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Bike lane coasting along when all of a sudden ...
Sometimes a bike lane is more than just a bike lane. The Central
Parkway Bikeway Project is one of those. First of all, this is not a simple white stripe running along the side of the road to provide breathing room for people wearing tight black shorts. No, this is what is called a protected bike lane, or cycle track. It would set aside a full lane on each side of Central Parkway, with barriers protecting riders from traffic. The Central Parkway Bikeway Project is also significant because it would connect a string of neighborhoods: Downtown, Over-the-Rhine, West End, University Heights, Clifton and Northside. "This is a game-changer for our community," said Mel McVay, senior city planner with the Department of Transportation & Engineering. But this bike path, 5 miles in each direction, includes politics and federal money and engineers and businesses and people who love to ride bikes. So even though this was a plan that looked like a sure thing, everything could change. Or stop. Mayor John Cranley has questions, the "new" council has concerns and some businesses along the route have worries about parking. A public hearing will take place Monday at City Hall, which could change everything. Let the hand-wringing commence. First, some history. The City Council approved the plan, unanimously, last year. Bids for the job have come in and the work could begin within months. The project itself is relatively cheap; the total cost would be $600,000, with $500,000 coming from the federal government. The mayor's office is clear, or clear-ish, that the Central Parkway Bikeway Project is still happening. Or at least that it has not been stopped. "No, it's approved by council. The only way it won't happen is if a majority of council decides to do something else," said Kevin Osborne, the mayor's spokesman. "We're just trying to balance the interests of the business owners and the cycling community to get a win-win for everyone." And some businesses along Central Parkway say eliminating two lanes, one in each direction, will slow traffic and put a limitation on parking, north of Liberty Street, that could hurt some businesses. Central Parkway is an important street, but one without much of an identity between Downtown and Clifton. There are old buildings, mostly nondescript. There are automotive shops, little restaurants, small churches and breweries that smell like hops. The street has seen hard times. But that's why Tim Haines is fighting so hard to keep the bike lanes from happening. Haines has a story of hard work and perseverance and success, and he wants it to continue. He bought a "blighted" building on Central Parkway, the Mohawk Brighton Building, and fixed it up. "It is vital now, it generates taxes," Haines said. "There are 12 business tenants and 60 employees. My building will be adversely affected." Haines says he is not anti-bike. He repeats again and again that he owns two bicycles. But he says the elimination of two lanes will make a mess of traffic and parking will become a problem. Another business owner, who did not want to go on record for fear of offending the pro-bike-lane side, said he was very worried about parking restrictions. There would be restrictions, much like those that exist Downtown, that would not allow parking on the inbound side of Central Parkway in the morning and outbound for the evening commute. City planner McVay said there should not be worries about traffic. Central Parkway's route has a variety of widths, from 50 feet to 120 feet. With bike lanes, some of the traffic will be two lanes in each direction, and some will be one lane in each direction. The total traffic on the street, typically 14,000 to 18,000 cars per day depending on the location, "can be easily accommodated by one or two lanes" said McVay. The mayor has asked the city manager to not award the contract to build the lanes until he has more time to hear from citizens and get answers to his questions. But, Osborne says, this does not necessarily mean he wants to stop the project. "The mayor's request is just that, a request. The mayor and several council members had some questions about the project," Osborne said. But the clock is ticking. The $500,000 from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Transportation Alternatives Program has a sunset provision. If the contract for the job is not awarded by May 2, the money goes away. In fairness, the plan was discussed, a process that began more than a year ago. When it announced the Central Parkway Bikeway Project, the city's Bike Transportation Program mentioned those meetings: "After meeting with the Over-the-Rhine, West End, CUF and Clifton community councils throughout the spring and summer of 2013 and receiving feedback from hundreds of residents, community consensus was reached on a new street design which includes a bike way called a protected bike lane." Nern Ostendorf, executive director of Queen City Bike, a bike advocacy organization, says this plan has been talked about and talked about. "This process has been going on for at least a couple of years," Ostendorf said. "It got the most feedback and the most support of any project we have ever worked on." It is not an accident that these bike lanes would connect Northside, Clifton, Over-the-Rhine and Downtown. "There are so many bicyclists in those (areas) already," McVay said. "This would connect businesses and people and neighborhoods." But there are more people who drive. And Councilman David Mann thinks they do not know about the changes to a road that he drives every day, from his home in Clifton to Downtown. "A lot of people who are going to be impacted by it, they have no idea," Mann said. He said he wants more information about the bike lane. He also said this council should not be beholden to every decision made by the previous City Council, which he called "the lame duck council." Mann says he is not committed for or against the bike lanes. These lanes do exist in Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C., and other places. McVay says research shows a protected bike lane doubles usage compared to a regular bike lane on the same route. Ostendorf says that is the point. The lanes feel removed from traffic, which can attract people who are otherwise nervous about riding among vehicles. "It's a bike lane for regular people," Ostendorf said. "It feels safe and comfortable enough for everyday riders. People who might not ride otherwise." Monday at City Hall, people who ride and people who do not will have a chance to keep talking about it. fS Public hearing The Neighborhoods Committee has scheduled a public hearing for 2 p.m. Monday in Council Chambers, 801 Plum St. The Central Parkway Bikeway Project will be part of the conversation. http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news...essed/7853535/ --- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: --- |
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#2
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Bike lane coasting along when all of a sudden ...
too short...waste of $$$...narrow minded...provincial....connecting nabs allows liberals ride thru your housing area.
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#3
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Bike lane coasting along when all of a sudden ...
On Friday, April 18, 2014 9:17:15 AM UTC-4, DATAKOLL MARINE RESEARCH wrote:
too short...waste of $$$...narrow minded...provincial....connecting nabs allows liberals ride thru your housing area. ....... time its done that 200k/mile http://goo.gl/i2WXEf |
#4
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Bike lane coasting along when all of a sudden ...
On Friday, April 18, 2014 9:20:27 AM UTC-4, DATAKOLL MARINE RESEARCH wrote:
On Friday, April 18, 2014 9:17:15 AM UTC-4, DATAKOLL MARINE RESEARCH wrote: too short...waste of $$$...narrow minded...provincial....connecting nabs allows liberals ride thru your housing area. ...... time its done that 200k/mile http://goo.gl/i2WXEf vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv http://kdvr.com/2014/03/20/cdot-colo...nd-byways-map/ |
#5
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Cincinnati City Council committee to discuss Central Parkway bikeway project on Monday
On Fri, 18 Apr 2014 08:18:48 -0400, Garrison Hilliard
wrote: Sometimes a bike lane is more than just a bike lane. The Central Parkway Bikeway Project is one of those. First of all, this is not a simple white stripe running along the side of the road to provide breathing room for people wearing tight black shorts. No, this is what is called a protected bike lane, or cycle track. It would set aside a full lane on each side of Central Parkway, with barriers protecting riders from traffic. The Central Parkway Bikeway Project is also significant because it would connect a string of neighborhoods: Downtown, Over-the-Rhine, West End, University Heights, Clifton and Northside. "This is a game-changer for our community," said Mel McVay, senior city planner with the Department of Transportation & Engineering. But this bike path, 5 miles in each direction, includes politics and federal money and engineers and businesses and people who love to ride bikes. So even though this was a plan that looked like a sure thing, everything could change. Or stop. Mayor John Cranley has questions, the "new" council has concerns and some businesses along the route have worries about parking. A public hearing will take place Monday at City Hall, which could change everything. Let the hand-wringing commence. First, some history. The City Council approved the plan, unanimously, last year. Bids for the job have come in and the work could begin within months. The project itself is relatively cheap; the total cost would be $600,000, with $500,000 coming from the federal government. The mayor's office is clear, or clear-ish, that the Central Parkway Bikeway Project is still happening. Or at least that it has not been stopped. "No, it's approved by council. The only way it won't happen is if a majority of council decides to do something else," said Kevin Osborne, the mayor's spokesman. "We're just trying to balance the interests of the business owners and the cycling community to get a win-win for everyone." And some businesses along Central Parkway say eliminating two lanes, one in each direction, will slow traffic and put a limitation on parking, north of Liberty Street, that could hurt some businesses. Central Parkway is an important street, but one without much of an identity between Downtown and Clifton. There are old buildings, mostly nondescript. There are automotive shops, little restaurants, small churches and breweries that smell like hops. The street has seen hard times. But that's why Tim Haines is fighting so hard to keep the bike lanes from happening. Haines has a story of hard work and perseverance and success, and he wants it to continue. He bought a "blighted" building on Central Parkway, the Mohawk Brighton Building, and fixed it up. "It is vital now, it generates taxes," Haines said. "There are 12 business tenants and 60 employees. My building will be adversely affected." Haines says he is not anti-bike. He repeats again and again that he owns two bicycles. But he says the elimination of two lanes will make a mess of traffic and parking will become a problem. Another business owner, who did not want to go on record for fear of offending the pro-bike-lane side, said he was very worried about parking restrictions. There would be restrictions, much like those that exist Downtown, that would not allow parking on the inbound side of Central Parkway in the morning and outbound for the evening commute. City planner McVay said there should not be worries about traffic. Central Parkway's route has a variety of widths, from 50 feet to 120 feet. With bike lanes, some of the traffic will be two lanes in each direction, and some will be one lane in each direction. The total traffic on the street, typically 14,000 to 18,000 cars per day depending on the location, "can be easily accommodated by one or two lanes" said McVay. The mayor has asked the city manager to not award the contract to build the lanes until he has more time to hear from citizens and get answers to his questions. But, Osborne says, this does not necessarily mean he wants to stop the project. "The mayor's request is just that, a request. The mayor and several council members had some questions about the project," Osborne said. But the clock is ticking. The $500,000 from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Transportation Alternatives Program has a sunset provision. If the contract for the job is not awarded by May 2, the money goes away. In fairness, the plan was discussed, a process that began more than a year ago. When it announced the Central Parkway Bikeway Project, the city's Bike Transportation Program mentioned those meetings: "After meeting with the Over-the-Rhine, West End, CUF and Clifton community councils throughout the spring and summer of 2013 and receiving feedback from hundreds of residents, community consensus was reached on a new street design which includes a bike way called a protected bike lane." Nern Ostendorf, executive director of Queen City Bike, a bike advocacy organization, says this plan has been talked about and talked about. "This process has been going on for at least a couple of years," Ostendorf said. "It got the most feedback and the most support of any project we have ever worked on." It is not an accident that these bike lanes would connect Northside, Clifton, Over-the-Rhine and Downtown. "There are so many bicyclists in those (areas) already," McVay said. "This would connect businesses and people and neighborhoods." But there are more people who drive. And Councilman David Mann thinks they do not know about the changes to a road that he drives every day, from his home in Clifton to Downtown. "A lot of people who are going to be impacted by it, they have no idea," Mann said. He said he wants more information about the bike lane. He also said this council should not be beholden to every decision made by the previous City Council, which he called "the lame duck council." Mann says he is not committed for or against the bike lanes. These lanes do exist in Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C., and other places. McVay says research shows a protected bike lane doubles usage compared to a regular bike lane on the same route. Ostendorf says that is the point. The lanes feel removed from traffic, which can attract people who are otherwise nervous about riding among vehicles. "It's a bike lane for regular people," Ostendorf said. "It feels safe and comfortable enough for everyday riders. People who might not ride otherwise." Monday at City Hall, people who ride and people who do not will have a chance to keep talking about it. fS Public hearing The Neighborhoods Committee has scheduled a public hearing for 2 p.m. Monday in Council Chambers, 801 Plum St. The Central Parkway Bikeway Project will be part of the conversation. http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news...essed/7853535/ CINCINNATI - A scheduled meeting Monday for City Council’s neighborhoods committee could go a long way toward determining the future of the longstanding Central Parkway bikeway project. Several local bicyclist groups plan to attend the 2 p.m. meeting at City Hall to voice their support for the project after it was called into question last week when Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley put a hold on awarding a construction contract. The contract is needed to continue with the second stage of the project, planned to begin in spring 2014. "We are taking our role as the public voice of Cincinnati's bicycling interests in this process very earnestly and we are doing everything we can to ensure that this very widely supported community project will be carried out as planned," according to Nern Ostendorf, executive director of the nonprofit group Queen City Bike. Cranley's spokesperson, Kevin Osborne, said Wednesday that the mayor simply made a "request" to hold off on signing the deal after several parties voiced concerns over the project and sought additional information. "The mayor and several council members were contacted by businesses and commuters concerned about the project," he said. "They had some questions about it, and they asked the city manager and transportation director to hold off until they got some answers.” On Nov. 12, 2013, Cincinnati City Council authorized the city manager to accept a $500,000 grant from the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana (OKI) Regional Council of Governments’ transportation alternatives program. The city had applied for the grant the previous March. The grant requires a 20 percent local match ($125,000) in funding. Based on community input, the Cincinnati Department of Transportation and Engineering (DOTE) developed a new street design for Central Parkway between Elm Street in Over-the-Rhine and Ludlow Avenue in Clifton. The plan to install protected bike lane (or cycle track) on Central Parkway between Elm Street in Over-the-Rhine and Ludlow Avenue in Clifton is widely supported by bicyclists, many of whom are concerned with their safety and that of other riders. Bikeway projects supporters like Ostendorf contend the project is necessary for both the well-being of the riders and the community. "A protected bike lane will improve and serve the communities it connects with safe and comfortable bicycle routes, a calmer and less dangerous roadway, improve local business, and relieve parking and traffic downtown," said Ostendorf who plans to attend Monday's meeting. Under the proposed design, crews won't widen the street but instead re-stripe it to include a bikeway. This bikeway will connect to the existing bike lanes on Ludlow Avenue, and to a new shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The new street design will include some peak-hour parking restrictions. Project leaders divided road work into two phases: DOTE is currently working on Phase 1, which stretches from Elm Street to Marshall Avenue. As the project moves along, DOTE is coordinating with community councils with the intentions of beginning new construction. While his office did not provide specific concerns or complaining parties, the mayor's office said through Osborne that it's open to a "compromise" on the deal. "We’re just trying to balance the interests of the business owners and the cycling community. We’d like to get a compromise that everyone can live with,” Osborne said. Ostendorf said Wednesday that she doesn't understand the objections to the project because it has been designed to take the best interests of both bicyclists and motorists into account. "It has been designed to minimally impact traffic flow, to retain a majority of on street parking, and to open up the street as a bikeway for users of all ages and abilities," she said. Despite the fears of the pro-bike contingent, Osborne said even though Cranley was able to put a freeze on the project, he can't permanently stop it. "The bike project is approved by council. The only way it won’t happen is if a majority of council decides to do something differently," he told WCPO. Six members of the previous council that unanimously approved the bikeway effort are on the current council. http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/...ject-on-monday --- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: --- |
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Cincinnati City Council committee to discuss Central Parkwaybikeway project on Monday
6 council members' bro-in-law owns a paving company
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#7
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Cincinnati City Council committee to discuss Central Parkwaybikeway project on Monday
On Monday, April 21, 2014 2:17:15 PM UTC-4, DATAKOLL MARINE RESEARCH wrote:
6 council members' bro-in-law owns a paving company you know the old saying ? never turn your back on the asphalt plant |
#8
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Cincinnati City Council committee to discuss Central Parkwaybikeway project on Monday
On 4/21/2014 1:17 PM, DATAKOLL MARINE RESEARCH wrote:
6 council members' bro-in-law owns a paving company That is no different in one city than any other. -- Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org/ Open every day since 1 April, 1971 |
#9
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Cincinnati City Council committee to discuss Central Parkwaybikeway project on Monday
" That is no different in one city than any other." butnot Chicago, NY, SF LA or Dallas/Huston/uh Fort Worth... one could...Frank ? Frank is in Ohio rght and Cinn is same ? Cinncinnati is in Ohio right ? yeah, we may search "bicycle Metropolis" then look down the sheet to see where the bike trans program is.. Cinns rates up https://www.google.com/#q=bicycle+cincinnati+ohio or maybe more people are searching there to find out what the expletive deleted is going on with the great asphalt ripoff. |
#10
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Cincinnati City Council committee to discuss Central Parkway bikeway project on Monday
On Mon, 21 Apr 2014 11:05:35 -0400, Garrison Hilliard
wrote: On Fri, 18 Apr 2014 08:18:48 -0400, Garrison Hilliard wrote: Sometimes a bike lane is more than just a bike lane. The Central Parkway Bikeway Project is one of those. First of all, this is not a simple white stripe running along the side of the road to provide breathing room for people wearing tight black shorts. No, this is what is called a protected bike lane, or cycle track. It would set aside a full lane on each side of Central Parkway, with barriers protecting riders from traffic. The Central Parkway Bikeway Project is also significant because it would connect a string of neighborhoods: Downtown, Over-the-Rhine, West End, University Heights, Clifton and Northside. "This is a game-changer for our community," said Mel McVay, senior city planner with the Department of Transportation & Engineering. But this bike path, 5 miles in each direction, includes politics and federal money and engineers and businesses and people who love to ride bikes. So even though this was a plan that looked like a sure thing, everything could change. Or stop. Mayor John Cranley has questions, the "new" council has concerns and some businesses along the route have worries about parking. A public hearing will take place Monday at City Hall, which could change everything. Let the hand-wringing commence. First, some history. The City Council approved the plan, unanimously, last year. Bids for the job have come in and the work could begin within months. The project itself is relatively cheap; the total cost would be $600,000, with $500,000 coming from the federal government. The mayor's office is clear, or clear-ish, that the Central Parkway Bikeway Project is still happening. Or at least that it has not been stopped. "No, it's approved by council. The only way it won't happen is if a majority of council decides to do something else," said Kevin Osborne, the mayor's spokesman. "We're just trying to balance the interests of the business owners and the cycling community to get a win-win for everyone." And some businesses along Central Parkway say eliminating two lanes, one in each direction, will slow traffic and put a limitation on parking, north of Liberty Street, that could hurt some businesses. Central Parkway is an important street, but one without much of an identity between Downtown and Clifton. There are old buildings, mostly nondescript. There are automotive shops, little restaurants, small churches and breweries that smell like hops. The street has seen hard times. But that's why Tim Haines is fighting so hard to keep the bike lanes from happening. Haines has a story of hard work and perseverance and success, and he wants it to continue. He bought a "blighted" building on Central Parkway, the Mohawk Brighton Building, and fixed it up. "It is vital now, it generates taxes," Haines said. "There are 12 business tenants and 60 employees. My building will be adversely affected." Haines says he is not anti-bike. He repeats again and again that he owns two bicycles. But he says the elimination of two lanes will make a mess of traffic and parking will become a problem. Another business owner, who did not want to go on record for fear of offending the pro-bike-lane side, said he was very worried about parking restrictions. There would be restrictions, much like those that exist Downtown, that would not allow parking on the inbound side of Central Parkway in the morning and outbound for the evening commute. City planner McVay said there should not be worries about traffic. Central Parkway's route has a variety of widths, from 50 feet to 120 feet. With bike lanes, some of the traffic will be two lanes in each direction, and some will be one lane in each direction. The total traffic on the street, typically 14,000 to 18,000 cars per day depending on the location, "can be easily accommodated by one or two lanes" said McVay. The mayor has asked the city manager to not award the contract to build the lanes until he has more time to hear from citizens and get answers to his questions. But, Osborne says, this does not necessarily mean he wants to stop the project. "The mayor's request is just that, a request. The mayor and several council members had some questions about the project," Osborne said. But the clock is ticking. The $500,000 from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Transportation Alternatives Program has a sunset provision. If the contract for the job is not awarded by May 2, the money goes away. In fairness, the plan was discussed, a process that began more than a year ago. When it announced the Central Parkway Bikeway Project, the city's Bike Transportation Program mentioned those meetings: "After meeting with the Over-the-Rhine, West End, CUF and Clifton community councils throughout the spring and summer of 2013 and receiving feedback from hundreds of residents, community consensus was reached on a new street design which includes a bike way called a protected bike lane." Nern Ostendorf, executive director of Queen City Bike, a bike advocacy organization, says this plan has been talked about and talked about. "This process has been going on for at least a couple of years," Ostendorf said. "It got the most feedback and the most support of any project we have ever worked on." It is not an accident that these bike lanes would connect Northside, Clifton, Over-the-Rhine and Downtown. "There are so many bicyclists in those (areas) already," McVay said. "This would connect businesses and people and neighborhoods." But there are more people who drive. And Councilman David Mann thinks they do not know about the changes to a road that he drives every day, from his home in Clifton to Downtown. "A lot of people who are going to be impacted by it, they have no idea," Mann said. He said he wants more information about the bike lane. He also said this council should not be beholden to every decision made by the previous City Council, which he called "the lame duck council." Mann says he is not committed for or against the bike lanes. These lanes do exist in Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C., and other places. McVay says research shows a protected bike lane doubles usage compared to a regular bike lane on the same route. Ostendorf says that is the point. The lanes feel removed from traffic, which can attract people who are otherwise nervous about riding among vehicles. "It's a bike lane for regular people," Ostendorf said. "It feels safe and comfortable enough for everyday riders. People who might not ride otherwise." Monday at City Hall, people who ride and people who do not will have a chance to keep talking about it. fS Public hearing The Neighborhoods Committee has scheduled a public hearing for 2 p.m. Monday in Council Chambers, 801 Plum St. The Central Parkway Bikeway Project will be part of the conversation. http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news...essed/7853535/ CINCINNATI - A scheduled meeting Monday for City Council’s neighborhoods committee could go a long way toward determining the future of the longstanding Central Parkway bikeway project. Several local bicyclist groups plan to attend the 2 p.m. meeting at City Hall to voice their support for the project after it was called into question last week when Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley put a hold on awarding a construction contract. The contract is needed to continue with the second stage of the project, planned to begin in spring 2014. "We are taking our role as the public voice of Cincinnati's bicycling interests in this process very earnestly and we are doing everything we can to ensure that this very widely supported community project will be carried out as planned," according to Nern Ostendorf, executive director of the nonprofit group Queen City Bike. Cranley's spokesperson, Kevin Osborne, said Wednesday that the mayor simply made a "request" to hold off on signing the deal after several parties voiced concerns over the project and sought additional information. "The mayor and several council members were contacted by businesses and commuters concerned about the project," he said. "They had some questions about it, and they asked the city manager and transportation director to hold off until they got some answers.” On Nov. 12, 2013, Cincinnati City Council authorized the city manager to accept a $500,000 grant from the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana (OKI) Regional Council of Governments’ transportation alternatives program. The city had applied for the grant the previous March. The grant requires a 20 percent local match ($125,000) in funding. Based on community input, the Cincinnati Department of Transportation and Engineering (DOTE) developed a new street design for Central Parkway between Elm Street in Over-the-Rhine and Ludlow Avenue in Clifton. The plan to install protected bike lane (or cycle track) on Central Parkway between Elm Street in Over-the-Rhine and Ludlow Avenue in Clifton is widely supported by bicyclists, many of whom are concerned with their safety and that of other riders. Bikeway projects supporters like Ostendorf contend the project is necessary for both the well-being of the riders and the community. "A protected bike lane will improve and serve the communities it connects with safe and comfortable bicycle routes, a calmer and less dangerous roadway, improve local business, and relieve parking and traffic downtown," said Ostendorf who plans to attend Monday's meeting. Under the proposed design, crews won't widen the street but instead re-stripe it to include a bikeway. This bikeway will connect to the existing bike lanes on Ludlow Avenue, and to a new shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The new street design will include some peak-hour parking restrictions. Project leaders divided road work into two phases: DOTE is currently working on Phase 1, which stretches from Elm Street to Marshall Avenue. As the project moves along, DOTE is coordinating with community councils with the intentions of beginning new construction. While his office did not provide specific concerns or complaining parties, the mayor's office said through Osborne that it's open to a "compromise" on the deal. "We’re just trying to balance the interests of the business owners and the cycling community. We’d like to get a compromise that everyone can live with,” Osborne said. Ostendorf said Wednesday that she doesn't understand the objections to the project because it has been designed to take the best interests of both bicyclists and motorists into account. "It has been designed to minimally impact traffic flow, to retain a majority of on street parking, and to open up the street as a bikeway for users of all ages and abilities," she said. Despite the fears of the pro-bike contingent, Osborne said even though Cranley was able to put a freeze on the project, he can't permanently stop it. "The bike project is approved by council. The only way it won’t happen is if a majority of council decides to do something differently," he told WCPO. Six members of the previous council that unanimously approved the bikeway effort are on the current council. http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/...ject-on-monday The Central Parkway Bikeway Project remains in limbo. There could be a compromise, the plan could evaporate, or it might proceed as planned. But somehow along the way, this fairly simple $600,000 plan of white paint and plastic barriers has become something much larger. At a City Council hearing on Monday, more than 200 people waited and listened as citizens spoke with passion about the direction of their Cincinnati. They asked if this is going to be a city that looks forward or backward. Will it be a place that respects business interests, or a place that wants to build bike paths? At the end of the hearing, the answer to all those questions was quite clear: Who knows? The project, as it exists today, would consist of two lanes, one in each direction, of protected traffic along the side of Central Parkway. The path would connect a strong network of neighborhoods from Downtown, through OTR and the West End, winding its way through University Heights, Clifton and Northside. Community outreach to talk about the bike path began in March of 2013. There were public hearings and community sessions and letters sent. The City Council approved the project last November. The bikeway project came with $500,000 from the federal government, covering nearly all the costs, but there was a catch. A contract had to be signed with the builder by May 1 of this year. Things got tricky earlier this month when Mayor John Cranley started hearing questions from the business community about the bike path and what it would mean to them. That's when tribes started forming. First, there are the bike people. They love this idea for obvious reasons. These lanes, set aside and protected, would make riding north and south through the city a joy. Then there are some business people. Actually, they love the idea, too. On Monday they all seemed to go out of their way talking about how much they love to ride and how many bikes they owned. They are reasonable, they just do not want this path in front of their businesses. They do not want it slowing traffic or eliminating parking spots. Another group consisted of City Council Members Chris Seelbach, Yvette Simpson and Wendell Young. They said over and again that the plan has been approved. That the people had their chance to talk last year, and in fact did. Let's keep moving forward, they said. The last tribe was Vice Mayor David Mann. He said the plan could and should be modified to help businesses be successful. Council Member Kevin Flynn might be in this tribe, too. But he might not. It is hard to know, he said almost nothing. And a modified plan was presented at the hearing on Monday by the Department of Transportation & Engineering the Director of Transportation and Engineering, Michael Moore. He tried to not join a tribe. Moore's modified plan would save some parking spots in front of businesses. The "compromise" agreement on the inbound side of the road, would build a ramp onto a stretch that is currently a tree-lined area. That stretch, near Brighton Place, would be five parking spaces long, 18 parking spaces long, or 30 spaces long. The new costs, which the city would need to pick up, ranged from $40,000 to $150,000. It would also mean cutting between 4-15 trees - some young, some mature. Seelbach asked hard questions. You had a plan he said. You spent a year building the plan. You said it was your best proposal. Why change it now? Moore said this was the middle ground. How people felt about the new proposal depended on which tribe they were in. The bike riders said keep the existing plan, do not cut down trees. The business people seemed to think the new plan was a good idea for parking, but it did nothing for traffic. Seelbach, Simpson and Young said: We have a good plan. Where is this money going to come from? Mann said it seemed reasonable. Flynn did not seem to have an opinion, at least not one he would voice. During the hearing, when people said their words and talked about why it mattered, everybody was respectful and considerate. There was some head-shaking and maybe a little eye-rolling, but really the feeling was of people caring. Mike Nichols, who owns a antique store on Central Parkway, was worried about the safety of cyclists as he loads and unloads his trucks. John Donaldson said the Council must put the needs of business first and last. Ryan Messer said everybody had their chance to talk last year. Cincinnati must move forward. Chris Wiedman asked why people were still talking about this issue. It had been resolved. The real passion was when people were talking about their city. Some wanted to move forward with the original bike plan. Some wanted to help business first. One of the most compelling points came from one of the few people present who does not ride a bike and does not own a business on Central Parkway. John Schneider has been through this with the City Council. He was and remains one of the most vocal light rail proponents and he thinks the bike path is a good idea. But his real passion seemed to be the city itself and the decisions it is making and the conversations it is having. "I'm not a cyclist or a property owner. So I have no dog in this fight," Schneider said. "This process of rediscovery and reconfiguration is ongoing, and it's exciting. And it's going to be effective." There are now three things that could happen. If the council does nothing, the original plan goes into action. Or, five council members could bring it back for a vote and vote it down. Or five could decide to modify it. On Monday, they all seemed equally likely because at the end, nothing happened. Except people listened, which is something. http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news...llide/7987255/ --- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: --- |
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