Similar concerns were raised in Fairfield, OH last year, when a levy didn't pass, and they started cutting the bus service.  All of a sudden, they realized that there was no way to walk to their state-of-the-art school.  They started looking at the issue, but realized that even if they put sidewalks in near the school, they would lead nowhere, as the surrounding streets did not have any either.

 

There is a serious social issue for people who are unable to drive cars.  They become dependent on others to drive them places.  Young teens, older people, and those with disabilites thus are less independent and more isolated.

This is an interesting problem to look at.

 

In even some of the most sprawed areas, if only dedicated sidewalks AND bike paths were added, it would open up so many mobility options for people to get around without their cars. 

 

In Pickerington, if there were sidewalks and bike paths that were smartly connected to my housing pod, I could have access to the main street of stores and restaurants with a 5 minute bike ride (probably 1 or 2 minutes longer than in the car).

 

I think another problem as far as people like these students getting struck by cars is that drivers outside of major urban areas are not use to encountering people walking (because it is so unfeasible in many areas).  I think they need to beef up drivers education and laws to make it clear that you need to slow down and/or move to the left for pedistrians and bikes. 

I do not understand why no one bothers putting in sidewalks when building new neighborhoods.  Even more, it amazes me that people refer to these new neighborhoods as being extremely family-friendly.  I certainly would not want to live in a neighborhood like this, especially if I had children.  Do people really find it acceptable to push a baby's stroller in the middle of the street?  THat sounds like a tragedy waiting to happen. 

There was a part of Columbus (NE side?) where residents "fought" the construction of sidewalks (and streetlights) because they feared they would bring crime.

 

They must be related to the idiots in Bath Township near Akron who used their SUVs to block construction equipment from getting access to a site for a new Metro RTA park-n-ride. I'm sure they complained when gas prices hit $3 last fall, and may still be complaining about $2.30 gas.

 

People are stupid.

There was a part of Columbus (NE side?) where residents "fought" the construction of sidewalks (and streetlights) because they feared they would bring crime.

 

They must be related to the idiots in Bath Township near Akron who used their SUVs to block construction equipment from getting access to a site for a new Metro RTA park-n-ride. I'm sure they complained when gas prices hit $3 last fall, and may still be complaining about $2.30 gas.

 

People are stupid.

 

Wow!  What were they thinking - "I'll rob this place because there is a sidewalk in front of it?!?!"  Of course extra lighting will always increase crime.  :roll:

 

What was their argument against building a Metro RTA park-n-ride?

My favorite death trap non-side walk road is Mayfield Rd at SOM center. People have to walk on the grass. There is also a bus stop under I-271 that requires people to cross a highway enterance and exit on both sides to get to it.

 

No one should have to go anywhere and walk in the mud down a busy main street.

 

That is a nice highway mess.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Cleveland+OH&ll=41.521527,-81.442251&spn=0.013045,0.045018

 

 

They must be related to the idiots in Bath Township near Akron who used their SUVs to block construction equipment from getting access to a site for a new Metro RTA park-n-ride.

 

^ I crack a big smile everday when I pass by the completed Metro Park-n-Ride.  The NIMBY complaints against this ranged from fear of crime (this park-n-ride is only for buses taking commuters to DT Cleveland during morning and evening rush hours; I'm sure the gangsters and drug dealers couldn't wait to go out to Bath to open up shop in the parking lot :shoot:) and environmental concerns.

 

I can't stand how many neighborhoods are built without sidewalks now-a-days.  My neighborhood is a prime example; a portion of the neigborhood is actually pretty well connected with sidewalks and bike trails.  My parents live in the same neighborhood and there is an abundance of sidewalks nearby; they walk everywhere.  I, on the other hand, live in a part of the neighborhood where there are no sidewalks.  So even though there is a decent amount of retail development and restaraunts in my neighborhood, I really don't have a way of justing walking around.  I could walk down the hill on the side of the road, but most days I'm toting my son along so I really prefer not to walk with him when there is no sidewalk.  It's a real bummer, I hate driving; I drive 80 miles round trip everyday to go to work.  It sucks that I can't conveniently walk around my neighborhood.

 

I've considered complaining to my city councilman to see if one could be built on at least on side of the road.  I don't know how much luck I'd have; though it's worth a try.

LOOK AT ATLANTA.  YOU CAN'T FIND A BUS STOP LET ALONE A SIDEWALK!

My favorite death trap non-side walk road is Mayfield Rd at SOM center. People have to walk on the grass. There is also a bus stop under I-271 that requires people to cross a highway enterance and exit on both sides to get to it.

 

No one should have to go anywhere and walk in the mud down a busy main street.

 

That is a nice highway mess.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Cleveland+OH&ll=41.521527,-81.442251&spn=0.013045,0.045018

 

 

 

^ I'm familiar with that area.  As developed as that area has become, it's a shame that there aren't sidewalks all the way down the street.  But who walks anymore???...  Everyone drives now; there's no need for sidewalks :roll:

There was a part of Columbus (NE side?) where residents "fought" the construction of sidewalks (and streetlights) because they feared they would bring crime.

 

Good lord.  Do they think criminals are afraid to walk in the street and don't have cars?

 

It sucks that I can't conveniently walk around my neighborhood.

 

Move.  Property owners usually have to pay for the portion of sidewalk in front of their houses, so good luck getting them put in.

It sucks that I can't conveniently walk around my neighborhood.

 

Move.  Property owners usually have to pay for the portion of sidewalk in front of their houses, so good luck getting them put in.

We're moving in about a year, so I probably won't take any action.  I thought about complaining a few months back before we decided we would move, but again, it probably wouldn't have made a difference. 

 

I never realized how much I'd miss sidewalks.  We lived in Copley Township just west of Akron previously; though we didn't have sidewalks, I didn't mind as much because there was no where to walk to.  Where we lived now, there are actually areas I would like to be able to walk to; a large metro park, bike trails, restaraunts, shops, yet the most convenient way to get there is by driving - yuck :-P.  Hell, Metro even yanked away the bus stop that was nearby (result of budget cutbacks).

 

Oh well, I'm done ranting about it; I'm just looking forward to our move next year where we'll be in a more walkable neighborhood, close to the Rapids, etc, etc...

What was their argument against building a Metro RTA park-n-ride?

 

They claimed it would bring noise and traffic (and, shhh, undesireables!) to their bucolic piece of SUV-loving, soccer-momming, McMansion-debting paradise.

 

I forgot about the "environmental" concerns!  :weird:

Even in Baton Rouge, once you go past the south gate of LSU, the sidewalk(s) ends.

 

I think my popularity on this site will slip, but I can think of one area where a highway fits into a city (granted a suburb) quite nicely.  My hometown of Euclid.

 

To the immediate north of the freeway is residential housing, to the immediate south is industry, light to heavy.  Euclid has 4 exits within the city proper, (E. 200, E.222, E. 260/Babbit, Euclid Ave.)and two more nearly on the border (E. 185th, and Lloyd Rd)

 

The industrial base of Euclid benefited from its easy access to the freeway and the rail lines that run parallel to it.  It kept many of those industries such as Lincoln Electric and Argo Tech from leaving.  Those industries payed taxes to keep Euclid "a city of superior services", which kept many residents from abandoning the city for the lush prospects of Mentor :)

 

I know freeways are not popular on this board, but I wanted to suggest at least one that was a benefit for a community. 

 

Anyone feel like challenging that argument, or suggest another area that benefited from a highway?

 

 

 

    As I like to say, throughout history some things get better, and some get worse.

 

    As a result of freeways, we have access to markets all over the world. What did you eat for dinner today? You might have had beef from Texas, potatos from Idaho, Oranges from Florida, tomatoes from California, seafood from Maine, or Pineapple from Hawaii. Every one of those items probably came by freeway for at least part of the journey.

 

    What's the downside of freeways? They consume a lot of land and resources, are noisy, create barriers though neighborhoods, and kill 40,000 people in this country every year! It is more difficult and more dangerous to walk around in neighborhoods than it used to be.

 

    So, what's the net effect, good or bad? Some places have done well due to increased access to markets. Some places, particularly urban areas bisected by freeways, have declined due to reduced access to markets.

 

   

Highways aren't inherently bad.  It's just that we (as a nation and state) have sunk such an inordinate chunk of our resources ($$$$$$) into highways and with little or no thought as to their impact on what's around them.

 

I think State Route 315 in Columbus is an example of a highway that works, although ODOT's had a history of having a hard time of keeping it properly paved.  But it is a centrally located artery that, for the most part, feeds into and out of other roadways with relative ease.  Yeah, it's crowded at rush hour, but what highway isn't?

 

That said, what our leaders and transportation officials have to come to grips with is that transportation need to be developed and funded in a wholistic manner, bringing about more transportation options and an overall balanced transportation system.  No mode can do it alone.

Any municipality that's 10-15 miles away from an urban center.

 

Pineapple from Hawaii.

 

OK, this is the weirdest example of the benefits of highway.  Boats and planes maybe, but...

Any products that can be delivered by truck on an interstate highway can be delivered from one city to another by train, in most cases more efficiently. 

 

Within a city, there are cities in the world where all the goods are transported by some means other than cars and trucks -- Venice in Europe, Bangkok in Asia, Morocco in Africa, for example (using boats, bikes, hand carts, etc.).  Just because Ohio cities have been built to be served by and be dependent on automotive transport doesn't mean that they have to stay that way. 

 

In fact, having a more balanced transport network between planes, trains, boats, and trucks would seem to be best.

 

Highways and low-cost fuel have made it easier to spread out industry, distribution centers and residences.  Putting aside the construction costs, ongoing maintenance of ever-increasing state road mileage is unsustainable.  Because of the sprawl-inducing effects of the other highways in the state, I suggest that the turnpike, with its fees and at least somewhat limited access points, is most beneficial in the long run.

 

 

From what I've seen, the best functioning highways are actually parkways.  The two examples that stand out in my mind are the George Washington Parkway in Northern Virginia, and Rock Creek Parkway in DC. 

 

Both of these roads are "commuter" roads, i.e. no truck traffic, with two lanes in each direction.  Speed limits are relatively high compared to city streets--about 45 mph in town, and the number of interchanges is limited.  Traffic typically seems to keep moving on both of these roads.  The key, however, is that there is greenery on both sides of the roadway instead of mega malls and other sprawl-type highway-oriented development.

Any products that can be delivered by truck on an interstate highway can be delivered from one city to another by train, in most cases more efficiently. 

 

Long distances, correct (say Chicago to Pittsburgh)

Short distnaces, not so (say Columbus to Delaware)

^ Very true. Even the railroads don't always go for distances "as short" as Chicago-Pittsburgh, unless it's real high revenue, like coal or high volumes of finished products like cars.

Agreed, but then you don't need an interstate highway.

:-P

 

^---- I was surprised to learn that even in the glory days of railroads, trucks were an integral part of the transportation network, often delivering freight over city streets between two different railroads.

Are any of these in Ohio? I was just down in Lexington on Man of War Blvd and i witnessed it at work. It's kinda scary in the middle lane. I know they have them in the Miami area, but i have not been there for years. I just thought it was odd to find them in Lexington, Ky.

do you mean a 3 lane wide turning group, or is this a really strange way to turn right? (the kin to a michigan left turn)

i haven't seen either

Yeah 3 lanes turning in one direction. I think when i was down inMiami, they had 3 lanes turning onto the entrance ramp to I-95, no wonder it backs up so much, they allow so many cars on at the same time.

I don't think I've ever seen one, excluding maybe a few T-intersections of two one-way streets.

Sounds almost as scary as making a left-turn movement at a SPUI (i.e. Sawmill/I-270).  I hate being the first car at the light...much rather follow someone through the intersection!

Reed Hartman and Cornell in Blue Ash has one.

There are several planned for the new Bypass 4 widening, I think at Princeton Rd in FFTwp and Symmns Rd in Hamilton.

Agreed, but then you don't need an interstate highway.

:-P

 

Last I checked, you had to cross 4 states to go from Chicago to Pittsburgh.  Looks good enough for an interstate highway to me.

Sounds almost as scary as making a left-turn movement at a SPUI (i.e. Sawmill/I-270).  I hate being the first car at the light...much rather follow someone through the intersection!

 

What's so scary about being the first in-line at a SPUI?  Don't hit that concrete square in the middle of the Sawmill Rd. overpass.

^OH i drove through my first one while i was in Louisville also..lol I forgot about that. I had no problems driving through it, since it's only one stop light.

Reed Hartman and Cornell in Blue Ash has one.

Nope...quite a few thru lanes though

Sounds almost as scary as making a left-turn movement at a SPUI (i.e. Sawmill/I-270).  I hate being the first car at the light...much rather follow someone through the intersection!

 

What's so scary about being the first in-line at a SPUI?  Don't hit that concrete square in the middle of the Sawmill Rd. overpass.

 

The first few times I used that SPUI was at night. 

okay, someone define SPUI for me, i know what you are talking about...just not the technical term

I think it's "single point urban interchange."

PigBoy is correct.

http://www.kurumi.com/roads/interchanges/spui.html

http://web.archive.org/web/20021218091949/http://web.mit.edu/spui/www/spui/ list (current as of 2002)

in shanghai, pudong area, there are left turn lanes, but in an arrangement I haven't seen in the US:  2 near center median and 2 on the right curb lane, so a right turn occurs from lane C4, in front of L3 and L4.  There are also variations on the right hand turns, sometimes crossing bike lanes before intersection.  very crazy.

 

L1 L2 C1 C2 C3 C4 L3 L4 B1

For a highway to work for me, I expect it to get me from point A to point B in quick and safe manner. In Cleveland, the only 2 highways that I personally can say do that for me are:

 

1) I-480 between I-71 and I-77, where you have 4 lanes in each direction, with the higher traffic areas (State Road and Ridge Road onramps) having a 5th lane added to allow smooth traffic flow. That is one of the busiest highway segments in Cleveland and it's dense with traffic all day long since there is a lot of commercial/industrial/office/residential mixed all throughout. I seem to have the least problems here due to the 4-5 lanes without constant yield's taking place, even though RT. 237, Jennings Freeway (176), and 17 all cross hairs in this area.

 

2) I-271 local/express lanes between I-480 and I-90 on the east side of Cleveland. Besides the ugly interchange at I-480/I-271/422, this is a very successful highway, as you almost never see traffic delays since there are 2 express lanes all the way through, with 3-5 local lanes at any given time. Modern lighting, sound barriers, limited onramps, exits that do exist are well built and full of development, and the pavement is going to be soon replaced. All this adds up for me.

 

As for I-90 in Euclid, I think the concept of many local exits with marginal roads running the length on both sides of the highway works well. But I am not too enticed to use this portion the right lane or even 2nd to right lane during rush hour, since there is so much yielding taking place.

They have one in Downtown Columbus, at Neil Avenue and Long Street. It is going south on Neil Avenue, turning left(of course) onto Long Street. It may have either three or four lanes.

We don't have HOV lanes yet in Ohio (that I know of) but here's an interesting development from the "left coast"...

 

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-hybrids10apr10,0,4636957.story?coll=la-home-headlines

 

From the Los Angeles Times

In Carpool Lanes, Hybrids Find Cold Shoulders

Other motorists gripe that drivers of the fuel-efficient vehicles are slowing the HOV flow.

By Amanda Covarrubias

Times Staff Writer

 

April 10, 2006

 

When California allowed solo occupants of hybrid cars to use carpool lanes last year, many thought they were merging onto a narrow strip of car culture heaven.

 

But increasingly, hybrid owners say they feel like the victims of road rage.

 

Carpoolers accuse them of driving too slowly in order to maximize their fuel efficiency, and of clogging diamond lanes that were once clear.

 

Hybrid motorists even have a term for the ill will: "Prius backlash."

 

More at above link:

Encouraging hybrid cars is great, but HOV lanes are for reducing congestion.  They should find another way to encourage people to drive hybrids.

Sad. Do you suppose the answers to pollution and traffic congestion might be found somewhere other than in expanding and tweaking highways and building different cars? :?

Yes.... put the kind of funding into redeveloping our rail infrastructure to move more people and goods, and take some of the load off of our highways.

Dayton seems to be particularly notorious for having roads that have multiple names.

 

The granddaddy of them all is:

Turner Rd. > Shoup Mill Rd. > Needmore Rd. > Harshmann Rd. > Woodman Dr.  Whew!

-- All of these roads are given the "honorary designation" (a blue sign atop the standard street sign) of "Wright Brothers Parkway", which also turns on to Stroop IIRC.

-- According to some older maps, Turner Rd. was supposed to join into yet another road: Brumbaugh Blvd.  But when the Turner extension was finally built, it avoided Brumbaugh and went on to its terminus at the Trotwood Connector.

-- Looking at an old freeway planning map, it seems that the reason Needmore suddenly becomes Harshman at Brandt Pike (SR-201) is because a freeway was planned to go from there to SR-444, right where it currently vanishes into Valley St.  If that were to be built today, the road would have to run close to, or right through, the Meijer store.

 

Another source of confusion, in Kettering:

County Line Rd. > Stroop Rd. at the same intersection that Dorothy Lane > Indian Ripple Rd.

 

Dayton also has:

3rd St. > Airway Rd. > Colonel Glenn Hwy. (parts of this road have an honorary designation for MLK)

5th St. > Burkhardt Ave. > Kemp Rd.

Garber Rd. > Denlinger Rd.

Main St. (Dayton) > Far Hills Ave. > Main St. (Centerville) > Dayton-Lebanon Pike

-- Some older maps also had "Dayton-Covington Pike" to the north.

Main St. (Trotwood) > Free Pike > Siebenthaler Ave.

N. Dixie Dr. > Keowee St.

Patterson Blvd. > Riverside Dr. (but the former is one-way northbound; the latter has an honorary designation for baseball legend Mike Schmidt)

Patterson Blvd. > S. Dixie Dr. > Kettering Blvd. (southbound only - the road divides) > Central Ave. (W. Carrollton) > Main St. (Miamisburg)

Patterson Rd. > Research Blvd. > Shakertown Rd.

Philadephia Dr. > Peters Pike

Stanley Ave. > Findlay St.

Westbrook Rd. > Dog Leg Rd.

Whipp Rd. > Feedwire Rd.

Wolf Creek Pike > James H. McGee Blvd. (formerly Western Ave.)

 

There are also some places where the type of road changes but the name stays the same, e.g.,

Springboro Rd. > Springboro Pike

Troy Rd. > Old Troy Pike

 

In Trotwood:

Union Rd. > Broadway > Union Rd.  (Umm... OK, whatever.)

 

For Columbus, the only one I could think of is:

James Rd. > Stelzer Rd.

 

Someday we might see

Morse Rd. > Bethel Rd.

 

 

We do have Hayden Run > Bethel Rd.  City of Columbus has been trying to add Morse to that collection since the 1960s.

I recall in Chicago the same street name carried through for miles and miles...just the opposite of the situation in Dayton.

 

As an example, Madison Avenue in Chicago, which starts in the Loop and runs through the west side, is carried on as a street name all the way into the Western Surburbs, into Dupage County...even though these streets are not continuous into the Madison Avenue in Chicaog.

Another source of confusion, in Kettering:

County Line Rd. > Stroop Rd. at the same intersection that Dorothy Lane > Indian Ripple Rd.

That's my favorite!  People should have lots of fun with that when they come to visit the new mall.

 

Looks like you've covered most of the changes at the Montgomery/Greene line.  Only one in Beavercreek I see missing from your list is Linden Ave > Dayton-Xenia Rd.