Weekend Metro: Car-Free Decatur, Transportation Turmoil, and Medlock’s PATH
Decatur Metro | September 17, 2011
- Next Wednesday is “Car-Free” Day in Decatur [Be Active Decatur]
- Beltline Funding a Point of Contention Among Some on Transportation Roundtable [AJC]
- Medlock Path PATH Construction Photos [Medlock Area Neighhood Assoc]
- South DeKalb Sets Up Website to Urge I-20 Rail From 1-Cent Sales Tax [Rally 4 Rail]
- Briarlake PTA Fighting Cell Phone Tower Installation [Patch] - Background Info
- Cool Pic of the Brick Store Alley [ATL Urbanist]
Photo courtesy of MANA
Latest from Decaturish
The item about the cell towers on school grounds is a good example of why I never bother to read the Patch. The article offers not the slightest clue as to why people are opposed to these towers. It’s sound-bite journalism (and I use the word “journalism” loosely).
(Not saying it shouldn’t be here. I like this new feature because it prompts me to go take a glance at things I might otherwise miss, since I don’t read the AJC very often or catch local TV news every day.)
No, no. Good point. One of the ways I’ve tried to differentiate DM in the past is provide extra context when linking to articles. Hadn’t thought about in relation to these quick links, but I should try to provide more context where something isn’t totally explained. (I added an extra link to the Patch one above)
` South DeKalb deserves rail. South DeKalb must have rail. [Rally4Rail]
I can’t get behind this because I think the proposals are really bad. Though it pains me, I would just as soon see a “MARTA only lane” along the interstate from Wesley Chapel to MARTA’s dedicated exit ramps for Indian Creek Station (which may sound ridiculous).
I suspect there have been numerous opportunities over the years to encourage and prepare for new [rail] transit – opportunities which have been completely ignored. I deplore the notion of trying to follow developers, at great public expense, to successive shopping mall sprawl-burbs.
Here’s an idea: pass out a “get out a jail free” card at the car-free day rally, which you can use to escape the traffic ticket you are almost sure to get if you ride your bike to work through Decatur.
Even better: Get the local blogs to post “Cycling Do’s & Don’ts” beforehand. When folks know better, they’ll do better, right?
No. For example, all of the drivers who drive down your street had to pass a drivers’ test and have a learners’ permit before they were licensed. And if I recall, you still think they drive too fast. And having lived on Sycamore, I think it is obvious that about 85% of cars spped down that road.
Personally, I know the law says I am supposed to come to a complete stop on my bike at an empty 4 way intersection. I’m still not going to do it when I can see that there are no cars around, because it is ridiculous. I’m a rebel without a cause, I suppose.
Your cause is good; it’s just your action that’s misplaced. I’m 100% behind you if you decide to go for it on trying to get the law changed because, frankly, I think it’s very silly for cyclists to have to stop on residential streets when they can clearly scan for pedestrians, cars, and bikes. I’d also say that I think the timing couldn’t be more perfect with all the transit interest going on. That said, you really should stop harping on the Decatur PD ( and the one officer in particular) for enforcing the law. Raising hell on here is probably spurring folks to make complaints. After all, increased enforcement gives the ticked off residents the satisfaction of making the offending cyclists as mad as they are making them!
That’s the thing. It is very silly from a public safety perspective.
Does it make sense for the department to sit an officer in a residential neighborhood that doesn’t typically have major accidents or many out of control drivers? Or should they be on a street that’s used for schools, or somewhere that has serious problems with speeding? This just seems like such an obviously ridiculous place and approach to helping avoid serious accidents. It would seem that they are so many other places they are needed. Maybe they could scan the FFAFs for the past few months. Plenty of suggestions there about notoriously dangerous roads and intersections that really need more presence.
In addition to monitoring known traffic problem spots, the DPD looks into every single complaint filed. That means that the traffic officers are probably spending portions of their shifts on streets they wouldn’t ordinarily choose. Yes, we want our officers providing protection and enforcement along the most heavily traveled SRTS. What you don’t seem to be factoring in is that tickets writing in one area doesn’t mean that the rest of Decatur isn’t covered. (Zone officers also assess traffic complaints in their areas and have to report back.) By establishing a presence everywhere, our police officers are sending the message that they won’t tolerate traffic violations anywhere– and that’s just as it should be in a city that’s focused on truly being a pedestrian and Share the Road friendly place to live
“What you don’t seem to be factoring in”
I can’t factor in the math involved in explaining gravity, but this situation I actually understand. And in a situation/city where there are a finite number of resources, dedicating one somewhere, takes away from somewhere else. That’s just the reality.
Designating an officer to a quiet neighborhood where there isn’t anything going on in terms of accidents, where maybe 20 cars and cyclists pass through at rush hour or even all day, just doesn’t make sense to me.
We’ll just have to agree to disagree.
Speeding motorists already get a get out of jail free card. They must exceed 11 mph over the posted speed limit before DPD will do anything to them. That’s 46mph on Sycamore.
So, why can’t cyclists get a break at defective traffic signals when they come to a full stop and proceed carefully?
You’re good! :0)… I reckon it’s a question worth asking. I know I’d sure like to ask if officers can start pulling over the +35mphers on Sycamore to give them a lecture on speeding. (Now THAT would give me satisfaction!)
How about joining me in hosting a traffic meeting? We can invite the folks who can make decisions and open it up to everyone who’s interested in attending.
Methinks you want to remove the doggles of anonymity.
I would welcome and participate in a citywide forum on traffic justice and safety.
That really wasn’t my angle! I just want folks to get to the doing part already, that’s all! :0)
Seriously and sincerely, it’d be a good thing to have some of Decatur’s cyclists bring up the defective sensors to the City and ask for their assistance in getting the County to repair them. It’s in everyone’s best interest to get the problem solved now, not later. (Even if you don’t give a flip about cyclists- shame on you!- the County’s responsible for Decatur’s traffic ops. If the City decides to assume responsibility down the road, we’ll foot the entire bill. May as well really get our money’s worth from the County.)
DM’s already emailed the County about theproblem, but it seems like cyclists should pitch in on the project too. Tonight’s City Commission Meeting would be a good opportunity. There’s already a biking agenda item, so the timing’s perfect. There’s a Requests and Petitions time where citizens can address the board– no fancy presentations necessary. You just simply make your request.
Good idea- I am going to put some safety tips/rules on the beactivedecatur blog.
Oops- this went under the wrong comment! I was referring to the idea of posting rules, etc. Have a safe fun day in Decatur everyone!
Question (I’ve been on the road for a while and am not fully up to date on my DM): With the exception of the “not triggering the light” thread, has there been much posting about bike tickets given unfairly? I know there’ve been a number of tix given but I thought they were all for actual traffic violations. Can anyone bring me up to speed?
I don’t think anyone’s posted about another bike ticket while you’ve been gone. Folks are still grumping about the first two. (Other cyclists, that is. Gotta give props to the folks that actually got the tickets that they didn’t embellish the circumstances or argue that they didn’t break the law.)
As the cyclist that got the redlight ticket at Hill turning onto McDonough, I wanted to add something positive too: If traveling on Derrydown heading west across S. Columbia, the signal *is* triggered by a single bike. This is superb because that intersection would be a pretty awful one to negotiate during busy times of day (cars on S. Columbia are fast!). So Kudos!
I went down to the old Decatur Waterworks/Mason Mill Park to see all of the new construction. It is almost done (as evidenced by the photos). They seemed to have salvaged one of the old water holding tanks. I wonder what it will be used for? It has already been tagged by graffiti artists. They put a fence around the tank but someone had already cut the lock so you could walk around the tank. If a small animal fell in the tank it would die since there is no way for things to crawl out.
And your opinion is?
Someone claims we must direct hundreds of millions of dollars as down payment into an endeavor because a group of people “deserve [it].” Is that claim unassailable, or do we avoid debate because difficult issues lie just below the surface?
We will be asked to spend billions on new roads and transit – including many projects that are arguably unnecessary, ill-conceived, or both. Are we unable to engage complex challenges, or are we more concerned with rehashing how bicyclists observe four-way stops?