9th Street corridor notes

[Evan Bontrager]

Several individuals met with Leslie, the city engineer, to discuss Kercher crossing and 9th street corridor. The notes are below and attached. Comments and feedback are welcome.

Evan Bontrager
Ev...@Bontrager.net

+1 574-238-0534 mobile

Notes:

Quiet zone crossings

August 20, 2019

Leslie Biek

John Nafziger, Elvie Bontrager, Evan Bontrager, Deanna Messick, Adam Scharf

1. Kercher crossing

1. Maze plan was in works before Leslie came to Goshen

2. Maze was suggestion by Tammy at Federal rails

3. City noticed other crossings didn’t have pedestrian safety plan in quiet zone and submitted a new amendment adding mazes along other crossings. Standard for crossings is now set and future plans will require new amendment to be submitted.

2. Discussions

1. Evan presented federal notes on quiet zones and pedestrian crossings. Federal rules pertaining to rule 222.27 note that a sign stating no horns present would be sufficient subject to other state requirements. Opinions beyond that require some safety calculation to be evaluated. It also suggests the local government can evaluate such requirements through the implementation of a diagnostic team. 

2. Solutions discussed and supported by public attendees was to remove maze from all future designs. Submit a replacement amendment supporting a sign that reads, “stop when flashing” with flashing lights triggered by the road flashing lights.

3. It was requested that the current Kercher maze be removed since it isn’t required until the quiet zone goes into affect. Leslie was unsure if it can be removed until a replacement design was approved. Leslie will design, quote, and submit a request to the Board of Works, and the Redevelopment Committee, for the purpose of getting approval to submit a new amendment to the Federal Rails.

4. The alternative would be to add pedestrian arms instead of maze. These would cost more. Evan suggested to proceed with this plan over mazes so that the cost would be the impetus to implement flashing sign solution.

5. Washington trail crossing would not have a road signal to trigger a flashing sign. A sign only following the federal wording of a sign simply stating “no horns are present at this intersection”.

3. The intersections that fall under the current amendment include:

1. Washington street (trail crossing only)

2. Madison

3. Purl (already designed and budgeted with separate pedestrian arms)

4. Plymouth

5. New York

6. Kercher (outside of amendment but installed and precedent setting)

4. In support of Leslie’s activities with other authorities

1. Submit a public letter with an official request. Will research with Bike Elkhart on joint request

2. Submit actual traffic counts of Kercher trail users and how they use or bypass the current maze. Evan plans an evening and Saturday morning to observe users and count.

3. Adam and other gave descriptions of the failure of this design. These may be added as an appendix to the public request letter.

1. When entering maze, eyes look down to navigate instead of looking towards the tracks

2. Tandems, recumbents, and trailers can’t navigate maze

3. Maze designed for bikes to dismount, whether a train is present or not, is inappropriate when cars don’t have the same requirement

4. Having bikes cross the center line risks head on collisions between bikes if they can navigate

5. If dismounting and walking through, only one user can enter at a time, and thus other crossing walkers are left to queue on or near the tracks waiting to enter

6. And of course, many users will simply bypass maze and enter the road inappropriately

5. 9th Street crossing

1. Leslie plans to move the existing crosswalk to the east side of the intersection, fix the curb, extend trail to College Ave, and paint crosswalk stripes.

Action items:

Leslie to submit request to BOW and Redev

Leslie to lead a submission for a new amendment accordingly

Evan to provide traffic counts on use

Evan to work with active members and Bike Elkhart on submitting an official public support and request letter for a change in current and future designs.

[Patrick Buller]

Thank you so much for your work!

 

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From: goshe...@googlegroups.com on behalf of Evan Bontrager <ev...@bontrager.net>
Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2019 8:31 PM
To: Goshen Bikes
Subject: [Goshen Bikes] 9th Street corridor notes

 

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[dannys...@gmail.com]

Here is an interesting article created and broadcast by NPR’s All Things Considered.

https://www.npr.org/2019/08/14/751218425/in-nyc-cycling-deaths-increase-but-gears-turn-slowly-on-safety-measures

 

 

From: goshe...@googlegroups.com <goshe...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Evan Bontrager
Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2019 8:31 PM
To: Goshen Bikes <goshe...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [Goshen Bikes] 9th Street corridor notes

 

Several individuals met with Leslie, the city engineer, to discuss Kercher crossing and 9th street corridor. The notes are below and attached. Comments and feedback are welcome.

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