Advocacy Thread... What Have YOU Done Today???
03-05-13, 01:43 PM
#501
Commander, UFO Bike
Thread Starter
Still plugging away on advocacy
Ask ODOT
Sent: Friday, February 22, 2013 2:58 PM
Subject: Cit Rep Inquiry by phone -- K'Tesh
K'Tesh has found another storm grate which is non ADA compliant. He says it is located at 11535 SW 99W, Portland: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=11535+...97223&t=m&z=16
He explained it is in the middle of crosswalk, between the bus stop and the public storage location. I, could not locate this on Google. He hopes there is no one walking with a cane or a thin wheeled wheel chair harmed.
Please investigate and follow up with him within five days; email is fine. He noted, he would stay on us till we have all of these fixed.
Tori Hickerson
Ask ODOT
Sent: Friday, February 22, 2013 2:58 PM
Subject: Cit Rep Inquiry by phone -- K'Tesh
K'Tesh has found another storm grate which is non ADA compliant. He says it is located at 11535 SW 99W, Portland: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=11535+...97223&t=m&z=16
He explained it is in the middle of crosswalk, between the bus stop and the public storage location. I, could not locate this on Google. He hopes there is no one walking with a cane or a thin wheeled wheel chair harmed.
Please investigate and follow up with him within five days; email is fine. He noted, he would stay on us till we have all of these fixed.
Tori Hickerson
Ask ODOT
From: Ask.ODOT@odot.state.or.us
To: ktesh
Subject: FW: Cit Rep Inquiry by phone -- K'Tesh
Date: Tue, 5 Mar 2013 15:07:06 +0000
Hello Again K'Tesh,
Thank you for contacting AskODOT at the Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT) Citizen Representative Office. Our Maintenance Manager said, "I drove out to the address and only found 1 catch basin grate that may be the one he is talking about in a intersection on the SB side of the highway. This intersection is a unmarked crosswalk and the catch basin is more to the highway side and it has a approved bike friendly/pedestrian grate on it. I found no extreme gaps between the grate and the outside edge of the catch basin that would cause a hazard." Unless we have the wrong area and you are able to provide location details and photographs, we will consider this case closed and safe. Thanks again for brining your concerns to ODOT.
May your riding be safe,
Tori Hickerson
Citizen Representative
355 Capitol St. NE, MS11
Salem, OR 97301-3871
1-888-275-6368 Toll Free
AskODOT@odot.state.or.us
To: ktesh
Subject: FW: Cit Rep Inquiry by phone -- K'Tesh
Date: Tue, 5 Mar 2013 15:07:06 +0000
Hello Again K'Tesh,
Thank you for contacting AskODOT at the Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT) Citizen Representative Office. Our Maintenance Manager said, "I drove out to the address and only found 1 catch basin grate that may be the one he is talking about in a intersection on the SB side of the highway. This intersection is a unmarked crosswalk and the catch basin is more to the highway side and it has a approved bike friendly/pedestrian grate on it. I found no extreme gaps between the grate and the outside edge of the catch basin that would cause a hazard." Unless we have the wrong area and you are able to provide location details and photographs, we will consider this case closed and safe. Thanks again for brining your concerns to ODOT.
May your riding be safe,
Tori Hickerson
Citizen Representative
355 Capitol St. NE, MS11
Salem, OR 97301-3871
1-888-275-6368 Toll Free
AskODOT@odot.state.or.us
Hi Tori,
Somehow there's miss-communication here...
This link (https://goo.gl/maps/iFZiw) shows the spot I was talking about for the catch basin in the marked crosswalk.
Your link was pretty close to the crashes I was talking about though...
This link (https://goo.gl/maps/KCYHt) shows the spot where the cyclist was hit last week
This link (https://goo.gl/maps/3siAy) shows the spot I was hit in 2011 (days after another cyclist was hit there... just ask the collision shop employees how often they've seen cyclists hit here).
This link (https://goo.gl/maps/m4qK0) shows (approximately) where Tigard's Transportation Engineer, Mike McCarthy was hit. He told me that he knew of at least 9 bike/car collisions along this stretch of 99W. Last week's incident makes that 10.
This link (https://goo.gl/maps/PWkKE) shows where I'm scared due to the varying width of the bike lane (and bike behavior) which will lead to a serious crash. (reflectors are useless in daylight, and the sun can be in a cyclist's eyes depending on time of day, obscuring the narrowing of the bike lane).
Hopefully, we all can be wreck-less out there.
K'Tesh
Somehow there's miss-communication here...
This link (https://goo.gl/maps/iFZiw) shows the spot I was talking about for the catch basin in the marked crosswalk.
Your link was pretty close to the crashes I was talking about though...
This link (https://goo.gl/maps/KCYHt) shows the spot where the cyclist was hit last week
This link (https://goo.gl/maps/3siAy) shows the spot I was hit in 2011 (days after another cyclist was hit there... just ask the collision shop employees how often they've seen cyclists hit here).
This link (https://goo.gl/maps/m4qK0) shows (approximately) where Tigard's Transportation Engineer, Mike McCarthy was hit. He told me that he knew of at least 9 bike/car collisions along this stretch of 99W. Last week's incident makes that 10.
This link (https://goo.gl/maps/PWkKE) shows where I'm scared due to the varying width of the bike lane (and bike behavior) which will lead to a serious crash. (reflectors are useless in daylight, and the sun can be in a cyclist's eyes depending on time of day, obscuring the narrowing of the bike lane).
Hopefully, we all can be wreck-less out there.
K'Tesh
Last edited by K'Tesh; 03-05-13 at 01:49 PM.
03-07-13, 05:59 PM
#502
Senior Member
This past week, I attended Bike Summit in DC with a group from our state cycling advocacy organization.
Learned some stuff. Networked with others in my chosen professional field. Met with Congressional staff and put forth relevant asks; met face to face with our Senators and talked bike advocacy at them.
Learned some stuff. Networked with others in my chosen professional field. Met with Congressional staff and put forth relevant asks; met face to face with our Senators and talked bike advocacy at them.
03-10-13, 12:31 PM
#503
Senior Member
You're lucky it even has a grate. I found this OPEN manhole today. I was able to close the lid by pushing with my gloved hands.
03-10-13, 11:27 PM
#504
Bike rider
From time to time i volunteer to help open and close my favorite bike shop, they appreciate it quite a lot
.
.
03-10-13, 11:51 PM
#505
24-Speed Machine
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This past week, I attended Bike Summit in DC with a group from our state cycling advocacy organization.
Learned some stuff. Networked with others in my chosen professional field. Met with Congressional staff and put forth relevant asks; met face to face with our Senators and talked bike advocacy at them.
Learned some stuff. Networked with others in my chosen professional field. Met with Congressional staff and put forth relevant asks; met face to face with our Senators and talked bike advocacy at them.
03-18-13, 10:17 AM
#506
totally louche
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going to the county road commission tonite to lobby for wider shoulder widths on a road reconstruction planned with narrow, out of compliance shoulders.
State DOT mandates paved shoulder ribbons twice what the county road commission has proposed, on a road that serves as a main recreation route for a variety of non-motorized users.
State DOT mandates paved shoulder ribbons twice what the county road commission has proposed, on a road that serves as a main recreation route for a variety of non-motorized users.
03-23-13, 04:56 PM
#507
Senior Member
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Location: Newark, Ohio
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30 foot tree fell across the path. I don't carry a saw, and couldn't lift the tree, so I called the county parks department and left a message notifying them of the fallen tree.
About half a mile later...
03-23-13, 08:58 PM
#508
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Last year we went on a cruise that stopped at Key West and I was totally happy to see that it was very bike and pedestrian friendly. The next stop was Nassau Bahamas and to put it nicely it's kind of a **** hole, sorry to those who live there. The two extremes from the way it should be to the other extreme is kind of shocking.
So this year it's back to Nassau, slid open the balcony door and it's traffic congestion and horns, nice.
I sent their Ministry Of Tourism an email with a link to a YouTube video showing them what I think they could accomplish.
I've visited Nassau just last week and also last year. To say that it is uninviting would be an understatement. Our cruise last year also stopped in Key West which was clean, pedestrian and bike friendly with little car traffic, your planers would be wise to pay a visit there.
It is my opinion that cars should be banned from the immediate area of the cruise ship docks, one lane of (limited) buses in and one lane out. This area should be totally pedestrian and bike friendly. You are inviting thousands of pedestrians into your city and then immediately threatening them with car traffic in a totally uninviting situation.
I'm sure you have many beautiful areas, but you are not putting your best foot forward here.
Here is a short video of something you should be striving towards to make your city a place that people want to come to and spend time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvlsp5lQLe0
So this year it's back to Nassau, slid open the balcony door and it's traffic congestion and horns, nice.
I sent their Ministry Of Tourism an email with a link to a YouTube video showing them what I think they could accomplish.
I've visited Nassau just last week and also last year. To say that it is uninviting would be an understatement. Our cruise last year also stopped in Key West which was clean, pedestrian and bike friendly with little car traffic, your planers would be wise to pay a visit there.
It is my opinion that cars should be banned from the immediate area of the cruise ship docks, one lane of (limited) buses in and one lane out. This area should be totally pedestrian and bike friendly. You are inviting thousands of pedestrians into your city and then immediately threatening them with car traffic in a totally uninviting situation.
I'm sure you have many beautiful areas, but you are not putting your best foot forward here.
Here is a short video of something you should be striving towards to make your city a place that people want to come to and spend time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvlsp5lQLe0
Last edited by Metal Man; 03-23-13 at 10:10 PM.
04-24-13, 12:38 PM
#509
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Scalarville
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So here in Northeast Illinois there are only three ways to get over the tollway (I-294, and the spur to I-94): Skokie Rd. (4-lane high traffic arterial), Waukegan Rd. (4-lane high traffic arterial) or Pfingsten Rd. (narrow 2 lane 40 mph). Waukegan Rd has a pedestrian/bike section to the bridge over the tollway WITH NO WAY TO GET TO IT (enterance blocked off by guardrails- no shoulder or bike lane or sidewalk either (neither do the other streets) Then I called the villages of Northbrook and Deerfield to see if they could get TARP funding to actually connect the bridge to the the network to sidewalks and lanes on either side. They said they had plans from a while ago and it's overdue. 
Finally talked to Active Trans and they'll look into it as well.
Finally talked to Active Trans and they'll look into it as well.
Go Deerfield Public Works!
04-25-13, 10:40 AM
#510
Senior Member
It took a while, but Last Week, the County finally finished the job. I'm glad that I "got the ball rolling", as they say.
The hedges have been completely cut to the ground. The black chain-link fence was formerly behind the hedge row.
05-20-13, 11:57 AM
#511
Unlisted member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Chicagoland
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We gave out another 100 helmets on Saturday at the annual community fair. It took longer this year too, all of an hour and 45 minutes.
05-22-13, 11:04 AM
#512
Senior Member
Noticed a subsidence of the asphalt, near a Storm Drain. Afraid to step on the asphalt, it might not support my weight. Had some small (very small) sports type road cones. First cone fell in , never to be seen again. Second Road Cone was placed on a stick, which is stuck in the iron grating, which is also falling in.
Second Photo, BELOW, shows an asphalt spreader. I was on the scene, when the truck arrived, and I volunteered to direct traffic.
This is Urban Renewal. An old parking lot was destroyed, to make way for the new. It is beautiful now.
05-28-13, 10:41 PM
#514
24-Speed Machine
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I contacted the neighboring city again, for the second time in two weeks, about the concrete around a sewer drain, that is crumbled. While they haven't fixed it, they haven't even put a cone on top of it to warn motorists' about its' condition.
UPDATE: They did put in new asphalt around the sewer grate. But the asphalt filler is not 'planed' with the road surface. So it is not really any better than before, when the road around the sewer grate was chopped up.
UPDATE: They did put in new asphalt around the sewer grate. But the asphalt filler is not 'planed' with the road surface. So it is not really any better than before, when the road around the sewer grate was chopped up.
Last edited by Chris516; 06-04-13 at 01:43 AM.
06-09-13, 11:17 AM
#515
Senior Member
Tropical Storm Remnants dropped 5 inches of Rain. I found a road flooded. The garden trowel I carry in my Panniers was enough to open a hole for the water to drain:
This video is 58 seconds, and it's cool. Video of flowing water is always cool.
This video is 58 seconds, and it's cool. Video of flowing water is always cool.
06-09-13, 05:33 PM
#516
24-Speed Machine
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It does bring one question to mind. If the NYC DPW can put the cones out, why couldn't they have gone ahead and clear the debris from blocking the sewer drain. I am glad you didn't get splashed by a vehicle going by, before or after you did the video.
06-09-13, 07:08 PM
#517
Senior Member
Yes, indeed, I put the cones out to avoid getting splashed. Traffic was very light, there was no traffic, only one pickup truck went by.
This video was made of 3 video clips, edited together using Apple's iMovie App. Which I somehow learned to use.
06-09-13, 08:25 PM
#518
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Because I used my own cones. This isn't NYC , anyway, this is Nassau County, which borders Queens County, but is NOT part of NYC.
Yes, indeed, I put the cones out to avoid getting splashed. Traffic was very light, there was no traffic, only one pickup truck went by.
This video was made of 3 video clips, edited together using Apple's iMovie App. Which I somehow learned to use.
Yes, indeed, I put the cones out to avoid getting splashed. Traffic was very light, there was no traffic, only one pickup truck went by.
This video was made of 3 video clips, edited together using Apple's iMovie App. Which I somehow learned to use.
06-10-13, 11:03 AM
#520
24-Speed Machine
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Wouldn't kindly telling someone to have a nice day, after they have been critical of you for riding a bike and/or, where you ride, be a form of advocacy?
06-15-13, 12:27 PM
#521
Senior Member
Noticed a subsidence of the asphalt, near a Storm Drain. Afraid to step on the asphalt, it might not support my weight. Had some small (very small) sports type road cones. First cone fell in , never to be seen again. Second Road Cone was placed on a stick, which is stuck in the iron grating, which is also falling in.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/11629987@N02/9050094927/
The DPW thought my tiny little cone wasn't sufficient. They tossed it in the weeds, and put up a proper barrier. The actual , uhh, sink-hole,,, has gotten about twenty five centimeters larger. Sink holes suck.
06-15-13, 12:31 PM
#522
Senior Member
https://www.flickr.com/photos/11629987@N02/9050094927/
3
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/11629987@N02/9050094927/" title="IMG_0454 by AviationMetalSmith, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3743/9050094927_28ca7f21d3.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0454"></a>
TEST.
I am using a Flickr Account. I need to see if this works, or should I go back to photobucket.com?
What a difference a week makes. I apologize for the poor functioning of the Flickr account. must have bugs to work out of the system, had to go back to photobucket.
Here is the link to my Flickr page:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/11629987@N02/
3
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/11629987@N02/9050094927/" title="IMG_0454 by AviationMetalSmith, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3743/9050094927_28ca7f21d3.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0454"></a>
TEST.
I am using a Flickr Account. I need to see if this works, or should I go back to photobucket.com?
What a difference a week makes. I apologize for the poor functioning of the Flickr account. must have bugs to work out of the system, had to go back to photobucket.
Here is the link to my Flickr page:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/11629987@N02/
Last edited by hotbike; 06-15-13 at 12:46 PM.
06-16-13, 08:10 PM
#523
Senior Member
07-06-13, 04:40 PM
#524
Senior Member
09-20-13, 10:29 AM
#525
Senior Member
Pulled weeds from the Sidewalk. Ironically, the lazy people who let their weeds grow...