Dear Bicycle Board,
I am forwarding this message on behalf of David Bruffy. It sounds like the DOH is intending to put a turning lane through the Krepps Park region, and that they are moving quickly to implement the project with their own design plans. This is the same area that Gregg Good was building a bicycle/pedestrian corridor; he had completed half the project when DOT suddenly pulled the funding away. You can still visit the unfinished bridge in the valley of Chipps Hollow:
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am writing to make sure you are informed of planned safety improvements along the lower end (Star City side) of Mon Boulevard.
The MPO met on Monday evening for their regular, December Meeting. As frequently happens, the State DOH asked us to consider amendments to the local Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). This TIP Amendment is a requirement of Federal Highways that must be met before spending Federal Department of Highways dollars and it is obviously intended to insure local, public input. As often happens, the requests were not provided in time for the MPO’s Citizen’s Advisory Committee or the Technical Advisory Committee to meet and discuss the requests. Additionally, very little information is typically provided with these requests such as project design drawings and the reasoning and data supporting proposed road improvement projects. Highways often uses Highway Safety Improvement Funds for these projects (may not be the exact, correct name), and these funds and projects are not included in the regular MPO planning process, nor is the local community typically given opportunity for prioritization of projects, as was the case for this proposed improvement to Mon Boulevard.
The DOH was requesting an amendment to the TIP to allow a $1.7 million dollar safety improvement project to add a turning lane to Mon Boulevard from the Patteson intersection all the way through to Star City. No description or information was provided as to pedestrian crossing accommodations at areas like the WVU Soccer Field, Canfield Street or Chipps Hollow Road, nor was any information provided to show how the roadway edges would be treated for sidewalks or bike lanes. The MPO did not approve this request, but it will be considered again at the January MPO meeting, after the MPO Citizen’s Advisory and Technical Advisory Committees have reviewed the proposal. Since this is a “safety” project, I expect there to be a hard push by DOH for quick approval of this proposal.
I encourage you to look into the matter as it affects your interests for bicyclist, pedestrians and our community in general. I wouldn’t want to see another roadway without shoulders like the 705 “repaving” project between Stewartstown Road and the Mileground, and I doubt you would either.
Thanks you for your efforts to make our community a better place to live.
Sincerely,
David Bruffy, CCTM General Manager Mountain Line Transit Authority 420 DuPont Road Morgantown, WV 26501 Bruffy@busride.org WWW.BUSRIDE.ORG www.Twitter.com/MountainLine www.Facebook.com/MountainLine http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dave-bruffy/10/137/488 (304) 296-3680 Office (304) 291-7433 Route Information (304) 291-7429 FAX
So, as I'm reading this, there would be a new 3rd lane from Patteson to University down the hill of Mon Blvd? I didn't think there was much need for that, since most of the traffic is backed up across the Star City bridge from the lights in Granville. I would also think it would make traffic worse as people will use this turning lane to advance past traffic and cut in down towards the light.
It also removes that shoulder from being utilized as extended parking during both Basketball and Football games?
As far as cycling is concerned, right now, that entire section in that direction is perfectly fine for cyclists, as its 2 lanes allowing cars to pass, and its downhill allowing cyclists to gain speed reducing the car/bike speed differential. The cyclist should easily take the right lane. Adding in the turning lane would be a bit daunting since technically they would be in the middle lane, with traffic passing on both sides. Could also take the right and try to merge left towards the bottom, at which time bicycle speeds could easy exceed 40mph.
I'm curious what benefit at all this poses; all I see would be speeding travel from Collesuem to Star City end of Univ Blvd. Couldn't one just cut through Krepps and the residental areas?
So how would the BB offer input? Write a letter to the DOH?
Traci
Jonathan Rosenbaum jr@wvcompletestreets.org 12/19/2012 11:10 AM
Dear Bicycle Board,
I am forwarding this message on behalf of David Bruffy. It sounds like the DOH is intending to put a turning lane through the Krepps Park region, and that they are moving quickly to implement the project with their own design plans. This is the same area that Gregg Good was building a bicycle/pedestrian corridor; he had completed half the project when DOT suddenly pulled the funding away. You can still visit the unfinished bridge in the valley of Chipps Hollow:
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am writing to make sure you are informed of planned safety improvements along the lower end (Star City side) of Mon Boulevard.
The MPO met on Monday evening for their regular, December Meeting. As frequently happens, the State DOH asked us to consider amendments to the local Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). This TIP Amendment is a requirement of Federal Highways that must be met before spending Federal Department of Highways dollars and it is obviously intended to insure local, public input. As often happens, the requests were not provided in time for the MPO’s Citizen’s Advisory Committee or the Technical Advisory Committee to meet and discuss the requests. Additionally, very little information is typically provided with these requests such as project design drawings and the reasoning and data supporting proposed road improvement projects. Highways often uses Highway Safety Improvement Funds for these projects (may not be the exact, correct name), and these funds and projects are not included in the regular MPO planning process, nor is the local community typically given opportunity for prioritization of projects, as was the case for this proposed improvement to Mon Boulevard.
The DOH was requesting an amendment to the TIP to allow a $1.7 million dollar safety improvement project to add a turning lane to Mon Boulevard from the Patteson intersection all the way through to Star City. No description or information was provided as to pedestrian crossing accommodations at areas like the WVU Soccer Field, Canfield Street or Chipps Hollow Road, nor was any information provided to show how the roadway edges would be treated for sidewalks or bike lanes. The MPO did not approve this request, but it will be considered again at the January MPO meeting, after the MPO Citizen’s Advisory and Technical Advisory Committees have reviewed the proposal. Since this is a “safety” project, I expect there to be a hard push by DOH for quick approval of this proposal.
I encourage you to look into the matter as it affects your interests for bicyclist, pedestrians and our community in general. I wouldn’t want to see another roadway without shoulders like the 705 “repaving” project between Stewartstown Road and the Mileground, and I doubt you would either.
Thanks you for your efforts to make our community a better place to live.
Sincerely,
David Bruffy, CCTM General Manager Mountain Line Transit Authority 420 DuPont Road Morgantown, WV 26501 Bruffy@busride.org WWW.BUSRIDE.ORG www.Twitter.com/MountainLine www.Facebook.com/MountainLine http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dave-bruffy/10/137/488 (304) 296-3680 Office (304) 291-7433 Route Information (304) 291-7429 FAX
This hit me as quite a surprise and I wonder why Jonathan rather than the Chairman of the BB got the message from David Bruffy.
I am a member of the MPO Citizens Advisory Committee. As David mentions in his message below, local WVDOH projects are first run through the MPO CAC before they are presented to the MPO Policy Board. If the BB as a body would like to produce input, I will be happy to present it to the MPO CAC. The next CAC meeting is January 10, the week after the next BB meeting.
Bill Austin, Executive Director of the MPO is an ex-officio member of the Bicycle Board. David Bruffy is also an ex-officio member of the BB as well as being chairman of the MPO Policy Board.
Frank
On Dec 19, 2012, at 3:16 PM, Traci Liebig wrote:
So how would the BB offer input? Write a letter to the DOH?
Traci
Jonathan Rosenbaum jr@wvcompletestreets.org 12/19/2012 11:10 AM >>>
Dear Bicycle Board,
I am forwarding this message on behalf of David Bruffy. It sounds like the DOH is intending to put a turning lane through the Krepps Park region, and that they are moving quickly to implement the project with their own design plans. This is the same area that Gregg Good was building a bicycle/pedestrian corridor; he had completed half the project when DOT suddenly pulled the funding away. You can still visit the unfinished bridge in the valley of Chipps Hollow:
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am writing to make sure you are informed of planned safety improvements along the lower end (Star City side) of Mon Boulevard.
The MPO met on Monday evening for their regular, December Meeting. As frequently happens, the State DOH asked us to consider amendments to the local Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). This TIP Amendment is a requirement of Federal Highways that must be met before spending Federal Department of Highways dollars and it is obviously intended to insure local, public input. As often happens, the requests were not provided in time for the MPO’s Citizen’s Advisory Committee or the Technical Advisory Committee to meet and discuss the requests. Additionally, very little information is typically provided with these requests such as project design drawings and the reasoning and data supporting proposed road improvement projects. Highways often uses Highway Safety Improvement Funds for these projects (may not be the exact, correct name), and these funds and projects are not included in the regular MPO planning process, nor is the local community typically given opportunity for prioritization of projects, as was the case for this proposed improvement to Mon Boulevard.
The DOH was requesting an amendment to the TIP to allow a $1.7 million dollar safety improvement project to add a turning lane to Mon Boulevard from the Patteson intersection all the way through to Star City. No description or information was provided as to pedestrian crossing accommodations at areas like the WVU Soccer Field, Canfield Street or Chipps Hollow Road, nor was any information provided to show how the roadway edges would be treated for sidewalks or bike lanes. The MPO did not approve this request, but it will be considered again at the January MPO meeting, after the MPO Citizen’s Advisory and Technical Advisory Committees have reviewed the proposal. Since this is a “safety” project, I expect there to be a hard push by DOH for quick approval of this proposal.
I encourage you to look into the matter as it affects your interests for bicyclist, pedestrians and our community in general. I wouldn’t want to see another roadway without shoulders like the 705 “repaving” project between Stewartstown Road and the Mileground, and I doubt you would either.
Thanks you for your efforts to make our community a better place to live.
Sincerely,
David Bruffy, CCTM General Manager Mountain Line Transit Authority 420 DuPont Road Morgantown, WV 26501 Bruffy@busride.org WWW.BUSRIDE.ORG www.Twitter.com/MountainLine www.Facebook.com/MountainLine http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dave-bruffy/10/137/488 (304) 296-3680 Office (304) 291-7433 Route Information (304) 291-7429 FAX _______________________________________________ Bikeboard mailing list Bikeboard@bikemorgantown.com http://wvcompletestreets.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard
WVDOH says we can't afford the cost of the right of way to install proper bike lanes. What do you think a mile of beachfront property in Redondo Beach, CA costs? Maybe they value their cyclists? (Thanks to Dan Gutierrez for the attached photo.)
Frank
Begin forwarded message:
From: Frank Gmeindl frank.gmeindl@comcast.net Date: December 19, 2012 3:30:28 PM EST To: Traci Liebig Traci.Liebig@mail.wvu.edu Cc: "Bicycle Board" bikeboard@bikemorgantown.com Subject: Re: [Bikeboard] Proposed DOH Work on Mon Boulevard
This hit me as quite a surprise and I wonder why Jonathan rather than the Chairman of the BB got the message from David Bruffy.
I am a member of the MPO Citizens Advisory Committee. As David mentions in his message below, local WVDOH projects are first run through the MPO CAC before they are presented to the MPO Policy Board. If the BB as a body would like to produce input, I will be happy to present it to the MPO CAC. The next CAC meeting is January 10, the week after the next BB meeting.
Bill Austin, Executive Director of the MPO is an ex-officio member of the Bicycle Board. David Bruffy is also an ex-officio member of the BB as well as being chairman of the MPO Policy Board.
Frank
On Dec 19, 2012, at 3:16 PM, Traci Liebig wrote:
So how would the BB offer input? Write a letter to the DOH?
Traci
Jonathan Rosenbaum jr@wvcompletestreets.org 12/19/2012 11:10 AM >>>
Dear Bicycle Board,
I am forwarding this message on behalf of David Bruffy. It sounds like the DOH is intending to put a turning lane through the Krepps Park region, and that they are moving quickly to implement the project with their own design plans. This is the same area that Gregg Good was building a bicycle/pedestrian corridor; he had completed half the project when DOT suddenly pulled the funding away. You can still visit the unfinished bridge in the valley of Chipps Hollow:
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am writing to make sure you are informed of planned safety improvements along the lower end (Star City side) of Mon Boulevard.
The MPO met on Monday evening for their regular, December Meeting. As frequently happens, the State DOH asked us to consider amendments to the local Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). This TIP Amendment is a requirement of Federal Highways that must be met before spending Federal Department of Highways dollars and it is obviously intended to insure local, public input. As often happens, the requests were not provided in time for the MPO’s Citizen’s Advisory Committee or the Technical Advisory Committee to meet and discuss the requests. Additionally, very little information is typically provided with these requests such as project design drawings and the reasoning and data supporting proposed road improvement projects. Highways often uses Highway Safety Improvement Funds for these projects (may not be the exact, correct name), and these funds and projects are not included in the regular MPO planning process, nor is the local community typically given opportunity for prioritization of projects, as was the case for this proposed improvement to Mon Boulevard.
The DOH was requesting an amendment to the TIP to allow a $1.7 million dollar safety improvement project to add a turning lane to Mon Boulevard from the Patteson intersection all the way through to Star City. No description or information was provided as to pedestrian crossing accommodations at areas like the WVU Soccer Field, Canfield Street or Chipps Hollow Road, nor was any information provided to show how the roadway edges would be treated for sidewalks or bike lanes. The MPO did not approve this request, but it will be considered again at the January MPO meeting, after the MPO Citizen’s Advisory and Technical Advisory Committees have reviewed the proposal. Since this is a “safety” project, I expect there to be a hard push by DOH for quick approval of this proposal.
I encourage you to look into the matter as it affects your interests for bicyclist, pedestrians and our community in general. I wouldn’t want to see another roadway without shoulders like the 705 “repaving” project between Stewartstown Road and the Mileground, and I doubt you would either.
Thanks you for your efforts to make our community a better place to live.
Sincerely,
David Bruffy, CCTM General Manager Mountain Line Transit Authority 420 DuPont Road Morgantown, WV 26501 Bruffy@busride.org WWW.BUSRIDE.ORG www.Twitter.com/MountainLine www.Facebook.com/MountainLine http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dave-bruffy/10/137/488 (304) 296-3680 Office (304) 291-7433 Route Information (304) 291-7429 FAX _______________________________________________ Bikeboard mailing list Bikeboard@bikemorgantown.com http://wvcompletestreets.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard
The MPO is meant as the primary means for public input into the process. The Bike Board’s representative to the MPO’s Citizens Advisory Committee will have direct input into the process. You can address a letter with your concerns to me as well. We will keep the area’s elected officials and DOH informed on the feedback we receive.
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
“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect.” -Mark Twain
“Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.” -Marilyn Monroe
From: bikeboard-bounces@bikemorgantown.com [mailto:bikeboard-bounces@bikemorgantown.com] On Behalf Of Traci Liebig Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2012 3:17 PM To: Bicycle Board Subject: Re: [Bikeboard] Proposed DOH Work on Mon Boulevard
So how would the BB offer input? Write a letter to the DOH?
Traci
Jonathan Rosenbaum jr@wvcompletestreets.org 12/19/2012 11:10 AM >>>
Dear Bicycle Board,
I am forwarding this message on behalf of David Bruffy. It sounds like the DOH is intending to put a turning lane through the Krepps Park region, and that they are moving quickly to implement the project with their own design plans. This is the same area that Gregg Good was building a bicycle/pedestrian corridor; he had completed half the project when DOT suddenly pulled the funding away. You can still visit the unfinished bridge in the valley of Chipps Hollow:
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am writing to make sure you are informed of planned safety improvements along the lower end (Star City side) of Mon Boulevard.
The MPO met on Monday evening for their regular, December Meeting. As frequently happens, the State DOH asked us to consider amendments to the local Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). This TIP Amendment is a requirement of Federal Highways that must be met before spending Federal Department of Highways dollars and it is obviously intended to insure local, public input. As often happens, the requests were not provided in time for the MPO’s Citizen’s Advisory Committee or the Technical Advisory Committee to meet and discuss the requests. Additionally, very little information is typically provided with these requests such as project design drawings and the reasoning and data supporting proposed road improvement projects. Highways often uses Highway Safety Improvement Funds for these projects (may not be the exact, correct name), and these funds and projects are not included in the regular MPO planning process, nor is the local community typically given opportunity for prioritization of projects, as was the case for this proposed improvement to Mon Boulevard.
The DOH was requesting an amendment to the TIP to allow a $1.7 million dollar safety improvement project to add a turning lane to Mon Boulevard from the Patteson intersection all the way through to Star City. No description or information was provided as to pedestrian crossing accommodations at areas like the WVU Soccer Field, Canfield Street or Chipps Hollow Road, nor was any information provided to show how the roadway edges would be treated for sidewalks or bike lanes. The MPO did not approve this request, but it will be considered again at the January MPO meeting, after the MPO Citizen’s Advisory and Technical Advisory Committees have reviewed the proposal. Since this is a “safety” project, I expect there to be a hard push by DOH for quick approval of this proposal.
I encourage you to look into the matter as it affects your interests for bicyclist, pedestrians and our community in general. I wouldn’t want to see another roadway without shoulders like the 705 “repaving” project between Stewartstown Road and the Mileground, and I doubt you would either.
Thanks you for your efforts to make our community a better place to live.
Sincerely,
David Bruffy, CCTM General Manager Mountain Line Transit Authority 420 DuPont Road Morgantown, WV 26501 Bruffy@busride.org WWW.BUSRIDE.ORG www.Twitter.com/MountainLine www.Facebook.com/MountainLine http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dave-bruffy/10/137/488 (304) 296-3680 Office (304) 291-7433 Route Information (304) 291-7429 FAX
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Bill Austin -
Frank Gmeindl -
Jonathan Rosenbaum -
Ryan Post -
Traci Liebig