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Letter to the Editor; Cars hogging roadways
Friday, August 29, 2008 2:11 PM EDT
To the Editor:
With the rising cost of gas, many folks are returning to bicycling, walking, running or using a scooter or moped to travel to and from work, stores, churches or family activities. Their main concern is their safety and in a country where cars kill over forty five thousand people each year, their concerns are justified. Unfortunately, those involved with the planning and building of our roadways are focusing on the large, fast, expensive vehicles, at the expense of small cars, those on scooters, those on bicycles, those in tennis shoes, those in walking shoes, those in wheelchairs and those with crutches or walkers, and ignoring “universal design” that allows for safety of everyone and not just the few.
In the past week, our road commission repainted the lines on Old 27 both North and South of Gaylord. Once again, they successfully moved the white lines outwards allowing for more space and pavement for large cars and trucks and less pavement for pedestrians. They have done this so many times that the 2 feet our state paid for and mandated for pedestrian usage no longer exist. In fact, there are places where there’s less than 2 inches. Any bicyclist who travels to work in the dark, and who tries to stay to the right of the white line, would risk serious injury but would risk being killed going to the left or the white line. When discussing this problem with MDOT, I’ve been told that painting the lines is the responsibility of local government. It is a fact that any state-sponsored roadway pays for a minimum of 2 feet for pedestrian traffic and all Federal roadways have paid for and designated a minimum of three feet. This should be considered when painting boundary lines. It’s very obvious that “universal design” is not a functioning concept with our local government and that those who are afraid to use our roadways have justification in their feelings.
Ron Vance
Gaylord
With the rising cost of gas, many folks are returning to bicycling, walking, running or using a scooter or moped to travel to and from work, stores, churches or family activities. Their main concern is their safety and in a country where cars kill over forty five thousand people each year, their concerns are justified. Unfortunately, those involved with the planning and building of our roadways are focusing on the large, fast, expensive vehicles, at the expense of small cars, those on scooters, those on bicycles, those in tennis shoes, those in walking shoes, those in wheelchairs and those with crutches or walkers, and ignoring “universal design” that allows for safety of everyone and not just the few.
In the past week, our road commission repainted the lines on Old 27 both North and South of Gaylord. Once again, they successfully moved the white lines outwards allowing for more space and pavement for large cars and trucks and less pavement for pedestrians. They have done this so many times that the 2 feet our state paid for and mandated for pedestrian usage no longer exist. In fact, there are places where there’s less than 2 inches. Any bicyclist who travels to work in the dark, and who tries to stay to the right of the white line, would risk serious injury but would risk being killed going to the left or the white line. When discussing this problem with MDOT, I’ve been told that painting the lines is the responsibility of local government. It is a fact that any state-sponsored roadway pays for a minimum of 2 feet for pedestrian traffic and all Federal roadways have paid for and designated a minimum of three feet. This should be considered when painting boundary lines. It’s very obvious that “universal design” is not a functioning concept with our local government and that those who are afraid to use our roadways have justification in their feelings.
Ron Vance
Gaylord
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6 comment(s)
SelenicMagick wrote on Sep 8, 2008 2:33 PM:
" "SelenicMagick: Where are the sidewalks not accessible? If this is the case it should be fixed. "
There is a total of ONE North-South street and NO East West streets other than Mitchell between Mitchell on the South, North street to the North, Old 27 on the East and North Ohio on the West that have sidewalks. Sidewalks are also rather lacking from Maple on the East to Elm on the West. TRY taking a walk in the areas involved and see just how many sidewalks you have to walk on.
We tell children "Don't walk in the road" and then we don't give them any CHOICE other than to walk in the road or walk across someone's lawn because we don't have sidewalks FOR them to walk on. Does someone have to DIE before people see the problem?
Oh and we passed a millage 15 years ago to "fix" it BUT getting the job DONE is taking a bit longer than we were told it would take. Someday maybe the job will finally be done. "
There is a total of ONE North-South street and NO East West streets other than Mitchell between Mitchell on the South, North street to the North, Old 27 on the East and North Ohio on the West that have sidewalks. Sidewalks are also rather lacking from Maple on the East to Elm on the West. TRY taking a walk in the areas involved and see just how many sidewalks you have to walk on.
We tell children "Don't walk in the road" and then we don't give them any CHOICE other than to walk in the road or walk across someone's lawn because we don't have sidewalks FOR them to walk on. Does someone have to DIE before people see the problem?
Oh and we passed a millage 15 years ago to "fix" it BUT getting the job DONE is taking a bit longer than we were told it would take. Someday maybe the job will finally be done. "
drpercussion wrote on Sep 6, 2008 3:11 PM:
" I live about 7 miles out of town...I would love to be able to ride my bike to pick up a gal of milk etc.., but tooling down M32/ old 27 on a bike doesn't seem like a safe idea, perhaps the next time we re-surface these roads we could install a 4 or 5 foot lane off the road/ in the easement "
come on people wrote on Sep 3, 2008 12:53 PM:
" I think our City has done a great job with the sidewalks. I see motorized carts on the bike paths and sidewalks many blocks from dowtown. SelenicMagick: Where are the sidewalks not accessible? If this is the case it should be fixed. "
SelenicMagick wrote on Sep 2, 2008 9:35 PM:
" "Why someone would even consider walking or using a wheelchair on such a road is beyond me. "
Handicapped access to sidewalks in Gaylord is Minimal. In most cases the only place one CAN use a wheelchair is in the roads. "
Handicapped access to sidewalks in Gaylord is Minimal. In most cases the only place one CAN use a wheelchair is in the roads. "
paddle86 wrote on Sep 1, 2008 8:51 AM:
" Even though it may be legal for bikes to be on the road, the reality is that it is very dangerous, especially on a busy road. Regardless of how much road exists between the shoulder and pavement, Old 27 is not a place to ride and definitely not in the dark or twilight. Why someone would even consider walking or using a wheelchair on such a road is beyond me. There is a solution though, use a mountain bike. That way, you can ride safely well off the road and still be using a bike. "
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CUTTY wrote on Sep 12, 2008 4:28 AM:
Too often drivers (particularly young drivers with a tendency for a lead foot) believe that only THEY have rights when it comes to our roads.
The roads belong to everyone. Reasonable accomodations need to be made by all concerned. "