- Bikeboard - lists.frackcheckwv.net

Could we do something like this?
by director 26 Jul '12

26 Jul '12

How about putting "Welcome to Bike Friendly Morgantown" on the old Whitetail rooftop sign?? http://www.treehugger.com/bikes/4-story-portland-mural-welcomes-you-america… Nick Hein LCI# 1705 Director, Positive Spin 803 East Brockway Ave Morgantown, WV ph 304-276-0213

1 0

Re: [Bikeboard] August TC Meeting
by Frank Gmeindl 25 Jul '12

25 Jul '12

Damien, Please find the Bicycle Board report to the Traffic Commission at https://www.dropbox.com/s/3h7i1jy6cermyve/20120801Report_to_TC.doc. Could you please also arrange to have the appropriate individuals answer the following questions at the meeting? Police: How many rights and duties information cards have been distributed to motorists and to bicyclists by month. If possible, include circumstances in which cards were distributed, e.g. given to motorist for passing a cyclist too close; given to bicyclist for failure to stop at a stop sign, etc.? City Engineer: What are the status and plans for Mon Blvd. bicycle climbing lane? City Engineer: What are the status and plans for Bicycle Friendly Community road signs? For signs that have been erected, please include location and if convenient, latitude and longitude in addition to roadway name and nearest crossroad. City Engineer: What are the status and plans for Walgreen's Sabraton egress and protection of cyclists crossing Green Bag Rd.? City Engineer: What has the City done to implement the Greater Morgantown Bicycle Plan since City Council adopted it May 1? 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 On Jul 24, 2012, at 9:23 AM, Damien Davis wrote: > All, > > Please send me your agenda items for the August meeting by the end of the day tomorrow. I'll will be sending it out on Friday. Thanks. > > J. Damien Davis, PE, CFM > Assistant City Engineer > City of Morgantown > Public Works Department - Engineering Division > 389 Spruce Street > Morgantown, WV 26505 > Office: 304.284.7398 > Fax: 304.284.7409 > www.morgantown.com > >

1 0

Re: [Bikeboard] Fwd: August TC Meeting
by Frank Gmeindl 25 Jul '12

25 Jul '12

Derek, Thanks for the feedback. Please see my responses in-line below. Frank On Jul 24, 2012, at 1:49 PM, Derek Springston wrote: > Frank, > For the question below about the BFC Signs, if we provided the recommended locations map, can we more specifically ask for what locations were installed. Will do although I won't be surprised if WVDOH didn't record lat long when they installed them. > > In the TC report, I glanced over it and it looked fine to me with these exceptions: > Can we format the table so it's all on one page? Thanks for prompting me to look at it again. Apparently, viewing it in Dropbox without downloading it somewhat corrupts it. I'll remind Damien to download it when he preps it for distribution to the TC. The table may still run over multiple pages though. > > The Cyclist Police Information Card might be a little better if we: > -included a qualifier about kids being allowed to ride on sidewalks > -use an effective white front headlight and red rear reflector.... (is the red rear reflector, just a reflector and not a light?) §17C-11-7. Lamps and other equipment on bicycles. (a) Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped with a lamp on the front which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet to the front and with a red reflector on the rear of a type approved by the department which shall be visible from all distances from fifty feet to three hundred feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle. A lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of five hundred feet to the rear may be used in addition to the red reflector.) > - I realize this doesn't necessarily affect this email and that comments for this are waaaaay past due, but noticed it and thought I'd go ahead and put it on record even if it doesn't get added or changed later. This is also assuming they are valuable comments! :) Man, you're sure right there. We worked this over quite a bit on the BB to come to what we have and I don't want to change it now that the TC and CC have reviewed it. I know at least Councilman Wes Nugent wants to make some changes to it so I propose we go with the flow. (Actually, I have a problem with the card saying motorists must leave 3-feet when they pass. That's not the law in WV.) > > > That's all I saw... > ~Derek > > > On Tue, Jul 24, 2012 at 11:12 AM, Frank Gmeindl <fgmeindl(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Bicycle Board Members, > > Please reply before noon tomorrow (Wednesday). > > Please find the Traffic Commission at https://www.dropbox.com/s/3h7i1jy6cermyve/20120801Report_to_TC.doc. Let me know if you want any changes. > > When I submit the report to Damien, I plan to ask him to include in the TC agenda the following requests: > > Police: How many rights and duties information cards have been distributed to motorists and to bicyclists by month. If possible, include circumstances in which cards were distributed, e.g. given to motorist for passing a cyclist too close; given to bicyclist for failure to stop at a stop sign? > City Engineer: What are the status and plans for Mon Blvd. bicycle climbing lane? (I thought this was going to be installed in July.) > City Engineer: What are the status and plans for Bicycle Friendly Community road signs? (I think they're up but I don't know how many or where.) > City Engineer: What are the status and plans Walgreen's Sabraton egress and protection of cyclists crossing Green Bag Rd.? > City Engineer: What has the City done to implement the Greater Morgantown Bicycle Plan since City Council adopted it May 1? > > > 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 > > > > > Begin forwarded message: > >> From: Damien Davis <ddavis(a)cityofmorgantown.org> >> Date: July 24, 2012 9:23:14 AM EDT >> To: Susan Sullivan <ssullivan(a)cityofmorgantown.org>, Julie.Thalman(a)mail.wvu.edu, Bethany Sypolt <bsypolt(a)cityofmorgantown.org>, Linda Little <llittle(a)cityofmorgantown.org>, William Wyant <wwyant(a)hsc.wvu.edu>, mmccabe(a)cityofmorgantown.org, wes(a)wnugent.com, Jeff Mikorski <jmikorski(a)cityofmorgantown.org>, j4im3s(a)gmail.com, "mckain, david" <david.mckain(a)gmail.com>, christophergluck(a)gmail.com, psteel(a)access.k12.wv.us, "Gmeindl, Frank" <frank.gmeindl(a)comcast.net>, Andrea Soccorsi <Andrea.Soccorsi(a)Mail.WVU.edu>, Barbara Shellito <bshellito(a)cityofmorgantown.org>, Christiaan Abildso <Christiaan.Abildso(a)mail.wvu.edu>, Ken Martis <kmartis(a)wvu.edu>, Margaret Roberts <Margaretormike(a)aol.com>, Roy Nutter <rnutter(a)wvu.edu>, Terry Hough <though(a)cityofmorgantown.org> >> Subject: August TC Meeting >> Reply-To: ddavis(a)cityofmorgantown.org >> >> All, >> >> Please send me your agenda items for the August meeting by the end of the day tomorrow. I'll will be sending it out on Friday. Thanks. >> >> J. Damien Davis, PE, CFM >> Assistant City Engineer >> City of Morgantown >> Public Works Department - Engineering Division >> 389 Spruce Street >> Morgantown, WV 26505 >> Office: 304.284.7398 >> Fax: 304.284.7409 >> www.morgantown.com >> >> > > > _______________________________________________ > Bikeboard mailing list > Bikeboard(a)cheat.org > http://cheat.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard > > > > -- > Let deeds, not words, be your adorning. -'Abdu'l-Baha > > “Every time I see an adult on a bicycle I no longer despair for the future of the human race.” -H.G. Wells >

1 0

Fwd: August TC Meeting
by Frank Gmeindl 25 Jul '12

25 Jul '12

Bicycle Board Members, Please reply before noon tomorrow (Wednesday). Please find the Traffic Commission at https://www.dropbox.com/s/3h7i1jy6cermyve/20120801Report_to_TC.doc. Let me know if you want any changes. When I submit the report to Damien, I plan to ask him to include in the TC agenda the following requests: Police: How many rights and duties information cards have been distributed to motorists and to bicyclists by month. If possible, include circumstances in which cards were distributed, e.g. given to motorist for passing a cyclist too close; given to bicyclist for failure to stop at a stop sign? City Engineer: What are the status and plans for Mon Blvd. bicycle climbing lane? (I thought this was going to be installed in July.) City Engineer: What are the status and plans for Bicycle Friendly Community road signs? (I think they're up but I don't know how many or where.) City Engineer: What are the status and plans Walgreen's Sabraton egress and protection of cyclists crossing Green Bag Rd.? City Engineer: What has the City done to implement the Greater Morgantown Bicycle Plan since City Council adopted it May 1? 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 Begin forwarded message: > From: Damien Davis <ddavis(a)cityofmorgantown.org> > Date: July 24, 2012 9:23:14 AM EDT > To: Susan Sullivan <ssullivan(a)cityofmorgantown.org>, Julie.Thalman(a)mail.wvu.edu, Bethany Sypolt <bsypolt(a)cityofmorgantown.org>, Linda Little <llittle(a)cityofmorgantown.org>, William Wyant <wwyant(a)hsc.wvu.edu>, mmccabe(a)cityofmorgantown.org, wes(a)wnugent.com, Jeff Mikorski <jmikorski(a)cityofmorgantown.org>, j4im3s(a)gmail.com, "mckain, david" <david.mckain(a)gmail.com>, christophergluck(a)gmail.com, psteel(a)access.k12.wv.us, "Gmeindl, Frank" <frank.gmeindl(a)comcast.net>, Andrea Soccorsi <Andrea.Soccorsi(a)Mail.WVU.edu>, Barbara Shellito <bshellito(a)cityofmorgantown.org>, Christiaan Abildso <Christiaan.Abildso(a)mail.wvu.edu>, Ken Martis <kmartis(a)wvu.edu>, Margaret Roberts <Margaretormike(a)aol.com>, Roy Nutter <rnutter(a)wvu.edu>, Terry Hough <though(a)cityofmorgantown.org> > Subject: August TC Meeting > Reply-To: ddavis(a)cityofmorgantown.org > > All, > > Please send me your agenda items for the August meeting by the end of the day tomorrow. I'll will be sending it out on Friday. Thanks. > > J. Damien Davis, PE, CFM > Assistant City Engineer > City of Morgantown > Public Works Department - Engineering Division > 389 Spruce Street > Morgantown, WV 26505 > Office: 304.284.7398 > Fax: 304.284.7409 > www.morgantown.com > >

4 3

Re: [Bikeboard] Question about Bike Trails
by Frank Gmeindl 17 Jul '12

17 Jul '12

Hi Matt, I don't think I'll be able to show you any intersections in Morgantown that are extraordinarily bicycle friendly. With our hilly terrain and no money, we've chosen to educate people to ride safely and confidently in the current situation and to educate public officials on cyclists' needs. This year, the League of American Bicyclists gave Morgantown bronze level recognition as a bicycle-friendly community primarily for our education program and secondarily for our planning. Most of the main streets in Morgantown are controlled by the state. For most of the years that LAB has been evaluating states for bicycle friendliness, WV has ranked 50. This year, it's 48. Getting the state to do anything primarily for cyclists is extremely difficult. I expect you're familiar with the 6 Es: Education, Enforcement, Engineering, Encouragement, Evaluation and Equity that LAB uses to evaluate communities. We chose to start off emphasizing education because we felt we could realize the most benefit by educating cyclists how to ride safely and confidently given the present infrastructure. We also chose to emphasize education to help City and State officials to learn how to make our community more bicycle friendly. Those of us that teach believe that if cyclists operated their bicycles as vehicles and if both cyclists and motorists obeyed traffic rules some costly infrastructure "improvements" could be unnecessary. That said, we can't expect 5-14 year olds to be competent drivers and so we must identify reasonable solutions to protect them. Our community has chosen to bus them all and/or have adults drive them to school. Creating Safe Routes to Schools is one of the top priority projects in the Greater Morgantown Bicycle Plan that City Council approved last May (attached). Many streets in Morgantown do not have sidewalks and so they also don't have crosswalks. We also have a Pedestrian Safety Board that has a prioritized plan for installing sidewalks and crosswalks as well as more multi-modal traffic control. However, whether children ride on sidewalks and in crosswalks or on the streets, their safety still depends on motorists paying attention, driving at appropriate speeds and not running them over: enforcement. Both local bicycling and pedestrian advocates face the same problem: a state that's motor-vehicle focused and a State and City that have little money. So far, nobody locally that I know has done a complete life-cycle economics study of bussing & driving children versus investing in infrastructure to enable them to walk or bike safely. Just getting started on that will take a major culture shift that we're just starting to talk about in our long range transportation planning (30 year horizon). Discussing such with you would probably be more pleasant on the trails but we could also discuss such on the roads accepting that we might have some distractions. Frank On Jul 17, 2012, at 2:00 PM, Matthew Boggs wrote: > Hi Frank, > > Thanks for the quick reply and great info!! We are excited to hear our road bikes should handle the nice rail trail system there. Can't wait to get pedaling there! > > We live in a town about half the size of Morgantown which is trying to take some steps to making the community more cycling friendly so we will be looking for ideas to take back home as well regarding making intersections safer for cyclists, especially children who elect to bike to school from nearby neighborhoods. Do you know of some good intersections in town we should check out for ideas to take back to our City Council? Possibly examples of signage, crosswalk markers, special stoplight programming, etc, with cyclists in mind. > > Thanks again! > > -matt > Rubber Side Down > > On Tue, Jul 17, 2012 at 12:22 PM, Frank Gmeindl <fgmeindl(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Hi Matt! > > I ride 700x 23 GP 4000's on the crushed limestone sections of the rail trail with no problem. The Monongahela River Trail, Caperton Trail and Deckers Creek Trail as well as the trail all the way to Shinnston WV is fine for our tires. The crushed limestone is small and well-packed; a little slower rolling than asphalt and a bit dustier on dry days. Approximately 10 miles of the trail within the City are asphalt and several miles of the trail in and near Fairmont are asphalt. > > We also have great road rides around here that I'd be glad to show you. > > Other bike related items: > > Morgantown has 2 excellent bike shops: Wamsley Cycles, http://www.wamsleycycles.com/ located right on the trail and Pathfinder, http://www.pathfinderwv.com/ located right in the heart of downtown. > > The local bicycles clubs, Monongalia Bicycle Club and Country Roads cyclists have regularly scheduled rides. See the Monongalia Bicycle Club calendar at https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=64i6hoaouqrdmetaeu7o1en6a0@group.… and the Country Roads Cyclists' ride list at http://www.crcyclists.org/CurrentRideSch.html . > > Both clubs have Google groups that list races and impromptu rides. See https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/monbikeclub for the Monongalia Bicycle Clubs group and https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en&fromgroups#!forum/CRcyclists for the Country Roads Cyclists google group. The google groups sometimes have post ride reports that might provide you more specific insights into the rides. > > Morgantown offers some great eats for bicyclists including Terra Cafe, Black Bear Burritos, Chaan Thai, Mother India, Sargasso ($$), Kenyan Cafe, Puglioni's, Rio Grande, Mountain State Brewery, Morgantown Brewing Co. > > I'm copying this message to the monbikeclub and the CRC so members can share with you other opportunities of which they may know. > > 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 > > > On Jul 17, 2012, at 10:13 AM, Matthew Boggs wrote: > >> Hi, >> >> We will be coming to Morgantown for a biking vacation from Illinois in a few weeks. I see that Morgantown has a lot of constructed bike paths of which most is defined as "crushed limestone". We were planning to bring road bikes but were not sure how they would do on the crushed limestone part of the trail system. Currently have Conti 4000S 700x23 tires installed. >> >> Do you think using road tires on the crushed limestone part of the trails is a bad idea? Do you have any advice on how to make a road bike more suitable for the crushed limestone part of the trail system, if possible? >> >> PS> We are very excited about coming to bike in Morgantown. We have been looking at the bikemorgantown.com website and have been impressed with the momentum cycling has gotten in Morgantown. We will be in town August 9-12 and staying in the downtown area. Can you recommend any other bike related items special to Morgantown you feel we should checkout while in town? >> >> Thanks! >> >> -matt >> > >

1 0

Fwd: Question about Bike Trails
by Frank Gmeindl 17 Jul '12

17 Jul '12

Here's a thread I think you'll find interesting. A guy from Illinois contacted me through BikeMorgantown.com about bicycle-vacationing in Morgantown. He was attracted by the website and the work we've done. Now, he wants us to show him examples of intersections that we've made bicycle friendly safe routes to schools. Working on a reply... Frank Begin forwarded message: > From: Frank Gmeindl <fgmeindl(a)gmail.com> > Date: July 17, 2012 2:09:50 PM EDT > To: Terrence Moore <tmoore(a)cityofmorgantown.org> > Cc: Damien Davis <ddavis(a)cityofmorgantown.org>, Jeff Mikorski <jmikorski(a)cityofmorgantown.org>, Christiaan Abildso <christiaan.abildso(a)mail.wvu.edu> > Subject: Re: Question about Bike Trails > > Terrence, > > Ha! But then, he issued me this challenge. Not sure how to respond. While Safe Routes to School is our top priority, I wish I could show him some progress. > > Frank > >> From: Matthew Boggs <mistergadgett(a)gmail.com> >> Date: July 17, 2012 2:00:26 PM EDT >> To: Frank Gmeindl <fgmeindl(a)gmail.com> >> Subject: Re: Question about Bike Trails >> >> Hi Frank, >> >> Thanks for the quick reply and great info!! We are excited to hear our road bikes should handle the nice rail trail system there. Can't wait to get pedaling there! >> >> We live in a town about half the size of Morgantown which is trying to take some steps to making the community more cycling friendly so we will be looking for ideas to take back home as well regarding making intersections safer for cyclists, especially children who elect to bike to school from nearby neighborhoods. Do you know of some good intersections in town we should check out for ideas to take back to our City Council? Possibly examples of signage, crosswalk markers, special stoplight programming, etc, with cyclists in mind. >> >> Thanks again! >> >> -matt >> Rubber Side Down > > Frank > > On Jul 17, 2012, at 1:52 PM, Terrence Moore wrote: > >> Cool! Thanks for sharing!! >> >> Terrence >> >> Terrence R. Moore, ICMA-CM >> City Manager >> City of Morgantown >> 389 Spruce Street >> Morgantown, West Virginia 26505 >> PH: (304) 284-7405 >> CELL: (304)288-2770 >> Email: tmoore(a)cityofmorgantown.org >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Frank Gmeindl" <fgmeindl(a)gmail.com> >> To: "Jeff Mikorski" <jmikorski(a)cityofmorgantown.org> >> Cc: "Damien Davis" <ddavis(a)cityofmorgantown.org>, "Terrence Moore" <tmoore(a)cityofmorgantown.org> >> Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2012 1:24:42 PM >> Subject: Fwd: Question about Bike Trails >> >> Jeff, >> >> >> BikeMorgantown.com seems to be an effective tourist outreach tool. It attracted Matt Boggs and his group from Illiinois. >> >> >> Frank >> >> >> >> Begin forwarded message: >> >> >> >> From: Frank Gmeindl < fgmeindl(a)gmail.com > >> >> Date: July 17, 2012 1:22:39 PM EDT >> >> To: Matthew Boggs < mistergadgett(a)gmail.com > >> >> Cc: monbikeclub(a)googlegroups.com , CRcyclists(a)googlegroups.com >> >> Subject: Re: Question about Bike Trails >> >> >> Hi Matt! >> >> >> I ride 700x 23 GP 4000's on the crushed limestone sections of the rail trail with no problem. The Monongahela River Trail, Caperton Trail and Deckers Creek Trail as well as the trail all the way to Shinnston WV is fine for our tires. The crushed limestone is small and well-packed; a little slower rolling than asphalt and a bit dustier on dry days. Approximately 10 miles of the trail within the City are asphalt and several miles of the trail in and near Fairmont are asphalt. >> >> >> We also have great road rides around here that I'd be glad to show you. >> >> >> Other bike related items: >> >> >> Morgantown has 2 excellent bike shops: Wamsley Cycles, http://www.wamsleycycles.com/ located right on the trail and Pathfinder, http://www.pathfinderwv.com/ located right in the heart of downtown. >> >> >> The local bicycles clubs, Monongalia Bicycle Club and Country Roads cyclists have regularly scheduled rides. See the Monongalia Bicycle Club calendar at https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=64i6hoaouqrdmetaeu7o1en6a0@group.… and the Country Roads Cyclists' ride list at http://www.crcyclists.org/CurrentRideSch.html . >> >> >> Both clubs have Google groups that list races and impromptu rides. See https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/monbikeclub for the Monongalia Bicycle Clubs group and https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en&fromgroups#!forum/CRcyclists for the Country Roads Cyclists google group. The google groups sometimes have post ride reports that might provide you more specific insights into the rides. >> >> >> Morgantown offers some great eats for bicyclists including Terra Cafe, Black Bear Burritos, Chaan Thai, Mother India, Sargasso ($$), Kenyan Cafe, Puglioni's, Rio Grande, Mountain State Brewery, Morgantown Brewing Co. >> >> >> I'm copying this message to the monbikeclub and the CRC so members can share with you other opportunities of which they may know. >> >> >> 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 >> >> >> >> On Jul 17, 2012, at 10:13 AM, Matthew Boggs wrote: >> >> >> >> >> Hi, >> >> We will be coming to Morgantown for a biking vacation from Illinois in a few weeks. I see that Morgantown has a lot of constructed bike paths of which most is defined as "crushed limestone". We were planning to bring road bikes but were not sure how they would do on the crushed limestone part of the trail system. Currently have Conti 4000S 700x23 tires installed. >> >> Do you think using road tires on the crushed limestone part of the trails is a bad idea? Do you have any advice on how to make a road bike more suitable for the crushed limestone part of the trail system, if possible? >> PS> We are very excited about coming to bike in Morgantown. We have been looking at the bikemorgantown.com website and have been impressed with the momentum cycling has gotten in Morgantown. We will be in town August 9-12 and staying in the downtown area. Can you recommend any other bike related items special to Morgantown you feel we should checkout while in town? >> >> >> Thanks! >> >> -matt >

1 0

Re: [Bikeboard] City Council Information Newsletter
by Frank Gmeindl 17 Jul '12

17 Jul '12

In 2007, the Bicycle Board recommended and the Traffic Commission approved putting Shared Lane Markings and Bicycles May Use Full Lane signs (see attached) on Spruce Street. The City budgeted for them. The WVDOH first approved our recommendations but then rescinded their approval when they realized that the shared lane markings and BMUFL signs weren't in the 2003 version of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices that they're using. We're still waiting for the WVDOH to adopt the 2009 MUTCD which has them. One reason (besides being afraid of motor traffic) that people bicycle on the sidewalks in Morgantown is the totally MV-centric traffic layout of downtown. Say you rode your bike to the Morgantown library and then decided you wanted to go to the Blue Moose, 2 blocks away for a coffee. You'd have to ride your bike 10 blocks, including a slight uphill from Fayette to Willey and perhaps wait for 7 red lights to get there if your drove your bicycle on the streets as a vehicle. I've heard that there has been some discussion about converting some downtown streets from one-way to two-way. The Bicycle Board hasn't been invited to these but would be happy to participate. For travel within downtown and from a mile or three into town, walking and bicycling are certainly the most appropriate transportation. Wouldn't it be nice if some of the people who control the infrastructure realized that? Frank On Jul 14, 2012, at 11:38 AM, Morgantown Pedestrian Safety Board wrote: > One sentence of Chief Preston's email highlights the approach that we need to flip: "It would be much safer to remove/move the benches to someplace where they are not in close proximity to motor vehicles." > Why do we not "move the vehicles so they are not in close proximity to the benches (pedestrians)" by widening sidewalks & adding a green space buffer? > > *Spruce Street improvements are on our Pedestrian Safety Plan...many ped-vehicle crashes occur on Spruce. Frank, is Spruce on the Bicycle Board's Plan for improvement? > > Thus, Bill - why not use this to suggest that Spruce Street, a very common pedestrian arterial, is designed inapropriately. That is, rather than a 3 lane, high speed design, with EXTREMELY narrow sidewalks (esp on Library/Health Right side), it is my recommendation to have the City & DOH study reducing it to 2 lanes and widening the sidewalk...I'd suggest adding a bike lane, but my instinct is that a bike lane would not make riding any more safe...Frank, you know better than I. > > Thank you for looping me in. > Christiaan > > Walk more, safely > > Morgantown Pedestrian Safety Board > Christiaan Abildso, Chair > Bill Reger-Nash, Vice Chair > http://www.morgantown.com/ped-safety-board.htm > > From: Frank Gmeindl <fgmeindl(a)gmail.com> > To: Bill Byrne <bbyrnewv(a)me.com> > Cc: Christiaan Abildso <walkmgw(a)yahoo.com> > Sent: Friday, July 13, 2012 3:51 PM > Subject: Fwd: City Council Information Newsletter > > Hi Bill, > > I do not agree with removing the benches from Wall Street (Sadie Crow park) as described in the attached City Manager's weekly newsletter. > > We have too little public space for citizens to sit in downtown Morgantown. Citing the presence of motor vehicles is a weak argument since the only cars driving through Sadie Crow park are entering and leaving the parking lot behind the former Morgan's. If necessary, I would advocate for eliminating motor vehicles from Sadie Crow park. > > I recognize that the Sadie Crow park benches are predominantly occupied by people that may not appeal to the downtown merchants, i.e. people that probably don't spend much money downtown. Is poverty a reason to discriminate against them; to deny them a place to sit? Where will they go next? I would rather see the City recognize that we have such people and treat them with respect. The Public Safety Center parking garage is right across the street. Why not expand Sadie Crow park to encompass the lot behind Morgan's and provide sufficient space for all the non-motorized people that use that area. When will the City start to give equal respect to pedestrians as it does to motorists? > > Frank Gmeindl > 491 Wilson Av. > > Begin forwarded message: > >> From: Carol Allen <callen(a)cityofmorgantown.org> >> Date: July 13, 2012 3:19:29 PM EDT >> To: cdale(a)mub.org, frank gmeindl <frank.gmeindl(a)comcast.net>, afrizze1(a)mix.wvu.edu, wvubassoon(a)hotmail.com, wwetzel(a)wdtv.com, cfitzge4(a)mix.wvu.edu, akoscevi(a)mix.wvu.edu, john kirkhoff <john.kirkhoff(a)wvradio.com>, bmg532(a)comcast.net, david mckain <david.mckain(a)gmail.com>, kfreda(a)wboy.com, lisacarolmoore(a)frontier.com, jeffhhr(a)frontier.com, news(a)wdtv.com, krippin(a)wboy.com, btolle(a)wdtv.com, vsmith(a)ap.org, Margaret Stout <Margaret.Stout(a)mail.wvu.edu>, fas4(a)labs.net, edelon(a)mix.wvu.edu, ssullivan(a)cityofmorgantown.org, amarra(a)wdtv.com, dspencer36(a)comcast.net, emokay(a)mix.wvu.edu, aforgotch(a)wdtv.com, dt2078(a)aol.com, lcobb1(a)mix.wvu.edu, nelsonfrance27(a)gmail.com, emily vennare <emily.vennare(a)gmail.com>, lammer(a)mix.wvu.edu, jlemieux(a)mix.wvu.edu, aclay(a)wboy.com, lydia nuzum <lydia.nuzum(a)mail.wvu.edu>, pqueen(a)dominionpost.com, bchambers(a)herald-dispatch.com, smoniot(a)wboy.com, gpapandreas(a)gmail.com, teddy(a)dominionpost.com, bkatko(a)wdtv.com, Hgentile(a)jacksonkelly.com, lneff(a)wvradio.com, cshaner(a)dominionpost.com, danewsroom(a)mail.wvu.edu, shawn(a)wvradio.com, badducchio(a)wvpubcast.org, kmurray(a)wvradio.com, kplum(a)dominionpost.com, exdirector(a)downtownmorgantown.com, chofmann(a)mix.wvu.edu, capessos(a)mix.wvu.edu, darquilla(a)wboy.com, editor(a)dominionpost.com, Brent Burton <bburton(a)cityofmorgantown.org>, Department Heads Group <departmenthead(a)cityofmorgantown.org> >> Subject: City Council Information Newsletter >> >> Attached is the weekly information newsletter. >> >> As Mr. Moore will be briefly away from Morgantown Thursday, July 19th and Friday, July 20th to tend to various family matters, please note that no information letter report will be issued next week. >> >> Carol Allen >> City Managers Office >> City of Morgantown > > > >

2 1

Fwd: Positive Spin
by Frank Gmeindl 16 Jul '12

16 Jul '12

Bicycle Board Members, Please reply-to-all at your earliest convenience with your thoughts or recommendations for a response to Mark. He is director of BOPARC. 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 Begin forwarded message: > From: "Mark Wise" <mwise(a)boparc.org> > Date: July 16, 2012 3:05:47 PM EDT > To: <fgmeindl(a)gmail.com> > > Frank, I was hoping to speak to the Bike Board about a concern I have related to Bike activities in our community. As you may know Nick Hein of Positive Spin is leaving the area. He has been a vital part of the Positive Spin operation. He has approached BOPARC about continuing the services that Positive Spin provided. We do not have the staffing or expertise to do this but think that it is an important service to offer our community. Do you have any thoughts on how we could integrate the Positive Spin operation under the Bike Board and BOPARC’s umbrella of responsibility? I know we cannot do this alone. Any thoughts? Mark Wise mwise(a)boparc.org

2 1

good article
by director 12 Jul '12

12 Jul '12

Good morning, I came across this letter to the editor in an Arizona newspaper. It's in response to an angry, uninformed motorist (apparently) but I thought it was an excellent collection of points expressed very clearly and kindly without being condescending. http://www.ahwatukee.com/search/?t=article&q=bicyclists+do+have+rights Nick Hein LCI# 1705 Director, Positive Spin 803 East Brockway Ave Morgantown, WV ph 304-276-0213

1 0

(no subject)
by Donald Dickerson 10 Jul '12

10 Jul '12

http://mucharadio.com/efkcnsd.html?anp=zggwkjz

2 1

Bicycle Board's Unicycle recommendation
by Frank Gmeindl 06 Jul '12

06 Jul '12

Terrence, Please find attached, a draft Bicycle Board report on the issue of unicyclists riding on sidewalks. I am providing this to you so that you can decide whether it is suitable for presentation to the City Council Committee of the Whole on July 31 as you had promised Council members. The attached document is a draft because neither the Bicycle Board nor the Traffic Commission have reviewed and approved it. The Bicycle Board hasn't met since May and the Traffic Commission did not meet this month. The earliest either body will consider it is the first week of August. The Bicycle Board committee that worked on this issue is essentially recommending that the City forego additional ordinances or modifications to existing ordinances to address unicycles. The committee concluded that unicyclists on sidewalks present no more risk to business owners or pedestrians than runners and that existing ordinances that pertain to runners should probably apply to unicyclists. In my April 30 message to Carol Allen, I asked her what ordinances are pertinent to runners. I understand she passed that request on to the City Attorney but I have not heard from him. Please let me know how you want to proceed. If you would like to meet to discuss the attached, I will convoke the unicycle committee. 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

2 1

July BB Meeting
by Gunnar Shogren 05 Jul '12

05 Jul '12

Anyone got something for the agenda? Right now we are still somewhat hopeful for a write up from the Unicycle Committee that will be presented. Jonathan (who will not be present) has requested that Damien give us an update on the Deckers Creek trail crossing around the Greenbag area. Have not heard yay or nay on that. Any other items? Who is going to be there? Thanks for a reply and have a nice day further, gunnar.

3 4

Benefits of cycling infographic
by Chet Parsons 27 Jun '12

27 Jun '12

I especially like the cost data comparisons. These could really be used well in discussions on funding priorities with WVDOH [image: Inline image 1]

1 0

Cheat lake bridge
by Hein 25 Jun '12

25 Jun '12

Good morning, It looks like the new bridge deck probably WILL be passable for bikes and pedestrians by the time the old bridge is torn down, this is from unofficial sources but make sense since the construction crews need access too. The state's official position is that it won't and they won't make other accommodation. When I asked if passage on I68 would be allowed they said definitely NOT. So I assume they expect bikers/peds to cross clandestinely on the new bridge, however it would have been nice to get an official statement about that since I will have to move if it's not the case. I also assume that the WVDOT doesn't want this information made public. If it gets blabbed too much, the construction company's insurance company might find out and make a fuss - leaving us only the interstate bridge. I'm moving away in Sept. but I would warn everyone that once the new bridge is open it will probably get as much traffic as the freeway and 857 won't be an inviting bike route. It certainly wasn't before the bridge was closed. I would suggest actively campaigning for a bike crossing to be put on I68 under the car deck, and a dedicated trail on the other side continuing beside the freeway to Sabraton to hook up with the Deckers creek trail. This would give a great through-route for bike commuters coming from the Lakeview side. I realize that I'm the probably the only one of those now, but if you ever expect that to be different, you'll have to make this change. It would also be attractive for through-touring cyclists, and would showcase bike transportation to motorists on the freeway. This could do a lot to present a bike-friendly image or our area, I've seen it happen in other areas where something similar was done. Have a great day, Nick

1 0

Top recommendation for obesity: Improve community design
by Kevin Leyden 21 Jun '12

21 Jun '12

Top recommendation for obesity: Improve community design BETTER! CITIES & TOWNS The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Sciences recently published Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention, a major study. The recommendations are wide ranging, but the top one focuses on the built environment. “Communities, organizations, community planners, and public health professionals should encourage physical activity by enhancing the physical and built environment, rethinking community design, and ensuring access to places for such activity.” One third of US adults are now obese, and more disturbingly, the prevalence of obesity among children has risen from 5 to 17 percent in the last 30 years. Estimated annual cost of obesity-related illness for 2000-2005 is $190.2 billion (in 2005 dollars), or nearly 21 percent of annual medical spending in the US. See the June BCT issue. GO TO WEBSITE/COMMENT Kevin M. Leyden, Ph.D. Director, Institute for Public Affairs Professor, Department of Political Science West Virginia University Eberly College of Arts & Sciences 301-B Woodburn Hall Morgantown, WV 26506-6317 Phone: 304-293-5432 email: kleyden(a)wvu.edu

2 1

Fw: Opinion letter (response to June 14th letter)
by Morgantown Pedestrian Safety Board 21 Jun '12

21 Jun '12

Pedestrian advocates and colleagues on the bicycle board- The following is a letter I've composed in response to a June 14th letter to the editor I've pasted at the very bottom of this message...facts, not anecdotes should rule the day...I removed text from my letter about NJ residents not being allowed to pump their own gas or being required to turn right to go left ("jughandle" intersections). Too much haterade in recent DP letters unfortunately. Best to all, Christiaan Walk more, safely Morgantown Pedestrian Safety Board Christiaan Abildso, Chair Bill Reger-Nash, Vice Chair http://www.morgantown.com/ped-safety-board.htm ----- Forwarded Message ----- >From: Christiaan Abildso <cabildso(a)yahoo.com> >To: "opinion(a)dominionpost.com" <opinion(a)dominionpost.com> >Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2012 9:42 PM >Subject: Opinion letter (response to June 14th letter) > > > >Title: "Facts About Modern Roundabouts" >Unfortunately, a letter was published on June 14th that contained no evidence about modern roundabouts (or "circles" as the author called them), only second-hand anecdotes from an anonymous New Jersey resident. I suggest readers learn more facts about modern roundabouts at the Federal Highways Administration website: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/roundabouts/ before they accept the unsubstantiated claims of one person. > >Recent independent research findings about the safety, performance, and cost of roundabouts to consider: 1) they typically reduce the number of crashes at an intersection by roughly 35%; 2) they typically reduce injury crashes by about 75%; 3) they reduce traffic delays; and 4) they are less costly to maintain than intersections with traffic signals. (Source: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/roundabouts/fhwasa10006/ppt/) > >I'm glad the author of the letter mentioned pedestrians. Modern roundabouts can actually improve conditions for pedestrians in multiple ways. When compared to signalized intersections between two, 2-lane roads, the number of potential pedestrian-vehicle conflicts are reduced from 24 locations with the traffic signals to 8 locations with roundabouts. Roundabouts decrease vehicular approach speed, and provide a median to serve as refuge for pedestrians crossing the road. Even though the average speed for a road with a roundabout is lower, cars travel through the roundabouts faster because they don’t have to stop at red lights. > >One local example of how a roundabout would benefit our community would be in front of the Coliseum. The length of time you sit at the Patteson/Mon Boulevard intersection can be frustrating and many people have witnessed a collision at the right turn from Patteson onto Mon Blvd. If a roundabout were installed at that intersection it could reduce the number of traffic lanes on Mon Boulevard from 6 to 4, and there could be a dedicated right turn lane from Patteson to Mon Boulevard (eliminating the nearly daily crashes there). The roundabout could also eliminate the thousands of jaywalkers from the CAC to Coliseum by creating a median refuge at the approach (or an underpass as is done at Western Michigan University and Ohio University) to the roundabout with warning signals that would allow pedestrians to cross 2 lanes of traffic at a time rather than 6 or 7 as is the current situation. This roundabout could still easily accommodate large truck traffic, and football, basketball, and other event day traffic without a police officer (rather than the 2 or more currently required for basketball games). > >The author's fears are common in communities without roundabouts. In multiple studies resident acceptance of roundabouts is greatly improved after they are completed and users see the benefits. Get to know roundabouts - they could be good for all of us > >Christiaan Abildso >Morgantown >---------------------------- >TEXT FROM ORIGINAL 6/14 LETTER: > >Traffic circles bode ill for intersections > >I was talking with a neighbor who used to live in several counties of New Jersey where there were traffic circles. She said that there always were accidents and bottlenecks at the traffic circles, with traffic coming to an unintended complete stop, so the locals avoided them when possible. > >Three or four of those circles have been taken out, because they were absolutely hated. The worst one, in Summer Point, N.J., was just removed. Imagine our football traffic going through a traffic circle on W.Va. 705. The police won’t be able to direct traffic through it unless an officer is placed at each entry point — not an effective use of personnel. > >At a circle, it’s intended that everyone keeps moving, forcing you to pull out in front of cars already in the circle, whose drivers are looking across the circle for their exit, rather than for new arrivals. > >Depending on the relative caution or aggression of the two parties involved, one of them will slow down. Now you have an uncontrolled or freefor-all intersection, which is a worse condition than before the traffic “improvement.” > >Another point to consider: If the traffic is constantly moving how does a pedestrian cross at a traffic circle? We can’t even accommodate pedestrians at conventional intersections like Boyers Avenue and Monongahela Boulevard, Burroughs Street and Van Voorhis Road, or Pleasant Street and the Westover Bridge. > >The busiest and most dangerous intersection in town, University Avenue and Patteson Drive, doesn’t even have a street light. Apparently, God’s chosen people own cars. > >Something different isn’t always better. If traffic circles are superior, why don’t we have more of them? Have you even seen one? > >Although the traffic circle proponents insist on using a cutesy British term like “roundabout,” I think that travelers will make better time in getting to their proverbial point B by going on a “walkabout.” > >Now if they can just get across the streets ... > >Dave Ornick Morgantown

3 3

Re: [Bikeboard] Morgantown Bridge Issue
by BikeMorgantown 20 Jun '12

20 Jun '12

Matt, Thanks for contacting us about this. We've given up on the issue. Last November, we got 125 signatures on a petition asking the WVDOT to keep the old bridge open to bicyclists. We sent it to Paul Mattox, Secretary of WVDOT with copies to Ray LaHood, WV Governor, County Commission President and MPO. We only got one response, from our MPO sympathizing. The new bridge will be done in a few months and I believe the state will just stall until then anyway. 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 On Jun 20, 2012, at 10:07 AM, Matt Wempe wrote: > Hello, > > The League has been hearing some rumblings about a bridge project that may potentially cut off anything other than car access to Morgantown. I haven’t gotten the full story on this, but wanted to learn a bit more. Could someone give me a call to discuss this issue? > > Thanks, > Matt > > Matt Wempe > State & Local Advocacy Coordinator > League of American Bicyclists > matt(a)bikeleague.org > 202.822.1333 > 1612 K Street NW, Suite 510 > Washington, DC 20006 > www.bikeleague.org > > Have fun, make friends and win prizes: Sign up for the National Bike Challenge! >

1 0

Director of Positive Spin Resigning
by director 20 Jun '12

20 Jun '12

Good morning, I have decided to accept a new position in Ashland OR and will be resigning as director of Positive Spin effective August 1. Positive Spin is seeking a new director, as well as board members and executive committee members to continue our service to the community. During the transition I will be available to train and orient new volunteers and staff, but someone else will have to take the lead as I will be busy with packing and moving. You can follow (or lead) developments on our Facebook page. Thank you for all the support and encouragement you have given, both to the organization and to the people we help. Sincerely, Nick Nick Hein LCI# 1705 Director, Positive Spin 803 East Brockway Ave Morgantown, WV ph 304-276-0213

1 0

Good bike accident analysis from Ontario CA Coroner
by director 19 Jun '12

19 Jun '12

For your reading enjoyment. http://www.treehugger.com/bikes/ontario-coroners-report-bike-safety-has-les… Nick Hein LCI# 1705 Director, Positive Spin 803 East Brockway Ave Morgantown, WV ph 304-276-0213

1 0

Re: [Bikeboard] Steps with bike ramp
by Gunnar Shogren 15 Jun '12

15 Jun '12

That is probably the steepest road in Morgantown and awfully narrow. Not all that long, but steep. So when would cyclists use it? Jones is 1-way, down, or is the end of Jones 2-way now w/ that big Apt complex and parking lot there? Just want to keep us from having an "oh-shit" moment... On Thu, Jun 14, 2012 at 3:35 PM, Chip Wamsley <chip(a)wamsleycycles.com>wrote: > I know that place and it is really steep, as steep as any place in town > and will be a challenge to build steps. A ramp would be great, still a > tough push up. > > Chip > > > -----Original Message----- > From: "Frank Gmeindl" <frank.gmeindl(a)comcast.net> > Sent 6/14/2012 2:48:08 PM > To: "Bike Board - Morgantown" <bikeboard(a)cheat.org> > Subject: [Bikeboard] Steps with bike ramp > > Sorry, now photos are attached. > > > > > > > > Bike Board Members, > > What's the best design for steps with a bike ramp to enable cyclists to > push their bikes up? > > The developer of the new condominiums on the uphill side of Jones Av. > between First St. and Overhill St. wants to close First St. between Jones > and the condos. The developer said he would upgrade the steps there. (See > attached photo.) > > Last night, the Traffic Commission approved. I suggested that the > developer also install a bike ramp adjacent to the steps to facilitate > cyclists walking their bikes up the steps. A search of google images for > "steps with bicycle ramp" reveals many interesting designs. If any strike > you as being particularly worth recommending, please reply with the link to > the image, e.g. steps with wheel ramps manningham st parkville.JPG<http://www.google.com/imgres?q=steps+with+bicycle+ramp&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1280…> and > a short explanation of why you think it's a good design, e.g. "the bicycle > can be rolled onto the ramp without lifting it; there are ramps on both > sides of the steps making it easy for righties as well as lefties; the > ramps are narrow enough and bounded by a wall to discourage cyclists from > attempting to ride down them; there's a hand rail up the middle of the > steps to make it easier for both pedestrians and bicyclists to haul > themselves up as well as to stabilize them". > > Your reply is not crucial. Just pointing the developer at the search > results might be sufficient. I thought you might have some fun with this. > If the BB favors a particular design, I'll pass that on to the developer. > > Frank > > _______________________________________________ > Bikeboard mailing listBikeboard@cheat.orghttp://cheat.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard > > > _______________________________________________ > Bikeboard mailing list > Bikeboard(a)cheat.org > http://cheat.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard >

3 4

Host Sue Hersman
by Frank Gmeindl 14 Jun '12

14 Jun '12

Sue Hersman of Dallas TX is looking for a woman or family to host her 1 or 2 nights, June 30 and July 1 while she's cycling around Morgantown. She contacted me because we are both members of WarmShowers.org. If you would consider hosting her, please contact her at suehersman(a)gmail.com. Following is her profile from WarmShowers and some excerpts from our e-mail dialog. Profile: "I have ridden the Southern Tier and half of the Northern tier, ND to ME, and am on a mission to ride at least 50 miles in all 50 states. I have four grown children, and an empty house. I do have a 2 cats and a dog; just wanted to warn you in case you have allergies. I am a non-smoker. Lots of privacy, if you want it. Private bedroom, private bathroom, pool, spa. Easy going. Can provide transportation if you need to get to the bike shop, (we have great bike shops around here) or airport. You must clean up after yourself....." Excerpts from e-mail dialog: "I am riding all 50 states; I have my final 16 to finish this summer. To finish these final 16 states, I am only riding 50 miles in each. I have done the southern tier, and half of the norhtern; those were supported rides. I am solo on this one.... As I have not been able to find SAG support, I am driving, then riding, usually loops or out and backs, then driving on to the next state. I want to ride the Decker Creek trail; my mother's family hails from Preston county, so this area holds a special meaning to me. (She was a Fairfax). My family is from Reedsville, and it looks like the old family farm is very close to the trail termination. I plan to do a bit of exploration of the area, visiting the farm, cemetery, etc. My great uncles owned the McVIckers drug store that once stood at 210 High St in Morgantown. It will be fun to visit the area. I plan to come in on June 30 after I ride VA. I would guess I would be there early evening. My plan is to perhaps ride with your bike group on Sunday morning. If we don't go 50 miles, no big deal; I'll just make up the mileage the next day. I am not as stuck on the 'data' as I used to be and have learned, (or am learning) to just enjoy the ride regardless of how it looks. (Dallas tends to be all about speed, and quite frankly, all I ever see on those rides is the wheel in front of me and the rider beside me. It's taken me some time to learn to just 'enjoy' the ride instead of always pushing) I don't expect someone to put me up for two nights--that is too much of an imposition. Staying with hosts, though, is what makes this trip so magnificent--it is the people! I am excited to visit Morgantown and the area. It's been a very long time since I was last there....40+ years...., and I am looking forward to exploring where my parents met and where my mother grew up." 4ank

1 0

Sharrows article - is the use of them in Miami a cop-out?
by Chet Parsons 14 Jun '12

14 Jun '12

Interesting points raised. Of course a lot of the nitty-gritty depends on how much political will there is to actually create change. Chet http://www.transitmiami.com/bicycles/miamis-sharrow-boom-needs-to-evolve-or…

1 0

Steps with bike ramp
by Frank Gmeindl 14 Jun '12

14 Jun '12

Sorry, now photos are attached. Bike Board Members, What's the best design for steps with a bike ramp to enable cyclists to push their bikes up? The developer of the new condominiums on the uphill side of Jones Av. between First St. and Overhill St. wants to close First St. between Jones and the condos. The developer said he would upgrade the steps there. (See attached photo.) Last night, the Traffic Commission approved. I suggested that the developer also install a bike ramp adjacent to the steps to facilitate cyclists walking their bikes up the steps. A search of google images for "steps with bicycle ramp" reveals many interesting designs. If any strike you as being particularly worth recommending, please reply with the link to the image, e.g. steps with wheel ramps manningham st parkville.JPG and a short explanation of why you think it's a good design, e.g. "the bicycle can be rolled onto the ramp without lifting it; there are ramps on both sides of the steps making it easy for righties as well as lefties; the ramps are narrow enough and bounded by a wall to discourage cyclists from attempting to ride down them; there's a hand rail up the middle of the steps to make it easier for both pedestrians and bicyclists to haul themselves up as well as to stabilize them". Your reply is not crucial. Just pointing the developer at the search results might be sufficient. I thought you might have some fun with this. If the BB favors a particular design, I'll pass that on to the developer. Frank

3 2

Re: [Bikeboard] Steps with bike ramp
by Chip Wamsley 14 Jun '12

14 Jun '12

I know that place and it is really steep, as steep as any place in town and will be a challenge to build steps. A ramp would be great, still a tough push up. Chip -----Original Message----- From: "Frank Gmeindl" <frank.gmeindl(a)comcast.net> Sent 6/14/2012 2:48:08 PM To: "Bike Board - Morgantown" <bikeboard(a)cheat.org> Subject: [Bikeboard] Steps with bike ramp Sorry, now photos are attached. Bike Board Members, What's the best design for steps with a bike ramp to enable cyclists to push their bikes up? The developer of the new condominiums on the uphill side of Jones Av. between First St. and Overhill St. wants to close First St. between Jones and the condos. The developer said he would upgrade the steps there. (See attached photo.) Last night, the Traffic Commission approved. I suggested that the developer also install a bike ramp adjacent to the steps to facilitate cyclists walking their bikes up the steps. A search of google images for "steps with bicycle ramp" reveals many interesting designs. If any strike you as being particularly worth recommending, please reply with the link to the image, e.g. steps with wheel ramps manningham st parkville.JPG and a short explanation of why you think it's a good design, e.g. "the bicycle can be rolled onto the ramp without lifting it; there are ramps on both sides of the steps making it easy for righties as well as lefties; the ramps are narrow enough and bounded by a wall to discourage cyclists from attempting to ride down them; there's a hand rail up the middle of the steps to make it easier for both pedestrians and bicyclists to haul themselves up as well as to stabilize them". Your reply is not crucial. Just pointing the developer at the search results might be sufficient. I thought you might have some fun with this. If the BB favors a particular design, I'll pass that on to the developer. Frank _______________________________________________ Bikeboard mailing list Bikeboard(a)cheat.org http://cheat.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard

1 0

Steps with bike ramp
by Frank Gmeindl 14 Jun '12

14 Jun '12

Bike Board Members, What's the best design for steps with a bike ramp to enable cyclists to push their bikes up? The developer of the new condominiums on the uphill side of Jones Av. between First St. and Overhill St. wants to close First St. between Jones and the condos. The developer said he would upgrade the steps there. (See attached photo.) Last night, the Traffic Commission approved. I suggested that the developer also install a bike ramp adjacent to the steps to facilitate cyclists walking their bikes up the steps. A search of google images for "steps with bicycle ramp" reveals many interesting designs. If any strike you as being particularly worth recommending, please reply with the link to the image, e.g. steps with wheel ramps manningham st parkville.JPG and a short explanation of why you think it's a good design, e.g. "the bicycle can be rolled onto the ramp without lifting it; there are ramps on both sides of the steps making it easy for righties as well as lefties; the ramps are narrow enough and bounded by a wall to discourage cyclists from attempting to ride down them; there's a hand rail up the middle of the steps to make it easier for both pedestrians and bicyclists to haul themselves up as well as to stabilize them". Your reply is not crucial. Just pointing the developer at the search results might be sufficient. I thought you might have some fun with this. If the BB favors a particular design, I'll pass that on to the developer. Frank

1 0

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

Bikeboard