Bicycle Board Members,
I met informally with Fouad Shoukry Tuesday morning. He is committed to finding a practical solution to enable bicyclists to continue to cross Cheat Lake. The options we discussed were continuing some kind of access across the old bridge until it is demolished or the new bridge is built; getting Mountain Line to extend their schedule which now ends at 5 pm; arranging a boat ferry; accommodating bicycles on I-68 between the Pierpont and Cheat Lake exits.
In addition to my email, Fouad received 2 others, one from Nick and one from Gerald Audet. He will arrange individual informal meetings with each of them as he did with me. He met yesterday with the contractor.
Next Tuesday at 2 pm, at Mogantown DMV, Fouad will meet with at least me and Nick to tell us what he learned from everyone and to try to find an optimal solution.
Fouad sees that continuing to enable cyclists to use the existing bridge and then the new one results in the least inconvenience for cyclists but felt this is probably untenable because of liability to both the contractor and the DOH. However, he will discuss the option with the contractor to try to discover a way to do it safely. I emphasized the small number of cyclists that they would probably have to accommodate.
Fouad seemed to favor the bus option because it is the safest and possibly affordable, especially if Mountain Line absorbed the cost.
We discussed contracting with someone who already has a boat out there to provide a ferry. He thought it would cost too much but remains open to the idea.
Fouad is highly resistant to putting bicycles on I-68 because of the truck speeds and the danger that wind blast would present to cyclists. He doesn't feel that a great reduction in speed limit could be sufficiently continuously enforced.
Fouad works in traffic control while the bridge job is being done by DOH Construction. He is working with them as well to find a solution. While the Bicycle Board has established a working rapport with DOH traffic control and DOH design, we do not as yet have a relationship with DOH construction.
Frank
Begin forwarded message:
Date: May 16, 2011 2:31:27 PM EDT
Subject: Ice's Ferry Bridge
Bicycle Board Members,
At his invitation, Fouad Shakry of WVDOH and I will drive out to Ice's Ferry Bridge tomorrow morning to discuss solutions to the current problem of its being closed to bicycles from now through Oct. 2012.
I don't have any solutions so if you have some, please give them to me ASAP.
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