[Vision2020] Third Street Jam (was LMT Article)

Thu Oct 27 11:20:04 PDT 2005

Chris,

Please enlighten me about the bike paths I see along the road 30 miles or so 
north of Anchorage and pedestrian/bike bridges over rivers many, many miles 
north of Anchorage. Are they thinking of connecting Anchorage and Fairbanks 
with a bike trail??

Dick

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chris Storhok" <cstorhok at co.fairbanks.ak.us>
To: "'Richard Schmidt'" <44schmidt at earthlink.net>; "Art Deco" 
<deco at moscow.com>; "Vision 2020" <vision2020 at moscow.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2005 12:46 PM
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Third Street Jam (was LMT Article)

> Dick,
>
> I will back you on this one, from my experience in Fairbanks, Moscow is
> absolute heaven when it comes to sidewalks and crosswalks (and this is
> coming from an individual who was run over three times in crosswalks in
> Moscow).  Moscow is such a pedestrian friendly town that cannot really be
> understood until you are elsewhere, and I really hope that they city keeps
> it that way!  As an example, Fairbanks has a really large attractive park
> downtown along the river yet it is accessible by a sidewalk with a legal
> crosswalk from only one direction, every other approach involves 
> jaywalking
> or going way out of the most logical path to find a legal crosswalk.
> Everyone knows of the problem but no one in government will champion a
> solution (which would mean telling tour buses to park a block further down
> the street - oh no hurting a business for community good - can't have that
> you know)
> For those of you fighting to keep Moscow pedestrian friendly - keep up the
> good fight - the reward is worth it!
>
> Chris Storhok
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
> [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]On Behalf Of Richard Schmidt
> Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2005 4:07 AM
> To: Art Deco; Vision 2020
> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Third Street Jam (was LMT Article)
>
>
> Wayne,
>
> Compared to Greenville, NC, Moscow does an excellent job of having
> crosswalks AND sidewalks. Greenville can't even spell crosswalk. They do
> have them on campus but not in any other part of town and they are really
> backwards about sidewalks. I would guess that only about 1/3 of the town 
> has
>
> sidewalks.
>
> I bitched about all the crosswalks on 3rd St when I lived there but I will
> say that too many crosswalks are better than no crosswalks. (I can't 
> believe
>
> I said that)!!!! I have traveled in all 50 states except Hawaii and North
> Dakota. The worst town to navigate through - Maryville, TN.
>
> I will say that having crosswalks between stoplights on 3 lane and 5 lane
> streets/roads are dangerous. Local people will know about them but people
> from California or North Dakota may not see them as they are watching the
> road signs so they won't get lost. It is normal NOT to have crosswalks 
> like
> that (between lights) across the country so that is something you are not
> watching for.
>
> I would recommend the city put up signs at the city limits reminding 
> people
> that pedestrians have the right of way in crosswalks and which would make
> visitors more aware. Gatlinburg, TN has such a sign when you enter the 
> city
> so people are forewarned. The cost of a few signs is peanuts compared to 
> the
>
> life of a child or anyone else.
>
> Dick Schmidt
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Art Deco" <deco at moscow.com>
> To: "Vision 2020" <vision2020 at moscow.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 26, 2005 2:07 PM
> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Third Street Jam (was LMT Article)
>
>
>> Janesta,
>>
>> Here's some irony:
>>
>> This week Officer Carl Womack of the MPD wrote a short article for the
>> Daily News on the new crosswalks on Moscow-Pullman Highway/3rd Street. 
>> It
>
>> was a very well written, informative article.  It clearly and simply
>> stated the pedestrian/crosswalk applicable law and offered tips on
>> courtesy.  I was very impressed.  That is, until the last sentence which
>> said to keep Moscow a pedestrian friendly town.
>>
>> Moscow is not a pedestrian friendly town.  Although I do not travel a 
>> lot,
>
>> we go to Canada at least once a year for two weeks, to northern Idaho
>> several times, to multiple destinations in Oregon two or three times a
>> year, and to Spokane several times.  As a pedestrian, I feel the least
>> safe in Moscow (and Pullman).
>>
>> Yesterday, a group of young ladies was trying to cross Washington from 
>> the
>
>> Anselm House corner to the new Co-op corner,  I was in the lane next to
>> the Co-op.  I stopped not only out of courtesy but because this group was
>> already in the lane closest to Anselm house -- it was thus legally
>> mandatory to stop.  A black SUV with Bluebird Idaho license plates in the
>> middle lane accelerated, narrowly missing the young ladies who had the
>> good sense to stop, and then pulled into my lane.
>>
>> Like Janesta, I have witnessed many violations of the pedestrian crossing
>> laws by arrogant, distracted (cell phones, babies, etc), and/or
>> inattentive drivers.  Some occur at 4th and Washington right by the MPD
>> station.  For a real adventure try using the crosswalk across Jackson 
>> near
>
>> the Daily News!
>>
>> Perhaps part of the solution is for the city council and MPD to educate
>> themselves on what "Pedestrian Friendly" really means.  The council could
>> then make policy recommendations to MPD and do the other things needed to
>> implement the "Pedestrian Friendly City" parameters.
>>
>> Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)
>> deco at moscow.com
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Janesta Carcich" <janestacarcich at yahoo.com>
>> To: "Andreas Schou" <ophite at gmail.com>; "Art Deco" <deco at moscow.com>
>> Cc: "Vision 2020" <vision2020 at moscow.com>
>> Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 9:08 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Third Street Jam (was LMT Article)
>>
>>
>>>I challenge any of you to be a pedestrian crossing
>>> Third from the south to the North. The "walk" sign
>>> stays on exactly eight paces from the curb. That is
>>> eight paces of a lady 5'10", (prior to getting hit by
>>> a car, I haven't tried it using my cane yet) then the
>>> indicator turns to "don't walk". Cars are backed up,
>>> swerving around pedestrians still in the walkway,
>>> raring to save mere minutes in their trip to who knows
>>> where, and get through the intersection before the
>>> light changes.
>>>
>>> Many times, I have witnessed elderly people, mothers
>>> with small children in tow, as well as people with
>>> disabilities of all kinds, frantically attempting to
>>> cross the street so a car won't hit them. Ask me about
>>> getting hit by a car; it is no fun at all.
>>>
>>> This intersection is a huge mess, from a vehicle
>>> standpoint to the pedestrian standpoint....
>>>
>>> And someone wants to put a bridge in on Third Street?
>>> Someone in City   Hall thinks doing this will save
>>> time? I say someone, because I am not sure who has the
>>> idea to do this, (no I don't read the paper, or every
>>> post here) but in my opinion the idea is a VERY bad
>>> one.
>>>
>>>
>>> Janesta Carcich
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> __________________________________
>>> Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005
>>> http://mail.yahoo.com
>>>
>>>
>>
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>
> _____________________________________________________
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