Bill,

I checked with the Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board and the Country Roads Cyclists bicycle club. Nobody knows of any planned events that will be using any of the three bridges.

Can you say when work will be done on these bridges? If we knew when the bridges would be unavailable, we could plan alternative routes. I ride over the Basnettville bridge approximately 12 times each year. Approximately, 4 times, I'm leading a club ride that usually includes 3-8 cyclists. If I knew when that bridge would be out, I could reschedule the rides or find an alternate route.

Since the work summaries include descriptions of the shoulders, I'm wondering if you wanted feedback on that. Shoulders are important for pedestrians and the wider the better. For cyclists, shoulders, particularly where the shoulder doesn't continue are typically not used. I would caution against enticing cyclists onto the shoulder when they might have to swerve back onto the roadway. Approximately 6.5% of all bicycle/motor vehicle crashes (http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/docs/ctanbike.pdf) where caused by the cyclist swerving or turning left into the path of an overtaking motor vehicle. If you wouldn't send a motorcycle or other motor vehicle down the shoulder, it's probably a good idea not to send a bicycle down the shoulder. Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles.

Is this useful to you? I hope I was able to give you what you need. Please don't hesitate to contact me to discuss this or other bicycle matters.

Thank you for giving bicyclists consideration in these projects as well as all your work.

I remain at your service,

Frank D. Gmeindl

LCI #1703

Chairman, Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board

491 Wilson Avenue

Morgantown, WV 26501

304-376-0446

Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles

From: Frank Gmeindl [mailto:frank.gmeindl@comcast.net] Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 9:24 PM To: Robinson, Bill C Subject: FW: WVDOH Road projects

Bill,

Damien Davis forwarded your message to me but even though my name appears in your address list, I did not receive your message directly. Could you please check to see if the address that you have is either fgmeindl@verizon.net or frank.gmeindl@comcast.net ? Either should work.

I have forwarded your message to the Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board for comment. I will respond when I get their comments.

Thanks for including me on your list!

Frank D. Gmeindl

LCI #1703

Chairman, Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board

491 Wilson Avenue

Morgantown, WV 26501

304-376-0446

Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles

From: Damien Davis [mailto:ddavis@cityofmorgantown.org] Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 9:55 AM To: frank.gmeindl@comcast.net Subject: FW: WVDOH Road projects

Frank,

FYI

J. Damien Davis, EIT, 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

_____

From: Robinson, Bill C [mailto:Bill.C.Robinson@wv.gov] Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 9:46 AM To: Adam Stevens; Adventure Pursuit; Ann Conageski; Belomar MPO; Ben Stout; Betty Carver; Bill Foster; Bill Reger; Bob Plymale; Brieanne Salmons; Chris Craig; Chriss Gress; Christy Bailey; Connie Lupardus; Craig Lefevre; Damien Davis; David Layman; Dennis Strawn; Diane Ludwig; Don Spencer; Donna Printz; Doug Wayt; Drew Smithberger; Ella Belling; Eric Sandeno; Frank Gmeindl; Gil Willis; Grant Co. Development office; Harold Simmons; Huntington MPO; Jamie Fields; Jen Giovannetti; Jim Hudson; Joelle Ennis; John Fekete; John R. McGarrity; Jordan Cox; Justin Gaull; Keller, Perry J; Ken Dzaack; Kim Broughton; Kristy Blower; Laird Knight; Lewis, Ray C; Logan Mountain Bike Association, Inc.; Marc Glass; Mark Felton; Matt Marcus; Matt Sherald; Mike Gaspar; Mike Whitt; Morgantown MPO; Norm Bailey; Patricia Clay; Peggy Pings; Peggy Pings; Rebecca MacLeod; Region Eight PDC; Region Four PDC; Region I PDC; Region II PDC; Region Seven PDC; Regiona VI Planning Council; Richard Warner; Rob Pennington; Roger Lilly ; Ron Enders; Sharon Cruikshank; Stephen Graber; Susie Salisbury; Tim Meeks; West Virginia Mountain Bike Assoc.; WWW MPO Cc: Boggs, Steve D; Thornton, William S Subject: WVDOH Road projects

Everyone -

The following projects are upcoming WVDOH road work - please examine and let me know of any specific bicycle/pedestrian activities that you are aware of that would affect these projects:

Marion Co.

Basnettville Bridge

S225-218-10.86

cid:image005.jpg@01CAAEEC.DDD3A370

Proposed bridge carries WV218 over Paw Paw Creek and is located 0.03 miles south of the intersection of WV 218 with marion Co. CR17. The proposed bridge is 100' in length, two 11' lanes, with no sidewalk and 2-3' shoulders. To provide accessibility and better bicycle/pedestrian accommodation, it is being discussed that the shoulders be expanded to 4'.

McDowell Co.

Bartley Branch Road Bridge

S324-83/3-0.02

cid:image011.jpg@01CAAEEC.DDD3A370

Little or no shoulders on road, no accommodation is being recommended.

Taylor Co.

Bridge Street Bridge

S246-9-0.02

cid:image012.jpg@01CAAEEC.DDD3A370

Location: carries Taylor County Route 9 over Three Fork Creek, CSX railroad and Front Street, approximately 0.02 miles east of the intersection of US119-CR 9. The proposed replacement bridge is approximately 450' in length and will have two 11' lanes with two 5' shoulders and a 5' sidewalk.

Please return any comments to me as quickly as you can to facilitate the design schedule.

Bill

William C. Robinson

State Trail Coordinator

Progam Manager, Recreational Trails Program

WVDOH Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator

Chairman, West Virginia Recreational Trails Advisory Board

West Virginia Department of Transportation

Division of Highways

Program Planning and Administration Division

1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East

Building 5, Room 863

Charleston, West Virginia 25305-0430

(304)558-9615 Fax - (304)558-3783

bill.c.robinson@wv.gov

"The life of the artist is, in relation to his work, stern and lonely. He has labored hard,

often amid depravation, to perfect his skill. He has turned aside from quick success in

order to strip his vision of everything secondary or cheapening. His working life is

marked by intense application and intense discipline." - John F. Kennedy, 1962