Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not yet discussed here over the past week.
Marty
unclecharlie
hmmm
Bike Decatur
Macarolina
G Buck
At Home in Decatur
immodest proposal
Joe
Geoff
Scott
Joe
So…anything interesting happening in Atlanta lately? 🙂
Trump tweeted out that he “felt partially vindicated” re: John Lewis controversy.
Good day to be a bicycle commuter in Atlanta. 🙂
Maybe they’ll open the south bound side of I-85 as a temp bike path. Bridge will probably still hold bike traffic. Who wants to start a bike rental business at either end of the closed interstate?
How do you figure? Tens of thousands of cars will now be on the side streets. With that recipe for road rage, it is hard to imagine a worse place to be than on a bike in that mess.
More cars actually can be safer for cyclists. Keeps automobile speeds low, and high speeds are what kill pedestrians and bike riders. Anyway, bike commuting is pretty safe. You should try it, DawgFan, if you haven’t already.
Fire induced road diet leads to traffic calming in Atlanta; news at 5.
I agree that it is pretty safe, and so extravagant spending on road diets, cycle tracks, bike lanes and the like aren’t necessary.
Never thought of road rage that way, but I guess if everyone is packed in there’s nobody specific to get angry at.
Look a flashing light on Bicycle:
Last night on my way home I discovered 2 experiments next to the Path near Decatur High; each had a whole uncooked chicken under a milk crate with a sign on top ‘Experiment Please do not disturb!’. I like science and experiments as much as anyone but I think they could have found a better place than a few feet from a public walkway to experiment with rotten and putrefying meat. https://goo.gl/photos/HwJEEXv9u4xHbs697
Perhaps the title of the experiment is “How Passers-By React to Rotten and Putrefying Meat.”
Since last night I had been feeling sorry for people who need to use 85 or the area surrounding the fire. Then I thought that the few times I use 285 on the East side will be a little rougher. Then I just had a little panic moment wondering if the city streets going downtown from the Decatur area will get worse from people who might spill off of 285 instead of using I-20. Maybe not. We’ll see since this is going to last awhile.
Unfortunately, northsiders should expect an enormous increase in commuters using Scott Blvd, inasmuch as L’ville Hwy and US-78 are alternates to I-85.
Already true. The left turn from northbound Scott onto Clairemont, just above Westchester, was horrendous at 9:15 AM this morning . Usually it’s bad at 8:00-8:30 AM on a Monday-Thursday morning, but not at that time on a Friday. And that’s despite the fact that everyone was told to stay home and telecommute today.
I was dreading the drive up Clairmont Rd this morning but it was lighter than normal. The Monday after spring break will be the real test when it comes to traffic.
The remodeled Decatur McDonald’s is open now.
So how has it changed?
Mc Sushi
I’m still thinking about the upcoming bicycle lane boondoggle.
Hugh Saxon is quoted as saying 60% of residents are going to use it. How could I possibly miss that many bikes on the road? They aren’t there.
Where is the parking for 10,000 bicycles that represents?
Did he survey the myriad empty bike racks all over the city to gauge ACTUAL current users? I’ll ask him & get back to you on that one.
Yeah, I know its already approved, studies, etc., but this is a mistake, an expensive one.
In ascending order of inaccuracy and/or untruthfulness we have lies, damned lies, statistics, and then projections used to support progressive infrastructure projects. Just ask the Atlanta streetcar.
“In ascending order of inaccuracy and/or untruthfulness we have lies, damned lies, statistics, and then projections used to support progressive infrastructure projects.” … and finally blog posts about stuff we don’t like.
Of course it’s easy to discredit something when you misrepresent it. Hugh Saxon wasn’t quoted as saying 60% of residents are going to use it. He was paraphrased here on this website as saying 60% of residents *are willing to bike if they feel safe*.
What he *actually* said, referring to the PATH Foundation who is partnering on the project, is this:
“Their thinking is 10% of the bicycling population would get on a freeway if it was legal. 30% of the population won’t get on a bike for anything. And then their target is the 60% of the population that will bike if they feel it’s safe, and a protected bike lane is another element in safe bicycling.”
Barkboy – your method of analysis of future bike usage is off. What you’re saying equates to saying, “Why do we need a bridge over the river? I don’t see any cars that cross the river today, so clearly no one is going to use the bridge.” Build the bridge, and, presto, cars so show up to use it. It’s called induced demand. It’s also why building more highway lanes is not an effective way to “solve” congestion. You build more car lanes and more cars show up, magically. Then you just have more congested car lanes. The best way to ease car congestion is to offer alternative means of transportation, i.e. get people out of their cars. Examples of how to do that . . . build bike lanes, for one.
My comment was supposed to go here, so I’m reposting it.
Decatur, Atlanta, and other metro cities need to provide transportation alternatives. Since there isn’t much safe bike infrastructure right now, not as many people bike as would want to because they don’t feel safe sharing the road with cars, trucks, and buses. The 60% that Hugh referred to are the people who would ride a bike if safer bike infrastructure existed.
Look at the Beltline as an example. Before the eastside trail was built few people walked or biked in that area. Now the Beltline and the areas surrounding it are filled with cyclists and people walking.
The only mistake would be not building more protected bike lanes in Decatur. People of all ages will appreciate a network of safe protected bicycle paths in Decatur and in Atlanta. While you may personally not use it, many others will and you will benefit by having less cars on the road that would otherwise contribute to more traffic.
What are the projections via traffic studies for the reduction in car use and the decrease in traffic that the bike lanes will produce for Decatur? Where did you find this data?
People are always afraid of change. The fact is that bicycle transport works. It can decrease traffic congestion, improve public health outcomes, and, of course, decrease pollution and CO2 emissions. It requires a bit of infrastructure, so those 60% of people who’d like to bike but are afraid of being hit by cars will get out there. But the infrastructure isn’t so expensive when compared to the huge amounts of very expensive infrastructure devoted to cars. So maybe consider, when you whine about perceived traffic “boondoggles,” that you ARE traffic. Try hopping on a bike. You have nothing to lose except some extra pounds, some hypertension, and some anxiety.
Decatur, Atlanta, and other metro cities need to provide transportation alternatives. Since there isn’t much safe bike infrastructure right now, not as many people bike as would want to because they don’t feel safe sharing the road with cars, trucks, and buses. The 60% that Hugh referred to are the people who would ride a bike if safer bike infrastructure existed.
Look at the Beltline as an example. Before the eastside trail was built few people walked or biked in that area. Now the Beltline and the areas surrounding it are filled with cyclists and people walking.
The only mistake would be not building more protected bike lanes in Decatur. People of all ages will appreciate a network of safe protected bicycle paths in Decatur and in Atlanta. While you may personally not use it, many others will and you will benefit by having less cars on the road that would otherwise contribute to more traffic.
Went to Tazikis for the first time last night- great experience for fast casual dining with excellent, plentiful healthy food, and extremely friendly, courteous and fast staff. There also was always a staffer cleaning in the dining room. The basil pesto hummus was a favorite. We will definitely be back for dine in and pick up. Go check it out!
Managed to put in a request to have the new led street light behind our house shielded. The guy on the phone was very helpful and encouraging. Now we’ll see if they follow through.
Call 888-660-5890 press 4 for all other matters then press 4 for outdoor lighting. I got an actual human after that and he made it seem like a routine request.
I asked that the light be shielded off our house. I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out that they just dim it without changing the pattern.