07-10-2021, 02:54 PM
(07-09-2021, 09:43 PM)danbrotherston Wrote:(07-09-2021, 08:28 PM)dtkvictim Wrote: I can sort of understand... Conflict between trails users, visibility for buses, and not stopping on the train tracks. But what frustrating design.
I'm confused...how is this supposed to help conflict between trail users? This quite clearly will increase conflict between trail users, who now have to navigate four sharp turns, with no extra width (bicycles require more space to turn). Further, anyone waiting to cross Ring Rd. (perhaps to go from the bus terminal to the DC or the rest of campus--a small demographic I know) will have to wait IN THE PATH of the the trail.
This section was already heavily congested, at peak hours, I fully expect traffic jams. This is beyond a bad design, this is professional malpractice...engineering negligence, whatever you want to call it. If this were a road, this would never have gotten implemented. If it had, heads would roll. But because it's cycling infra, I'm sure we'll be getting a garbage statement about how this meets all current regional standards and is perfectly fine.
I'm sorry, I know this is impolite to say, but it is honest, our regional engineers are incompetent at designing cycling infra and should not be permitted to do so anymore.
I phrased that poorly, I meant conflict between all the competing requirements. I'm completely in agreement that this is bad design, and will increase conflict between trail users. But it does increase visibility between buses and trail users, and (presumably) provides a safe space for buses to wait off the tracks. So clearly those requirements were given a higher priority.
I'm really unfamiliar with the area though, so maybe I'm misunderstanding what's being built.
(07-10-2021, 02:05 PM)timc Wrote: By the way, what ever happened to the proposal to move the traffic signal to the Columbia Street trail crossing?
What's this? Part of the reason I'm unfamiliar with that section of the Laurel trail is because I find it more comfortable to cycle through Philip/Columbia than through the Laurel/Columbia crossing. Lights at the crossing would be nice to have.