Trails

[Canard]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sad to see the MUT is still broken on King, by Northfield. This is a really needed connection. <a href="https://t.co/UxAvLLmQ7h">pic.twitter.com/UxAvLLmQ7h</a></p>&mdash; ? Iain Hendry ? (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/926869914253692928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2017</a></blockquote>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">But, at least on Seagram, the new MUT there seems to be just about complete. <a href="https://t.co/T6WipUApDS">pic.twitter.com/T6WipUApDS</a></p>&mdash; ? Iain Hendry ? (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/926870043463442432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2017</a></blockquote>

[Pheidippides]

After seeing the photos and having walked along the central promenade construction site it seems kind of cruel to keep the "zoo" animals there while all those machines are lumbering around all day.

[danbrotherston]

Apparently blocking a third of the trail Laurel trail at Ring Rd. with a curb and bollards wasn't enough, now bins have been placed with a metal crash barrier blocking at least half of the trail. With no reflector or anything. Someone is literally going to be injured by a road safety feature.

Sometimes I wonder what people are thinking.

[ijmorlan]

Apparently blocking a third of the trail Laurel trail at Ring Rd. with a curb and bollards wasn't enough, now bins have been placed with a metal crash barrier blocking at least half of the trail.  With no reflector or anything.  Someone is literally going to be injured by a road safety feature.

Sometimes I wonder what people are thinking.

I’m confused — where is this? Laurel Trail does not intersect with Ring Road. Is this somewhere along the section where they parallel each other?

[timc]

It's at the access road near where the transit plaza is planned. The barrier used to be adjacent to the intersection, but they have moved the barrels back so that they are where the trail is. The barrier isn't across the trail, but it is partially blocking the trail, narrowing it at a point where there is a lot of bike and pedestrian traffic. And it is probably even more dangerous after dark.

[ijmorlan]

It's at the access road near where the transit plaza is planned. The barrier used to be adjacent to the intersection, but they have moved the barrels back so that they are where the trail is. The barrier isn't across the trail, but it is partially blocking the trail, narrowing it at a point where there is a lot of bike and pedestrian traffic. And it is probably even more dangerous after dark.

OK, now I understand. That’s just crazy. The barrier should be in line with the east curb of Ring Road — the point is to block off that leg of the intersection entirely after all. I suspect it’s not that much worse at night because I think the area is lit up, but still obstructing a major traffic route doesn’t seem like a great idea.

[danbrotherston]

It's at the access road near where the transit plaza is planned. The barrier used to be adjacent to the intersection, but they have moved the barrels back so that they are where the trail is. The barrier isn't across the trail, but it is partially blocking the trail, narrowing it at a point where there is a lot of bike and pedestrian traffic. And it is probably even more dangerous after dark.

OK, now I understand. That’s just crazy. The barrier should be in line with the east curb of Ring Road — the point is to block off that leg of the intersection entirely after all. I suspect it’s not that much worse at night because I think the area is lit up, but still obstructing a major traffic route doesn’t seem like a great idea.

I can say personally that it is quite bad at night, it is lit, but the barrier is grey and unreflective.  I only saw it at the last moment on my way home.  I was focused on looking for pedestrians at that moment.  It is especially bad at twilight.

And yes, I too have been very confused with the "ring road" intersection.  But I've just accepted that road naming/directions in this city are a joke.  I probably should have clarified the location and orientation.  Regardless, there is zero reason for this to be here, and creating this harm.  Next time I am back I will take a photo and lambast someone on twitter, last night I was both in a rush and happy to have not crashed.

[Pheidippides]

Progress on your future IHWT (Iron Horse Wind Tunnel):
   

I actually don't think, for most days anyway, this will be as windy as riding along Park as become like on days like today; nearly got blown out of my bike lane there tonight.

Time will tell.

[timc]

Progress on your future IHWT (Iron Horse Wind Tunnel):

I actually don't think, for most days anyway, this will be as windy as riding along Park as become like on days like today; nearly got blown out of my bike lane there tonight.

Time will tell.

You should get a nice speed boost if you're heading eastward.

[Canard]

I love the updates about the Central Promenade Upgrades so much!!!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Project: Central Promenade Trail and Bridge Construction <a href="https://twitter.com/citywaterloo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@citywaterloo</a> <br><br>Pictures of the crane that will lift our new 104' foot long bridge into place<br><br>Timing: Approximately mid-January 2018 <a href="https://t.co/K00KQk0KK1">pic.twitter.com/K00KQk0KK1</a></p>&mdash; John Griffin (@uu_john) <a href="https://twitter.com/uu_john/status/931252240328753152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2017</a></blockquote>

[Markster]

There is a difference, that makes the sidewalk marginally safer.

   

Here's a diagram of Weber St, a bit further north.  
I've added in an imaginary pedestrian island.  
The two green dots represent people, one on the sidewalk and one on the island.  
The red rectangles the path of cars, drifting the same slight angle out of their lane.

The pedestrian on the sidewalk has one additional safety feature that the one on the island does not have, and that is the sidewalk curb. Curbs are designed specifically to prevent cars from mounting the sidewalk at these slight angles.  The car will graze the curb and correct.  The person on the island is almost certainly going to be killed because the car will have no feedback from the road design until they are driving straight over the island.

So, to bring this back up.

Meanwhile, in Guelph...
https://www.guelphmercury.com/news-story...an-island/

   

Pedestrian Islands are better than nothing, but they are the lowest increment better than nothing.

[danbrotherston]

So, to bring this back up.

Meanwhile, in Guelph...
https://www.guelphmercury.com/news-story...an-island/



Pedestrian Islands are better than nothing, but they are the lowest increment better than nothing.

The quoted person is interesting, it seems to be another case of someone who's against making the road safer pointing to this and saying "see, it's a bad choice to make it safer".

[Canard]

I can't imagine it would have cost that much extra to put one of those ~400 mm dia. concrete-filled steel columns up at either end, as protection?

I remember when we were having this discussion, I thought it was a bit silly - now I see it's very, very not.

[jwilliamson]

The Spurline was being paved this morning between Moore and Roger. Hopefully it will be open again soon.

[chutten]

The Spurline was being paved this morning between Moore and Roger. Hopefully it will be open again soon.

They also repaved a section north (West?) of Union that had previously been two-thirds of a pothole.