Can anyone tell me why, so recently after Detroit was repaved, the lane markers were ground off and they're repainting? It looks like they're removing all the turn lanes in favor of a plain two-lane road. I just don't understand how that's going to help traffic flow and why the decision was made AFTER the road had already been painted.
How much will this screwup cost and how long will the ghosts of the previous lane markers be visible on the road?
Detroit Rd. Repainting
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Brian Pedaci
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Phil Florian
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Are they getting rid of them? On Detroit by my office on Cook Rd. it looks like they are laying outlines for actual turn lanes. They didn't have turn lanes by Mars, either. Now it looks like the white outlines where they are going to actually paint new turn lanes that didn't exist after the repaving. Hmmm...
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Brian Pedaci
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Shawn Juris
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Good question. As I understand it this was one of the first implementations of the Main Street study. From the presentations that they gave, it looks to be a very logical approach to improving our traffic patterns. It should be interesting to see how it turns out and if there are any flies in the ointment.
I believe that the sequencing had something to do with how the projects were financed. Doesn't that always seem to be the case?
I believe that the sequencing had something to do with how the projects were financed. Doesn't that always seem to be the case?
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Joe Whisman
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I believe the entire project was a mismanaged mess. There were manhole covers and monument boxes sticking up for weeks. The randomly placed traffic markers were a joy to navigate. Finally, I would like to thank our city leaders for allowing paving all night long. There is nothing more restful than beeping all night, and sleeping with the windows shut to avoid asphalt fumes. Thanks for the fore thought Lakewood.
Good luck on figuring out the repainting.
Good luck on figuring out the repainting.
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Dee Krupp
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Re: Detroit Rd. Repainting
I just came from my lunch break at home and I just noticed that there are faint turn lane arrows on Detroit (east & west) turning onto Lakeland (my street). These were never turn lanes before, so it appears as if they're getting ready to create them.Brian Pedaci wrote:Can anyone tell me why, so recently after Detroit was repaved, the lane markers were ground off and they're repainting? It looks like they're removing all the turn lanes in favor of a plain two-lane road. I just don't understand how that's going to help traffic flow and why the decision was made AFTER the road had already been painted.
How much will this screwup cost and how long will the ghosts of the previous lane markers be visible on the road?
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Mary Anne Crampton
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As most Observers are aware, members of the community participated in a Detroit Avenue streetscape design process for the first 8 months of this year. The following goals of that effort are stated below:
"REDEFINING DETROIT AVENUE
The configuration of the Detroit Avenue right-of-way through Lakewood’s Downtown must be SIMPLIFIED to create a district with greater cohesion and a more uniform flow of traffic and on-street parking.
REORGANIZE AND REDEFINE development patterns and public right-of-way enhancement standards within downtown Lakewood to support the three main sub-districts that have been identified – the western gateway, district core and eastern gateway.
A REBALANCING of the street is necessary to accommodate the contemporary needs of the pedestrian, automobile and bicyclist.
Physical enhancements at key locations must occur along Detroit Avenue to REVITALIZE and create places that residents and visitor alike will come to find synonymous with Downtown Lakewood."
Through a public process it was agreed that a consistent cartpath all along Detroit would contribute towards achieving the above goals. Changing the cartpath is the only part of the design concept that can be implemented immediately, and it makes sense to do so, given the recent regrading.
The new cartpath includes parallel parking on both sides of the street, one lane of traffic in each direction and a turn lane down the middle. This cartpath will be essentially the same from 117th to the Rocky River bridge, regardless of the width of the road.
Besides the 100+ residents that participated in the process and the 14 members of the Main Street Design committee (all residents) who facilitated the project, there was a Steering Committee that included representatives from ODOT, RTA, First Energy and other stakeholder organizations involved.
It has been an difficult summer of disruption for everyone who uses Detroit, and especially for the businesses there. The good news is that long-term visioning was going on simultaneously......let's give this aspect of the design a chance. Its just paint and can be changed......but let's see if the planned for result of a more pedestrian friendly commericial district with smoother traffic flow can be realized.
Mary Anne
"REDEFINING DETROIT AVENUE
The configuration of the Detroit Avenue right-of-way through Lakewood’s Downtown must be SIMPLIFIED to create a district with greater cohesion and a more uniform flow of traffic and on-street parking.
REORGANIZE AND REDEFINE development patterns and public right-of-way enhancement standards within downtown Lakewood to support the three main sub-districts that have been identified – the western gateway, district core and eastern gateway.
A REBALANCING of the street is necessary to accommodate the contemporary needs of the pedestrian, automobile and bicyclist.
Physical enhancements at key locations must occur along Detroit Avenue to REVITALIZE and create places that residents and visitor alike will come to find synonymous with Downtown Lakewood."
Through a public process it was agreed that a consistent cartpath all along Detroit would contribute towards achieving the above goals. Changing the cartpath is the only part of the design concept that can be implemented immediately, and it makes sense to do so, given the recent regrading.
The new cartpath includes parallel parking on both sides of the street, one lane of traffic in each direction and a turn lane down the middle. This cartpath will be essentially the same from 117th to the Rocky River bridge, regardless of the width of the road.
Besides the 100+ residents that participated in the process and the 14 members of the Main Street Design committee (all residents) who facilitated the project, there was a Steering Committee that included representatives from ODOT, RTA, First Energy and other stakeholder organizations involved.
It has been an difficult summer of disruption for everyone who uses Detroit, and especially for the businesses there. The good news is that long-term visioning was going on simultaneously......let's give this aspect of the design a chance. Its just paint and can be changed......but let's see if the planned for result of a more pedestrian friendly commericial district with smoother traffic flow can be realized.
Mary Anne
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Jeff Endress
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Mary Anne
Thank you for the clarification. Having been the victim of people trying to create a five lane boulevard out of Detroit, with resultant side-swipe, this makes a good deal of sense.
But, I must question if we're looking forward.....I mean as we look to reconfiguring our cartpaths, will there also be a need for hitching rails? What about the probable manure problem? Watering troughs?
Jeff
Thank you for the clarification. Having been the victim of people trying to create a five lane boulevard out of Detroit, with resultant side-swipe, this makes a good deal of sense.
But, I must question if we're looking forward.....I mean as we look to reconfiguring our cartpaths, will there also be a need for hitching rails? What about the probable manure problem? Watering troughs?
Jeff
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Brian Pedaci
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Valerie Molinski
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Stan Austin
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Valerie-- That is an excellent suggestion. The BikeLakewood organization has been working with the City to implement those ideas.
As it turns out, there are several major ideas as to what constitutes a bike lane and how it should be marked.
Then, comes the timing of a street project. And while it appears that it's merely applying paint on the road to mark lanes, you can see that the prep work includes surface grinding and lane marking according to various state and federal standards.
The biking interests have "butted" into the process to have their (our) interests represented.
And, as Mary Ann Crampton pointed out, it's only paint and if it needs tweaking for the merchants, bikers, and pedestrians, then we'll keep at it until it's right.
Stan Austin
As it turns out, there are several major ideas as to what constitutes a bike lane and how it should be marked.
Then, comes the timing of a street project. And while it appears that it's merely applying paint on the road to mark lanes, you can see that the prep work includes surface grinding and lane marking according to various state and federal standards.
The biking interests have "butted" into the process to have their (our) interests represented.
And, as Mary Ann Crampton pointed out, it's only paint and if it needs tweaking for the merchants, bikers, and pedestrians, then we'll keep at it until it's right.
Stan Austin
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Jeff Endress
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Gary Rice
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As I understand it, they are starting to get away from dedicated bike lanes; the reasons being that bikes are apparently entitled to use the entire roadway, along with the fact that bike lanes can develop debris, traverse often dangerous storm drain grates, and be subject to opening car doors.
The chic thing these days with forward-looking cities, seems to be mid- road painted chevrons, having a "Share the road/watch for bikes" type of message thereon.
The exact wording, or bike stencil, would probably be the result of laws or ordinances enacted, I suppose.
The chic thing these days with forward-looking cities, seems to be mid- road painted chevrons, having a "Share the road/watch for bikes" type of message thereon.
The exact wording, or bike stencil, would probably be the result of laws or ordinances enacted, I suppose.
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Corey Rossen
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Shawn Juris
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An interesting question was brought up the other day in regards to the repainting. I'm curious if we've yet had any accidents along this stretch of Detroit while the lanes are in the process of being painted. How many days should we expect to get mixed messages of where we are supposed to drive? I can't think of a situation where as a driver my lane was not clearly marked. Is the driver liable, which one would be at fault- the one following the old way or the penciled in path? Could the city or the road crew be named in a lawsuit for negligence?
This reminds me of the joke I heard while in England. Our host led us to believe that the country was looking to change the traffic patterns to be the same as in the states. As we reacted surprised at such a significant change, he continued on to tell us that it would be a two phase process. First the trucks would change sides for a month then the cars would follow.
This reminds me of the joke I heard while in England. Our host led us to believe that the country was looking to change the traffic patterns to be the same as in the states. As we reacted surprised at such a significant change, he continued on to tell us that it would be a two phase process. First the trucks would change sides for a month then the cars would follow.