject: Re: [Bikeboard] Fwd: Work on West Run
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
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