On Jan 18, 2011, at 6:33 AM, Chet Parsons wrote:

I didn't think of it before, but now that West Run zoning has passed,WVDOH needs to plan according to it. I have no idea if that supports our efforts or not.

On Jan 17, 2011 9:35 PM, "Jonathan Rosenbaum" <freesource@cheat.org> wrote:
> I have been riding West Run for years now for a variety of reasons, even
> before it was over-developed. There is a posted speed limit of 25 miles
> an hour, but that is never enforced. In general, most speeding occurs
> when people are using the road as a short-cut during rush hour.
> However, the state should explore installing an automated camera to snap
> photos of license plates of speeders, probably could help offset the
> cost of making improvements.
>
> One of the most dangerous parts of the road between Van Voorhis and
> Stewartstown road is the intersection with Riddle. If you are going
> straight down West Run with your bicycle you definitely don't want to
> stay close to the curb, or you risk getting hooked by people waiting on
> Riddle to turn onto West Run. The visuals at the intersection are bad,
> and drivers misjudge bicyclists speed.
>
> I've enjoyed bicycling on this road. The worst thing I even witnessed
> was when a large truck had just passed me, and a motorcyclist had just
> stopped about 50 feet ahead to take a left turn into a new apartment
> complex, he didn't have a blinker and was using hand signals.
> Fortunately the truck driver braked fast; the motocyclist probably never
> realized that he had almost became road kill.
>
> It definitely needs sidewalks. I would rather see sidewalks built then
> have a special berm installed for cyclists.
>
> -Jonathan
>
>
> On 1/17/2011 12:21 PM, Don Spencer wrote:
>>
>> Frank -- From my perspective you and Chet are on target. A road
>> widening along West Run Road might suffice. It would seem that 11 feet
>> might suffice. I fear, however, that wide lanes without markings would
>> produce high rates of speed in places like West Run. If there could be
>> 13 foot motor vehicle lanes, then it might be safer to have bike lanes
>> (with intersection signage) to accommodate even lesser trained bicycle
>> riders.
>>
>> If the bicycle access can continue from West Run Road to the River,
>> part of the problems for bicycles on Van Voorhis can be avoided. To
>> travel from West Run Road, cyclists (and pedestrians) could have a
>> relatively flat trail access to and from the downtown and downtown
>> campuses and Star City streets via the rail trail.
>>
>> Don
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> *From:*Frank Gmeindl [mailto:frank.gmeindl@comcast.net]
>> *Sent:* Monday, January 17, 2011 11:50 AM
>> *To:* Chet Parsons
>> *Cc:* Don Spencer; Bicycle Board
>> *Subject:* Re: [Bikeboard] Fwd: Work on West Run
>>
>> 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 <mailto: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>
>> [mailto: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 <mailto: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
>> <mailto: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
>> <mailto: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>
>> [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 <mailto:baustin@moncpc.org>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Date: January 11, 2011 4:30:44 PM EST
>> >>>>
>> >>>> To: "'Frank Gmeindl'" <frank.gmeindl@comcast.net
>> <mailto:frank.gmeindl@comcast.net>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Subject: Work on West Run
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Frank,
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> DOH has a project to improve West Run. They would like to work
>> with you
>> >>>> and the Board on the proper way to accommodate cyclists. I would
>> appreciate
>> >>>> discussing the matter with you prior to the CAC Meeting Thursday.
>> Also, they
>> >>>> let me know they identified five grates along Mon Boulevard that
>> they will
>> >>>> be replacing.
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Thanks,
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Bill Austin, AICP
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Executive Director
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Morgantown Monongalia MPO
>> >>>>
>> >>>> 82 Hart Field Road Ste. 105
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Morgantown, WVA 26505
>> >>>>
>> >>>> 304-291-9571
>> >>>>
>> >>>> 304-692-7225 Mobile
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> "Nobody can go back and make a new beginning, but anyone can start
>> today
>> >>>> and make a new ending."-Maria Robinson
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> _______________________________________________
>> >>>> Bikeboard mailing list
>> >>>> Bikeboard@cheat.org <mailto:Bikeboard@cheat.org>
>> >>>> http://cheat.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> _______________________________________________
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>> >>> http://cheat.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard
>> >>>
>> >>
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>> >
>> >
>>
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