October 9th, 2012 Oxford/Jimmy Lee Recreation Center.
Jeff Zaayer, Bill Lindeke and others in attendance produced a list of priority projects for Amy Brendmoen and reviewed Andy Singer’s draft of a project priority list for MnDOT. The priority list for Council Woman Amy Brendmoen (Ward 5) was the following letter, sent on October 22, by Jeff Zaayer–
Dear Council Member Brendmoen,
At our last Saint Paul Bicycle Coalition meeting we assembled a list of items that we feel would be worth while for you to pursue. These items fall into 2 categories: Policy items that can be implemented city wide, and project items that fall within your ward or would have a direct benefit to your ward or the city as a whole. They are as follows.
Policy:
1) A written city policy requiring that all operators of city vehicles (parks, police, fire, inspections, public works, etc.) stop for pedestrians at crosswalks and provide a 3’ space when passing cyclists on roads. While the coalition is aware that these items are already law we feel that having them as policy that is encouraged and enforced will help to create a culture within the city that actually obeys these laws.
2) Some sort of way to streamline the process for the cost share bike parking program, and also allow for more variance in the guidelines that allow for racks to be installed in more places than is currently allowed under the program. We feel that if a business wants to participate in this program the city should be doing everything it can to help them get a rack, including helping come up with variances when a businesses frontage may not be able to fully accommodate the minimum spacing as it currently is. Also we would like to see expanded or in some cases implementation of bike parking in areas where parking is insufficient, like the farmers market, Mears park, Excel energy center, and many neighborhood business nodes throughout the city. Also some sort of standardized parking for schools and park facilities (Highland elementary is an excellent example of what bike parking should look like at every school in the city).
3) More timely implementation of approved projects like, Furness Parkway trail extension, and Prior Ave bikeway markings and signage, or at the very least better communication regarding possible delays.
4) Some sort of priority for snow removal on at minimum one East/West and one North/South route within each quadrant of the city.
Projects:
1) A bridge over the BNSF rail corridor at Chatsworth
2) A connection at Western Ave over the UP rail corridor and through Willow park from Maryland Ave to Wheelock Pkwy
3) A North bound (uphill) bike lane on Edgerton St
4) Painted Shoulders on Wheelock Pkwy. Much of Wheelock Pkwy has no parking and allows ample room to share the road but the lack of a striped shoulder provides more opportunity for motorists to wander from side to side while driving. A good portion through the North end has room for a Mixed use path off to the side of the road as well.
5) Designation of Victoria from Como to Lexington as a Bike Route, and improvements to help make it more bike friendly. 6) Improved downtown connections at Kellogg Blvd (both ends), Jackson St, and Wabasha St. I’ve added a 7th item at my own discretion
7)Installation of the 2 bicycle friendly community signs the city received from the league of American bicyclists as part of the cities bicycle friendly community designation. Perhaps one on the Western side of the city at Como or Marshall, and one on the Eastern end perhaps at the Gateway Trail at Larpenteur, Point Douglas Road at Bailey Rd, or Battle Creek Trail at McKnight Rd. Or we could always get more signs made and install them where every bike route enters the city.
Cyclingly,
Jeff Zaayer Saint Paul Bicycle Coalition Co-Chair 1750 Saunders Ave Saint Paul, MN 55116 952-237-6942 http://saintpaulbicyclecoalition.org/