Wednesday, September 10, 2008
West Ave Update
There have been a few minor improvements to the pedestrian crossings along West Ave. There are a few more 'Sidewalk Closed' signs posted along the east side and an opening in a barricade at Pine St, but that's about it.
If one is an ambulatory adult confident in their ability to cross a busy street, it can be negotiated with some difficulty, but for anyone else - children, the elderly or disabled, it remains virtually impassible.
Here are some video clips: http://www.youtube.com/livableneighborhoods
Schools are in session so the volume of pedestrian and bicyclist traffic has increased significantly. And Oktoberfest will be here in a few weeks with additional traffic of all types.
If we're lucky, nobody will be hurt or killed during construction but in the mean time, hundreds of people are unable to cross between Jackson St and La Crosse St.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
West Ave Remains Inaccessible to Pedestrians & Bicyclists
We had hoped and expected that when the construction shifted to the east side things would improve. So far, everything is pretty much as it was when construction was taking place on the west side.Nothing related to pedestrian and bicyclist access and safety is anywhere near close to what is required in MUTCD Chapter 6 and the ADA. Frankly we've just been lucky nobody has been killed or hurt!
Spot surveys at various times of day and week since the transition from the west side to the east side reveal pedestrians and bicyclists continue to struggle to cross West Ave; especially people with disabilities, the elderly and children.
The contractor responsible for pedestrian and bicyclist access has failed miserably. Sidewalks and crosswalks are ripped up on both sides of the intersections needlessly. Only one side needs to be ripped up at a time, but for whatever reason this contractor has virtually ignored the sidewalks and crosswalks completely.
This afternoon we observed dump trucks in the only "open" crosswalk at West Ave & Main St being filled by a front end loader, with no signs, barricades or flag personnel. Pedestrians crossing West Ave walked on BOTH sides of the dump truck - either in the traffic lane or between the dump truck and the front end loader!
The contractor responsible for signing and marking the sidewalks and crosswalks has also failed miserably. There are either no signs or markings or inadequate signs or markings, with no advance signs or marks indicating detours anywhere. The sidewalks and crosswalks on BOTH sides of West Ave that are closed must be signed and marked according to the MUTCD; and the sidewalks and crosswalks that are open must be unobstructed and clearly delineated from traffic lanes and construction.
The attempt to "close" the crosswalk on the NE corner of West Ave & Main St is one pathetic example (See attached). Is this crosswalk "open" or "closed"?
The contractors are being paid to meet the standards of the MUTCD and ADA. They MUST comply with the MUTCD and the ADA immediately!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
The Reconstruction of West Ave: Pedestrian & Bicyclist Safety & Access
The reconstruction of West Ave - State Hwy 35 is moving along. The southern portion has been completed with new curb and gutter and blacktop between Green Bay and Jackson Sts. The northern portion from Jackson St to La Crosse St is progressing with all new curb and gutter as well as concrete.
Currently this 4 lane street has the west side under reconstruction and the east side is limited to 2 lanes north and south, with left turn lanes at La Crosse St, Main St, Cass St and Jackson St.
All cross streets except those with signals (Market St, Cass St, Main St and State St) are closed to all traffic - motor vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians. A few businesses and residences on the west side have also had been accommodated with vehicle access to their driveways or alleys as well.
Sidewalks and crosswalks that have no construction either have signs that say “Sidewalk closed”, or has materials, equipment and/or the detour signs/barrels placed in the sidewalks or crosswalks.
Some sidewalks or crosswalks that are ripped up have often no signs or barriers whatsoever – a wheelbarrow in the sidewalk with some tape tied from the handle to a tree! (See photo album below).
Currently, these are the choices available for pedestrian and bicyclists.
1. Do not cross West Ave
2. Walk or bike all the way around the 1 mile length of the construction to cross where there are unobstructed crosswalks and sidewalks.
3. Cross through the construction where the sidewalks are torn up or obstructed and the crosswalks blocked by debris, materials, equipment and/or barricade barrels.
4. Cross by walking or riding in the travel lanes with vehicular traffic.
5. Cross by a combination of 3 and 4.
There is essentially NO ACCESS FOR BICYCLISTS OR PEDESTRIANS anywhere between La Crosse and Jackson Sts!
For those with issues or challenges, there are no options whatsoever. People, including those in wheelchairs and young families on bicycles, are forced out into travel lanes with traffic in order to get across the street!
Also, every street light has been removed at the signalized intersections. At night this increases the risks to bicyclists and pedestrians, especially with all of the obstacles from the construction. A temporary street light should be erected and operational at each intersection.
Livable Neighborhoods contacted the DOT with these concerns in mid-June. We received a response that indicated these issues were being addressed, but with the exception of a few more “Sidewalk Closed” barricades here and there and on occasion, there has been little change.
It is now mid-July and there has been no substantive changes. A few of the sidewalks on the west side are near completion and may be open in a week or so.
However, once the west side is complete, the process will repeat itself on the east side, with completion months away.
In a few weeks, we'll have almost 10,000 students back in this area. School will also be starting so the marked school crossings and traditional routes to and from Emerson, Aquinas, Lincoln, Cathedral and the Evangelical Lutheran schools will be blocked or restricted.
And this project appears it will still be ongoing by September 27th. The Maple Leaf Parade will bring tens of thousands of folks to La Crosse and while the parade is going on, traffic will be diverted to Lang Dr and West Ave, creating even more conflicts.
Nobody expects total access during construction; however limited and safe access according to the best practices of the road construction industry and as required by the federal Highway Administration are both expected and demanded. If the current practices continue, it is only a matter of time before a pedestrian or bicyclist is seriously injured or killed as a direct result of poor planning and follow through.
Here are some links regarding pedestrian and bicyclist safety and access during construction.
The FHWA has some great info.
http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/PED_BIKE/univcourse/swless12.htm
Salt Lake City covers ADA issues very well.
http://www.ci.slc.ut.us/transportation/Construction/pdf/ADA_Ped_Construction_Guide.pdf
Berkley has a basic set of guidelines too.
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/uploadedFiles/Planning_(new_site_map_walk-through)/Level_3_-_General/PedestrianAccess.pdf
We again, respectfully call on the DOT to correct this situation as soon as possible, and to take steps to improve pedestrian and bicycle access and safety when the eastern portion of the reconstruction commences.
Currently this 4 lane street has the west side under reconstruction and the east side is limited to 2 lanes north and south, with left turn lanes at La Crosse St, Main St, Cass St and Jackson St.
All cross streets except those with signals (Market St, Cass St, Main St and State St) are closed to all traffic - motor vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians. A few businesses and residences on the west side have also had been accommodated with vehicle access to their driveways or alleys as well.
Sidewalks and crosswalks that have no construction either have signs that say “Sidewalk closed”, or has materials, equipment and/or the detour signs/barrels placed in the sidewalks or crosswalks.
Some sidewalks or crosswalks that are ripped up have often no signs or barriers whatsoever – a wheelbarrow in the sidewalk with some tape tied from the handle to a tree! (See photo album below).
Currently, these are the choices available for pedestrian and bicyclists.
1. Do not cross West Ave
2. Walk or bike all the way around the 1 mile length of the construction to cross where there are unobstructed crosswalks and sidewalks.
3. Cross through the construction where the sidewalks are torn up or obstructed and the crosswalks blocked by debris, materials, equipment and/or barricade barrels.
4. Cross by walking or riding in the travel lanes with vehicular traffic.
5. Cross by a combination of 3 and 4.
There is essentially NO ACCESS FOR BICYCLISTS OR PEDESTRIANS anywhere between La Crosse and Jackson Sts!
For those with issues or challenges, there are no options whatsoever. People, including those in wheelchairs and young families on bicycles, are forced out into travel lanes with traffic in order to get across the street!
Also, every street light has been removed at the signalized intersections. At night this increases the risks to bicyclists and pedestrians, especially with all of the obstacles from the construction. A temporary street light should be erected and operational at each intersection.
Livable Neighborhoods contacted the DOT with these concerns in mid-June. We received a response that indicated these issues were being addressed, but with the exception of a few more “Sidewalk Closed” barricades here and there and on occasion, there has been little change.
It is now mid-July and there has been no substantive changes. A few of the sidewalks on the west side are near completion and may be open in a week or so.
However, once the west side is complete, the process will repeat itself on the east side, with completion months away.
In a few weeks, we'll have almost 10,000 students back in this area. School will also be starting so the marked school crossings and traditional routes to and from Emerson, Aquinas, Lincoln, Cathedral and the Evangelical Lutheran schools will be blocked or restricted.
And this project appears it will still be ongoing by September 27th. The Maple Leaf Parade will bring tens of thousands of folks to La Crosse and while the parade is going on, traffic will be diverted to Lang Dr and West Ave, creating even more conflicts.
Nobody expects total access during construction; however limited and safe access according to the best practices of the road construction industry and as required by the federal Highway Administration are both expected and demanded. If the current practices continue, it is only a matter of time before a pedestrian or bicyclist is seriously injured or killed as a direct result of poor planning and follow through.
Here are some links regarding pedestrian and bicyclist safety and access during construction.
The FHWA has some great info.
http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/PED_BIKE/univcourse/swless12.htm
Salt Lake City covers ADA issues very well.
http://www.ci.slc.ut.us/transportation/Construction/pdf/ADA_Ped_Construction_Guide.pdf
Berkley has a basic set of guidelines too.
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/uploadedFiles/Planning_(new_site_map_walk-through)/Level_3_-_General/PedestrianAccess.pdf
We again, respectfully call on the DOT to correct this situation as soon as possible, and to take steps to improve pedestrian and bicycle access and safety when the eastern portion of the reconstruction commences.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Bike Friendly Community Award
On Thursday, May 31st @ 1:00 PM, the City of La Crosse will receive the "Bike Friendly Community - Bronze" from the League of American Bicyclists. The presentation will be on the bike trail near 33rd St S & Ward Ave by the Shelby Ball Field Note the corrected location!
La Crosse is only the third city in Wisconsin, after Madison and Milwaukee, to earn this designation.
See http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/communities/
Congratulations to the City Planning Dept and everyone involved!
La Crosse is only the third city in Wisconsin, after Madison and Milwaukee, to earn this designation.
See http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/communities/
Congratulations to the City Planning Dept and everyone involved!
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Friday, May 11, 2007
Membership Meeting - Tuesday, May 22nd @ 6:00 PM
Membership Meeting - Tuesday, May 22nd @ 6:00 PM
Northside Police Community Center - 713 St James St
Tom Faella the Director of the La Crosse Area Planning Committee (LAPC) will give an update with Q & A on the proposed North-South Corridor, including the status of the $750,000 study. See Planners taking a new look at north-south road from the La Crosse Tribune
Northside Police Community Center - 713 St James St
Tom Faella the Director of the La Crosse Area Planning Committee (LAPC) will give an update with Q & A on the proposed North-South Corridor, including the status of the $750,000 study. See Planners taking a new look at north-south road from the La Crosse Tribune
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Bike to Work Week - Registration and Logs
One of the questiuons we are often asked is "How do I return my registration and log?"
You can complete the registration
Email to: president@livable-neighborhoods.org, or
Bring to: any of the scheduled events, or
Bring to: the People's Food Coop or Blue Heron Bikes, or
Mail to: PO Box 2641, La Crosse, WI 54602-2641
Completed registrations returned by Friday, May 18 @ 5:30 PM are eligible for door prizes including gift certificates and promotional items to two commuter bicycles from Blue Heron Bikes worth over $250 each!
You can complete the registration
Email to: president@livable-neighborhoods.org, or
Bring to: any of the scheduled events, or
Bring to: the People's Food Coop or Blue Heron Bikes, or
Mail to: PO Box 2641, La Crosse, WI 54602-2641
Completed registrations returned by Friday, May 18 @ 5:30 PM are eligible for door prizes including gift certificates and promotional items to two commuter bicycles from Blue Heron Bikes worth over $250 each!
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