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Cycling in Waterloo Region
Wow, to hear that Tritag actually supported and approved the design is pretty shocking.
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PS, bags of concrete are really, really cheap. Add water and you’re done.

...just saying. Tongue
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(07-26-2018, 04:48 PM)Canard Wrote: PS, bags of concrete are really, really cheap. Add water and you’re done.

...just saying. Tongue


I like your thinking.  I will literally pay for the concrete...

My biggest concern is the yet to be built remainder (the vast majority).

If we cannot accept we made a mistake here, then we're going to repeat it.
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(07-26-2018, 04:47 PM)Canard Wrote: Wow, to hear that Tritag actually supported and approved the design is pretty shocking.

It's unclear to me, if the design they "supported and approved" specified roll curbs or not.

That being said, at the time, it did seem like a big win, but now we should recognize that there were mistakes, and improve.

This is why it bugs me when I'm told that I should instead be appreciating and celebrating, instead of continuing to push for better.
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The reason it was a first in North America of this design is because it is terrible. Other cities like Ottawa manage to build curb-separated bike lanes and so does Montreal and Vancouver. There are lots of good examples around the country to copy.

Personally think a few dozen plungers epoxied to the roll curb would be a good form of protest.
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(07-24-2018, 09:03 AM)robdrimmie Wrote: It may be worth allocating $200 of that budget to upgraded tires. Last summer and the one previous I went through regular periods where I'd be patching or going through tubes two or three times a week. After upgrading last year I haven't touched either wheel since, except to check the air.

25 years ago when I regularly biked to and from college (and got weekly flats, I used to bike with a spare tube, pump, and tire irons in my knapsack), I bought a product called Flat Stop that was basically a heavy plastic strip you placed between the tube and tire (it came in three widths/colours).  The sharp ends of the product itself caused a flat until I chamfered them and buffered them with duct tape, but after that I literally went years without a flat.  I wonder if it's still around?
...K
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(07-26-2018, 04:47 PM)Canard Wrote: Wow, to hear that Tritag actually supported and approved the design is pretty shocking.

TriTAG, you may be surprised to learn, did not have final approval on detail design.

They were advocating specifically for raised bicycle lanes, and protected bike lanes. Specifically in the context of a battle vs having on-street painted lanes squished between parking and travel lanes.
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(07-26-2018, 08:39 PM)Markster Wrote:
(07-26-2018, 04:47 PM)Canard Wrote: Wow, to hear that Tritag actually supported and approved the design is pretty shocking.

TriTAG, you may be surprised to learn, did not have final approval on detail design.

They were advocating specifically for raised bicycle lanes, and protected bike lanes. Specifically in the context of a battle vs having on-street painted lanes squished between parking and travel lanes.

That jives with my recollection.

It was only later that we came to learn that we would get a compromised design.

Frankly, I cannot comprehend what the issue here is...it's not just bike lanes, the LRT, hell, the curbs they just built in uptown, at the sidewalk, are stupid roll curbs...and sure enough, illegally parked cars.

What goes through these peoples minds?!
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(07-26-2018, 08:39 PM)Markster Wrote: TriTAG, you may be surprised to learn, did not have final approval on detail design.

They were advocating specifically for raised bicycle lanes, and protected bike lanes. Specifically in the context of a battle vs having on-street painted lanes squished between parking and travel lanes.

1 out of 2 isn’t so bad Angry

We got the raised lanes, but not protected (except where there is parking).

This isn’t the only project where a lot of stuff has happened in detail design that should have been reviewed by the public.
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Today's sighting: a Brinks truck at the CIBC (across the street from me), and two people on bicycles riding around it.
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(07-25-2018, 11:24 AM)jamincan Wrote: I think you misunderstand me. I would suggest that every intersection except those listed should be treated such that all traffic on the cross street must stop, and the trail would be raised such that traffic would have to cross at a reduced speed. The intent would be that trail users could cross without yielding to traffic and without being concerned about cross traffic. Other crossings should have stuff like mid-crossing islands, signals, or other traffic calming measures for the crossing, but it wouldn't be full priority for the trail.

I think we could go a bit further. Where minor streets cross the Spur Line trail, they should narrow to a single lane, with stop signs, rising to the level of the trail. So for a bicycle or pedestrian to cross the road, they should be able to just proceed (obviously, it’s always prudent to check). For a motor vehicle to cross the Spur Line, stop at the stop sign, ensure there is no opposing traffic and also that the trail is clear, then proceed across the crossing. Use bollards (not knock-down bollards, stop-a-car bollards) to narrow the road space to the minimum required to pass a fire truck.

Not a significant barrier to the sort of low-speed neighbourhood traffic that is appropriate to these roads, but would make the crossing feel much more comfortable for trail users.
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Did you call it in, plam?
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(07-27-2018, 11:19 AM)Canard Wrote: Did you call it in, plam?

Is there a point?

They're doing a "delivery".

I have been explicitly been told, in person, by a WRPS police officer, that they will not even so much as require an illegally parked vehicle endangering my life at this very moment to move, nor will they write a ticket.

Anyone calling for enforcement as a solution isn't being honest.

So frustrated right now.
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Yes, there’s a point. We’re all angry, and complain here - which does nothing.
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(07-27-2018, 11:19 AM)Canard Wrote: Did you call it in, plam?

I will call it in when it seems likely that they'll actually stay around long enough to potentially get a ticket (and I did that the other day). I thought that this truck would be gone by the time anyone got around to coming. They definitely shouldn't be there (and there should be bollards preventing it), but calling in a delivery vehicle seems unlikely to work.
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