There are many types of complete streets. They are not defined by their width, they are defined by how easy they are for different users to travel on.
http://www.completestreets.org/ -- Kathryn Kingsbury Director of Communication, Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin www.bfw.org 608-251-4456 <http://www.bfw.org> <http://bikefed.blogspot.com/> <http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#%21/bike.fed.wi?ref=ts> <http://twitter.com/search?q=BikeFed> <http://delicious.com/network/BikeFed> Join the Bike Fed for the biggest bicycling bash of the year! The Saris Gala is Oct. 29 - register now<http://www.sariscyclinggroup.com/index.php/saris-gala.html>. On Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 3:58 PM, tim wong <[email protected]> wrote: > I haven't seen the letter, but I have been told that the DNR has signed off > on a further delay in lead pipe removal until 2013 at the latest. The > Williamson St. reconstruction will happen between Blount St. and the Yahara > River, so the rail construction, including the Blair-John No Lane-Williamson > intersection, will not affect it. In fact, Engineering was planning that > traffic detour down the newly constructed Wmson St. around the Blair St. > This is something the neighborhood does NOT want, so those reconstructions > should happen in the same year. > > The city has agreed to narrow Wmson west of Baldwin from 48 to 44, but the > existing street east of Baldwin is 42 feet wide. None of those widths--42, > 44, or 48, qualify as a genuine "complete streets" street--all too narrow. > > > On Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 3:47 PM, Robbie Webber <[email protected]>wrote: > >> Marsha wants to delay, but there is a federal mandate to replace the lead >> pipes next year. So we either get the street torn up twice, or once. And >> there is no way to do Willy St in 2012 because of other construction to be >> done in that year - including the rail construction. That means a >> several-year delay, not one year. Again, the pipes will definitely be >> replaced next year, so Willy will be torn up next year. >> >> I acknowledge that there are advantages to narrowing the street, and I >> tried to outline them. I mostly wanted people to be aware that this is >> coming up TONIGHT. The current plan is 44 feet, not 42, so you can come and >> speak or not, but tonight is the night. As I said, there are trade-offs, and >> not everyone may agree whether those trade-offs are worth it. >> >> Marsha will not be at the meeting, because she has another one that she >> cannot miss. >> >> As to the "East side biking community" agreeing on this, I do not remember >> this ever coming up on this list, nor do I remember others asking other >> bicyclists that may use the area but not live there. Willy St is used by >> more than just the neighbors, and not all the bicyclists were consulted, as >> far as I can tell. >> >> Again, I am trying to provide information, so that anyone on this list can >> make their own decisions if they want to speak to the issue. >> >> Robbie Webber >> Bike Walk Madison Steering Committee >> www.bikewalkmadison.org >> Join our group on Facebook! >> >> >> >> >> On Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 3:32 PM, tim wong <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Robbie has several things wrong on this. The east-side bicycling >>> community has been involved in this green streets redesign effort. We >>> strongly support the narrowing of the street, but, in addition, are urging >>> the city to delay this reconstruction until 2012 so that we can get the >>> "green streets" thing right--essentially a reversal of 60+ years of doing >>> streets reconstructions wrong, i.e., making streets wider, faster, and >>> mostly designed to get people to the suburbs faster. >>> >>> I will forward a letter we wrote to the city endorsing the narrower >>> street after this. The short of it is that there are three bicycling >>> alternatives within two blocks of Williamson St. In addition, Wmson east of >>> Baldwin is 42 feet wide, and no one is advocating widening it. >>> >>> The other reason to support narrowing is that it allows for wider >>> terraces, which permits taller trees to be planted, which provide more of a >>> canopy, which has been show to slow cars down, as well as more bike racks >>> and tables for restaurants who want outside seating. We are also hoping to >>> have the utilities undergrounded during reconstruction. The conduit is >>> being put in the ground, but the wires will stay above-ground, meaning the >>> trees will continue to be butchered by MGE, cable companies, etc. >>> >>> If the east-rail bike path, Jenifer, and Spaight were not so close, I >>> might not support this narrowing. But they are, so I do. >>> >>> I would strong urge all interested advocates, and especially 6th district >>> residents, to e-mail or call Marsha and urge her to support a delay until >>> 2012. So far she is standing with the city against the interests of the >>> neighborhood (it's a little more complicated than it looks). Marquette >>> Neighborhood Association and Schenk Atwood Starkweather Yahara (SASY) >>> neighborhood council have both endorsed the delay, MNA unanimously and SASY >>> with one dissenting vote. The alder, so far, is supporting Rob Phillips and >>> Engineering in their opposition to delay. Your e-mails and calls might >>> persuade her to support the delay. Thanks. >>> >>> tim >>> >>> On Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 2:34 PM, Robbie Webber >>> <[email protected]>wrote: >>> >>>> Just an FYI that the rebuild of Williamson St will be at the Board of >>>> Public Works tonight, in case anyone wants to weigh in on the new design. >>>> It >>>> looks like the public hearing will start at 6:30 PM, if I am reading the >>>> schedule correctly. It is item # 7 on the agenda linked below. >>>> >>>> >>>> http://legistar.cityofmadison.com/meetings/2010/10/8326_A_BOARD_OF_PUBLIC_WORKS_10-10-20_Agenda.pdf >>>> * >>>> * >>>> *The Board of Public Works meets at the Water Utility Bldg - 119 Olin >>>> Ave.* >>>> >>>> Sorry for the late notice, but this sort of crept up on me, (and I'm no >>>> longer a paid bike advocate or alder.) >>>> >>>> The reason that this particular street rebuild might require extra >>>> attention is that the proposal is to NARROW the street, which could have >>>> implications for all street users. >>>> >>>> Right now the curb-to-curb width is 48 feet. The outside lane - shared >>>> by parked cars and bicyclists most of the day, and an active car travel >>>> lane >>>> during rush hour - is 13 feet. The inside lane is 11 feet. >>>> >>>> The new design would narrow the street to 44 feet, and the current >>>> proposal would be 4 lanes, each 11 feet. This will mean that the outside >>>> lane will no longer be wide enough for bicyclists and parked cars to safely >>>> share. The options for bicyclists on Willy St would be A) get in the active >>>> car (inside) lane, or B) ride really close to the parked cars and be passed >>>> unsafely by car on the street. >>>> >>>> The advantage of narrowing the street is that there will be more space >>>> for trees and other "street amenities," which Willy St sorely lacks. More >>>> space for walking, sidewalk cafes, bike racks, benches, etc. Presumably, >>>> the >>>> traffic will move more slowly as well. >>>> >>>> This is a definitely trade-off: worse for bicyclists, but better for the >>>> overall look and feel of the street. I am of very mixed feelings about >>>> this. >>>> >>>> Beyond where the curbs are placed, there is the matter of where the lane >>>> marking are drawn, which is not being decided tonight. I will be pushing >>>> for >>>> making the outside lanes 12 feet instead of 11. This would still be a tight >>>> squeeze for a parked car-bicyclist to share, but it is an additional foot. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Robbie Webber >>>> Bike Walk Madison Steering Committee >>>> www.bikewalkmadison.org >>>> Join our group on Facebook! >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Bikies mailing list >>>> [email protected] >>>> http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> If you would like to sign a petition opposing Williamson St. Coop's >>> permanent driveway, go to the link >>> http://www.PetitionOnline.com/coop9876/petition.html<http://www.petitiononline.com/coop9876/petition.html>.Even >>> if you've signed the paper copy, sign this one especially if you have >>> a comment to add. Or buy a T-shirt: STOP THE DRIVEWAY. Inquire here. >>> >>> >> > > > -- > If you would like to sign a petition opposing Williamson St. Coop's > permanent driveway, go to the link > http://www.PetitionOnline.com/coop9876/petition.html<http://www.petitiononline.com/coop9876/petition.html>.Even > if you've signed the paper copy, sign this one especially if you have > a comment to add. Or buy a T-shirt: STOP THE DRIVEWAY. Inquire here. > > > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org > >
_______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
