| Subject: | RE: FW: Sellwood Bridge |
| Date: | 04/29/2004 03:42 AM |
| From: | Dave German |
|
Mat, Please pursue the option to add cautionary signs to the bridge that warn drivers that bikes are in the roadway. I would much rather ride on the road than on the path and risk taking the 12" plunge off the curb or crashing into a pedestrian or fellow biker. If we have the signs it would alert the drivers and give us some allowance to be in the lane. As it is now if you ride the lane you will for sure piss off drivers. I only ride the path now to avoid getting forced into the curb by an angry motorist. A sign would at the very least give some validation to our presence in the roadway. Thanks, Dave From: Steve-@clark.wa.gov Reply-To: Steve-@clark.wa.gov To: ob-@topica.com Subject: [OBRA Chat] FW: Sellwood Bridge Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2004 10:01:37 -0700 =========================================================== Cancel your low-carb diet. Lose weight. Choose your own foods. Learn more about our program at: http://click.topica.com/caacbYFaVxiDpa8GKkUa/ Dr. Smith =========================================================== Here's Matt's response folks. -----Original Message----- From: LARSEN Matthew F [mailto:matthew.-@co.multnomah.or.us] Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2004 9:57 AM To: Steve-@clark.wa.gov Subject: RE: Sellwood Bridge Steve, Actually, the new signs are not a change. Signs requiring bicyclists to walk their bikes across the sidewalk had been up since 1987. They had only been down from the bridge for the last several months, most likely due to vandalism. In looking to replace the old signs, I pursued using "Bikes Yield to Peds" signs instead, but County legal council felt this was not prudent. The legal concern is that if there is an accident after changing the signs from being more restrictive to less restrictive, the County could be liable. In addition to the legal concerns, the Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan recommends that narrow sidewalks on bridges be signed in this way. Michael Ronkin, the State Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, is looking into changing this recommendation in the next update to the plan, and we have asked jurisdictions in other states how they sign narrow sidewalks on bridges. So far the response has been that narrow sidewalks on bridges are typically signed to require bicyclists to walk their bikes. We have also considered adding cautionary signs to the bridge that warn drivers that bikes are in the roadway. I have not talked to many bicyclists who are interested in biking in the roadway on the Sellwood Bridge, so I have not pursued this option. I plan on bringing this issue before the County Bicycle and Pedestrian Citizen Advisory Committee to get their input and ideas next month. Hopefully this won't be a problem for many more years, because the County is currently seeking funds to replace the Sellwood Bridge. The new bridge would have full bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Thanks for you concerns on this issue. Matthew Larsen Transportation Planning Specialist Multnomah County 503-988-5050 ext. 29640 matthew.-@co.multnomah.or.us -----Original Message----- From: Steve-@clark.wa.gov [mailto:Steve-@clark.wa.gov] Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2004 9:23 AM To: LARSEN Matthew F Subject: Sellwood Bridge Matt, I just wanted to weigh in on the recent changes to the Sellwood bridge that force cyclists to walk across the bridge. This seems a bit unreasonable as it is easy enough for both biker and walkers to yield to each other. I ride across the I-5 bridge at least 3 days a week and there never seems to be that much of a problem and that is a very narrow walkway. How can we get this changed back to the way it was? Steve Long (I live in Milwaukie) GIS Analyst Clark County Assessment & GIS 360-397-2391 ext. 4421 =========================================================== Graduate in less than 13 months with AIU’s Online virtual campus. Classrooms and student service as close as your computer. Highly accredited, study anytime – anywhere. http://click.topica.com/caab6anaVxiDpa8GKkUf/ AIU =========================================================== To respond to the whole group send to ob-@topica.com. To respond to the list manager send to cmur-@obra.org To unsubscribe send to obra-uns-@topica.com _________________________________________________________________ Lose those love handles! MSN Fitness shows you two moves to slim your waist. http://fitness.msn.com/articles/feeds/article.aspx?dept=exercise&article=et_pv_030104_lovehandles |
