Madison Avenue Reconstruction

[Craig Lovejoy]

Going to be a long dusty orange barrel summer for Madison Ave.

http://www.onelakewood.com/pdf/Madison%20on%20the%20Move/MadisonReconPresentation.pdf

[Craig Lovejoy]

Notice the turning arrows in the striping rendition.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Craig

It was pointed out in another thread this plan is brought to you by the same group that
made Detroit Avenue a nightmare, a traffic blackhole, and much less safe.

Who knows, they must get something right sooner or later? Right?


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[Roy Pitchford]

...
The light at Madison and Clarence is to be removed.
...
That is a BONE-HEADED move and I'll bet it came from the state as a condition of receiving funds. That light is right next to the Madison branch of the library and the only "safe" place to cross between Lewis Drive and Cohassett/Halstead. I should know, when I still lived with my parents during college and worked at the library, I crossed at that intersection 4 times per day.
Even now, having moved out long ago, I use the light at that intersection everyday driving to work. Its nice to have a red light that can hold off drivers for a few moments while I try to turn from northern Clarence onto Madison eastbound.

I can't possibly be the only person that feels this way.

Now, I've been complaining about that intersection for years, but because it is already un-friendly to walkers. It has a 'Press Button for Walk' on both sides of the Madison, but you a. rarely get the light to change, even after feverishly pressing the button and b. doesn't provide a walk signal for an adequate amount of time to cross Madison.

The Madison branch already has an inadequate parking lot, almost emphasizing the idea of it being a "neighborhood" library, a library that you can walk to, but now the city is further hampering that walkability for the children, mothers with strollers and the senior citizenry by removing that light.

There's another bone-headed aspect of the project that I have heard about, though the plan may have been changed since the last meeting. I will return with word on that when I have confirmed what I know.

[Greg Madachik]

So we are going down to one lane in each direction like we did on Franklin several years ago? This is just fabulous. I avoid Franklin like the plague because I invariably get stuck behind someone that wants to go 20 miles per hour in a 35 MPH zone. Well, I guess on Madison it will only slow me down 5 MPH instead of the 15 MPH on Madison... Is Clifton next?

[Charlie Page]

So we are going down to one lane in each direction like we did on Franklin several years ago? This is just fabulous. I avoid Franklin like the plague because I invariably get stuck behind someone that wants to go 20 miles per hour in a 35 MPH zone. Well, I guess on Madison it will only slow me down 5 MPH instead of the 15 MPH on Madison... Is Clifton next?

That's right Greg...one lane in each direction. I think planners must say to themselves "how can we screw with people's commute today?". The answer always seems to be "hey...let's go from two lanes in each direction to one". I see that everywhere. You mention Franklin, that used to be one big lane in each direction (unofficial two lanes). Lake road from 117th to the shoreway used to be an unofficial two lanes. Detroit in Lakewood used to be an unofficial two lanes. 90 east merge into downtown used to be two lanes, now one. Lake road through Rocky River used to be two lanes, now one. What is their goal here? Why are they doing this to drivers? I don't get it.

[Peter Grossetti]

What is their goal here? Why are they doing this to drivers? I don't get it.

"their goal" ... who is the "they?"

Let me add his to the mix: How powerful is RTA? IS RTA capable of power-broking? Hmm!

[Jim O'Bryan]

I think planners must say to themselves "how can we screw with people's commute today?".

Charlie

What makes you think they ever think of the residents?

What makes you think they are even planners?


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[Roy Pitchford]

So we are going down to one lane in each direction like we did on Franklin several years ago? This is just fabulous. I avoid Franklin like the plague because I invariably get stuck behind someone that wants to go 20 miles per hour in a 35 MPH zone. Well, I guess on Madison it will only slow me down 5 MPH instead of the 15 MPH on Madison... Is Clifton next?

That's right Greg...one lane in each direction. I think planners must say to themselves "how can we screw with people's commute today?". The answer always seems to be "hey...let's go from two lanes in each direction to one". I see that everywhere. You mention Franklin, that used to be one big lane in each direction (unofficial two lanes). Lake road from 117th to the shoreway used to be an unofficial two lanes. Detroit in Lakewood used to be an unofficial two lanes. 90 east merge into downtown used to be two lanes, now one. Lake road through Rocky River used to be two lanes, now one. What is their goal here? Why are they doing this to drivers? I don't get it.

You almost answered your own question...
Why are they doing this to drivers?
They are trying to discourage drivers. Those evil carbon-consuming Prius' are killing the planet and they need to encourage more bike riding.
Think about what they are doing:
1. Reducing car driving lanes.
2. Adding bike lanes.
3. Attempting to reduce parking. (This is the part I needed clarify from earlier. There is a separate grant proposal for Madison which has NOT been approved yet which, if accepted, would remove the approx. 30 angled parking spaces at Madison Park. It would be replaced by normal street-side parallel parking spots. In a city where parking is already at a premium...)

They are groups like NOACA, of whom former Mayor Fitzgerald is Treasurer and Mayor Summers is a member of the Board of Directors.
NOACA is pushing the United Nations' Agenda 21, which emphasizes the preservation of nature at the expense of civilization. How does it propose to do that? If you nudge the people close to their jobs in the cities, you reduce or eliminate the sprawl which is encroaching on nature.
How does it nudge us? Just a couple examples:
- Bike lanes. You can drive 50 miles to work, but you're not going to bike 50 miles.
- Shifting mass transit paths. Lakewood suddenly becomes less attractive for someone working downtown if bus services are cut or bus routes are shifted.
- Changing speed limits and street systems. *cough*Shoreway*cough*

Call me conspiratorial, that's alright. I'm getting used to it.

[Charlie Page]

I think planners must say to themselves "how can we screw with people's commute today?".

Charlie

What makes you think they ever think of the residents?

What makes you think they are even planners?


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I don't think they ("they" would be the people impersonating planners Peter) do think of residents. Or at least very minimally.

Why would you take a major east/west route through Lakewood and constrict the volume by half? The speed limit is already 25. What is this supposed to accomplish? How is this an improvement?

Roads are for driving...let people drive...in two lanes (two lanes each way is plenty of room for bikes btw).