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"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

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AND

 

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

"10 of the 12 high injury crash corridors in the City of Cleveland are on the east side."

 

Some of that might be the drivers.  I drive all over this city, and I'm always amazed driving on the Eastside how many people will whip by you at 50+ in the curb lane, run lights, and just generally "drive it like they stole it".  Almost never see that on the Westside.

  • 1 month later...
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"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

Hey guys - 

 

I thought of everyone this morning for all the wrong reasons and I figured I would share. I think this is the appropriate forum to share this mildly traumatizing story and my mea culpa...

 

Before joining UrbanOhio, I had little concept of the importance of bike lanes. However, ever since I've been converted and fervently supported increased bike and pedestrian accessibility in our city. When Vision Zero was proposed, I was really excited about it, to the point that I reached out to my councilman to see if any volunteers were needed to support research, or for any other purpose to get this ball rolling. 

 

NONETHELESS - I drove my wife to the airport this morning and headed back downtown. My GPS redirected me to get off at Bellaire and take Berea Rd. to 45th to the Shoreway - so I followed along. About 10 minutes after leaving the airport, it struck. I had to poop worse than I ever had in my life (in my new car) and genuinely thought I was about to go in my work pants. I diverted from the route and decided to go home, as no GD drug stores seemed to be open and I swear to God I didn't pass a single fast food place (so goes life). I turned onto Detroit and the panic set in "I'm going to sh** myself, oh my god." I repeated to myself over and over, as the goose bumps and cold sweats overcame me. That's when I decided traffic wasn't for me, and took advantages of the clearings left by the bike lanes on this rainy morning. I know it was wrong, but I had to - and I took the final 1.2 miles of my journey speeding through a bike lane wondering how I would explain the forthcoming smell and stains on my pants to my dry cleaner. In the nick of time, I pulled into my driveway and, leaving my car door open and the car running, sprinted inside in the nick of time - saving both my dignity and my pants. 

 

As such, I would like to apologize for my solemn pledge to help bike accessibility and safety in this city, as this morning I was a raving lunatic and hypocrite. I hope you can all forgive me, and from this point forward - I shall practice what I preach in re: Vision Zero. 

^ I thought this stuff only happened to me. Except in my case it's usually having to pee so bad and the closer I get to my house the more my bladder wants to let loose.

Edited by freefourur

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Try having a toddler...

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

32 minutes ago, KJP said:

Try having a toddler...

I have two small children. Long road trips are always fun. 

  • 2 weeks later...
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"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

  • 1 year later...
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"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

  • 1 month later...
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This storefront near my son's school was destroyed over the weekend by a car speeding north on West 53rd, across Lorain Avenue, and into this building. Many of you may be too young to understand the attempt at humor regarding the Kool Aid Man "Oh yeah!"

 

 

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

16 minutes ago, KJP said:

This storefront near my son's school was destroyed over the weekend by a car speeding north on West 53rd, across Lorain Avenue, and into this building. Many of you may be too young to understand the attempt at humor regarding the Kool Aid Man "Oh yeah!"

 

 


I really hope the Lorain Ave Bikeway concept comes to fruition. So much potential... I despise walking down Lorain Ave. Horrible pedestrian AND driving experience. 

Someone a couple weeks ago smashed up a house on Clifton right at the Baltic turn. The front porch was destroyed, and it was all brick, so I hate to see what the car looked like. I live right on Clifton. The speeding has been getting worse I feel like, especially with the ass-hats on the crotch rockets.

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Saw that. The house next door on Clifton had its wooden front porch destroyed a few years ago too. But yeah, bikes are the problem...

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

I doubt that pedestrian improvements are going to help with these people crashing into buildings.  They're either drunk or high, or driving stolen cars.

On 5/17/2021 at 3:34 PM, KJP said:

This storefront near my son's school was destroyed over the weekend by a car speeding north on West 53rd, across Lorain Avenue, and into this building. Many of you may be too young to understand the attempt at humor regarding the Kool Aid Man "Oh yeah!"

 

 

 

Did you see the video I posted in the Complete Streets thread?:

Why Cars Rarely Crash Into Buildings in the Netherlands:

 

 

On 5/17/2021 at 6:06 PM, X said:

I doubt that pedestrian improvements are going to help with these people crashing into buildings.  They're either drunk or high, or driving stolen cars.

 

Proper traffic calming would.  We often design streets for speeds that are higher than posted speed limits.  They encourage speeding. 

Edited by gildone
To avoid a double-post

On 5/17/2021 at 3:34 PM, KJP said:

This storefront near my son's school was destroyed over the weekend by a car speeding north on West 53rd, across Lorain Avenue, and into this building. Many of you may be too young to understand the attempt at humor regarding the Kool Aid Man "Oh yeah!"

 

 

I'm friends with the tenant. It was a drunk driver so unfortunately I don't think any amount of bike lanes or traffic calming measures would've stopped this from happening :(

 

Luckily my friend and his girlfriend were uninjured. Their cat was killed in the accident though 😭

On 5/17/2021 at 3:59 PM, YO to the CLE said:

Someone a couple weeks ago smashed up a house on Clifton right at the Baltic turn. The front porch was destroyed, and it was all brick, so I hate to see what the car looked like. I live right on Clifton. The speeding has been getting worse I feel like, especially with the ass-hats on the crotch rockets.

 

The resurgence of Edgewater park has a big part this negative aspect.   On any given nice day, the air is filled with the sounds of not only crotch rockets, but light-covered Harleys blasting music and a large contingent of "tuner cars" with loud exhausts.   If you hang out near Don's Lighthouse it's disheartening to see them all wind up and take off eastbound on the Shoreway.   It makes me wish there were speed camera tickets again.  

 

 

Those folks have been out in force for the past year or so- the I-90 underpass through Tremont has become a major hotspot for them too.  I'm amazed nobody has been killed by their BS.... yet.

  • 3 months later...

The Jackson administration tried to block complete and green streets legislation

Lee Chilcote - The Land - Sep. 3, 2021

 

Screenshot+2021-09-03+145220.jpg?format=

 

"Ward 3 councilman Kerry McCormack introduced a new complete and green streets ordinance protecting vulnerable road users in August 2020, yet for more than a year, it’s been stalled at city hall. ... With the help of city council’s staff attorneys, he recently learned that the administration is required to provide a mandatory referral within 30 days of council submitting a request for one. If the city refuses, then it is deemed approved and city council can begin hearing it at its committees due to the administration’s inaction. McCormack said council attorneys submitted the official referral August 5th, yet the planning commission didn’t put it on their August 6th, August 20th, or September 3rd agendas. As of Tuesday, August 6th, McCormack said, the 30-day term will be up. Given this, McCormack expects it to now appear on the next agenda of the Development, Planning and Sustainability (DPS) committee."

 

 

Here is a link to City Ordinance No. 676-2020:

image.png.9c34545dc5775a14a0b9e9c3bcc239f6.png

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Zero surprise

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

  • 3 weeks later...
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"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

  • X locked this topic
  • X unlocked this topic
  • 4 weeks later...
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"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

The city will never achieve "vision zero" if it doesn't even bother to pursue or arrest the rogue ATV and dirt bike riders. I hope they will give me that $25 now :)

Edited by seicer

  • 3 weeks later...
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"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

  • 5 weeks later...
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"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

  • 2 weeks later...
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5 minutes ago, jws said:

For sure. I bike to work via Euclid and right now and my main thought is how they've created a setup that is inefficient (for the HealthLine) at best and dangerous for bikers and pedestrians at its worst. They've periodically been doing the same thing with the construction in Midtown, too.

 

Sounds like the city and all developers who are involved need to be subjected to a class-action lawsuit. Unfortunately, it's probably going to have more meaning after someone gets seriously hurt or killed.

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

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"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

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"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

image.png.becc3fc3074ad5d5ae83713427278337.png

 

I'm not sure this is obvious or even true. I wonder how many people use the redline-greenway to stop by hooples. it literally might be zero on most days. (there is enough parking even with the trail, so i don't necessarily side with hoople's ownership either) 

 

I live along the towpath and run on it most days. It is not very high traffic and most people are using it for an exercise regiment, not to get to places. The redline-greenway has been mostly vacant whenever I've used it. These rails to trails routs are great amenities for the community and hopefully can become something of a bike street once all the local trails are more connected, but i don't think there is evidence that they are revenue drivers for anything yet.

9 minutes ago, Whipjacka said:

I live along the towpath and run on it most days. It is not very high traffic and most people are using it for an exercise regiment, not to get to places. The redline-greenway has been mostly vacant whenever I've used it. These rails to trails routs are great amenities for the community and hopefully can become something of a bike street once all the local trails are more connected, but i don't think there is evidence that they are revenue drivers for anything yet.

 

"Yet."  I think that is key.  As the bike trails get connected to more places there will be more reasons to use them.  I also think that the recent boom in electric bike options in combination with bike paths separate from car traffic is going to bring a lot more people out on bikes when the weather is nice.  

2 hours ago, Whipjacka said:

image.png.becc3fc3074ad5d5ae83713427278337.png

 

I'm not sure this is obvious or even true. I wonder how many people use the redline-greenway to stop by hooples. it literally might be zero on most days. (there is enough parking even with the trail, so i don't necessarily side with hoople's ownership either) 

 

I live along the towpath and run on it most days. It is not very high traffic and most people are using it for an exercise regiment, not to get to places. The redline-greenway has been mostly vacant whenever I've used it. These rails to trails routs are great amenities for the community and hopefully can become something of a bike street once all the local trails are more connected, but i don't think there is evidence that they are revenue drivers for anything yet.

I have used the greenway and stopped at hooples for the sole reason that it was on the trail. And it was great. Also went to Fat Cats as well off the trail. 

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Jeez...

 

 

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

On 12/22/2021 at 10:00 AM, KJP said:

 

Sounds like the city and all developers who are involved need to be subjected to a class-action lawsuit. Unfortunately, it's probably going to have more meaning after someone gets seriously hurt or killed.

Was a maintenance of traffic plan provided by the developer during the review process?

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Maintenance of traffic plans are not part of Cleveland's design review process.

 

A maintenance of traffic plan was approved days before site preparation work started.

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

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"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

Interesting concept for Euclid Ave on CWRU campus

 

 

When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?

  • 2 months later...
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"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

  • 4 weeks later...
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American cities are brutal environments for humans without cars wrapped around their bodies 

 

 

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

  • 2 weeks later...
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"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

  • 4 weeks later...
  • Author

 

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

4 minutes ago, KJP said:

 

 

I had a conversations with a handful of bike/ped folk and it really is getting frustrating how quiet this admin has been so far with transportation issues. I know it takes getting up to speed and 6 months is such a short time, but like comeon, did we really need green streets legislation to see the obvious? Is it worth putting large amounts of political capital into the midway when there's barely any connected bike lanes in this city (different funding sources, I get it..)? Like yeah, the world is peachy when you live in OC/Tremont and all you have to do is cross a bridge and you're home...meanwhile riding to/from Old Brooklyn (or any other secondary/fringe(?) neighborhood can be a sh*tshow.

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Feel better @GISguy🙂

 

 

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

15 hours ago, KJP said:

Feel better @GISguy🙂

 

 

 

We shall see, seriously, don't let my negativity/disdain for idiot drivers/the previous administration overshadow what progress has been made in a short time. 

 

Here's the BUT- nothing has been visible to the public outside of city hall meetings and hirings - an initial blitz to repaint bike lanes, add sharrows (as useless as they are), and signage would go a long way to show that he's "doing" something, even as small as it'd be compared to Green Streets.

On 6/8/2022 at 11:32 AM, GISguy said:

 

We shall see, seriously, don't let my negativity/disdain for idiot drivers/the previous administration overshadow what progress has been made in a short time. 

 

Here's the BUT- nothing has been visible to the public outside of city hall meetings and hirings - an initial blitz to repaint bike lanes, add sharrows (as useless as they are), and signage would go a long way to show that he's "doing" something, even as small as it'd be compared to Green Streets.

 

They were painting Detroit today lol

 

PXL_20220611_141611667

 

 

 

 

  • 1 month later...

Cleveland speed table pilot coming in August!

 

When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?

I went to the kind of cocktail party EVERYONE universally loathes this weekend... 

 

In a moment of brief hope, I had a discussion with a lady in her 50s about how excited we both were about the potential for reorganizing Detroit and some other roads and providing bike only lanes. 

 

We were interrupted by a young lady slightly younger than me (probably 28) who told us that bike lanes are a form of "transportation privilege" and would hurt marginalized communities. 

 

If there was a rooftop patio I would've jumped. 

4 minutes ago, YABO713 said:

I went to the kind of cocktail party EVERYONE universally loathes this weekend... 

 

In a moment of brief hope, I had a discussion with a lady in her 50s about how excited we both were about the potential for reorganizing Detroit and some other roads and providing bike only lanes. 

 

We were interrupted by a young lady slightly younger than me (probably 28) who told us that bike lanes are a form of "transportation privilege" and would hurt marginalized communities. 

 

If there was a rooftop patio I would've jumped. 

Don't you know that marginalized communities don't ride bicycles? They all own cars.  

1 minute ago, freefourur said:

Don't you know that marginalized communities don't ride bicycles? They all own cars.  

 

Bikes are substantially more expensive than cars and an annual RTA pass. Everyone knows that. 

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