Topic: Bike Lanes On Front St.
started by: Hog
Posted by Hog on Jun. 01 2011,10:41 am
This will be a drunk driver course for the cops with all the paint lines and stripes. It's going to be hard for the larger trucks to get past. 
Posted by Liberal on Jun. 01 2011,4:48 pm
The intersection of Front and Broadway is going to get someone killed. Who in their right mind makes a bike lane that crisscrosses traffic multiple times.And how much could a real bicycle stencil cost? It looks like they used the stencils for the center lines for the stick man, and a 0 for wheels.
Posted by GEOKARJO on Jun. 01 2011,5:49 pm
Thats what all that was I saw today I thought maybe the lanes paint truck sprung a leak. 
Posted by hairhertz on Jun. 01 2011,8:32 pm
Typical AL politicians 
Posted by Blackdog on Jun. 01 2011,9:49 pm
What a bunch of crap.Pulled my trailer down the road and almost killed a kid.This gives them a right to ride bike down that crazy rode? Wow.Next thing we will here is pedestrian killed on front street.This is just nuts. Well it fits are idiotic city council!!!Are Engineers are Idiots.My Kindergarden girl even said that she wouldnt ride her bike there.
People get off your ass and do it on any given
afternoon and think about it 
Dumbasses~!!!!!!
Posted by hymiebravo on Jun. 01 2011,10:22 pm
QUOTE
And how much could a real bicycle stencil cost? It looks like they used the stencils for the center lines for the stick man, and a 0 for wheels.
Ha ha - The thing as a whole is very hideous. It seems more like defacing public property then any sort of helpful device. IMO
Posted by hymiebravo on Jun. 01 2011,10:23 pm
It really makes you wonder about the architects behind that bad idea.
Posted by MADDOG on Jun. 01 2011,10:30 pm
Perhaps it has been the intent of the city all along to reduce traffic and finish killing off all businesses on the west side of town.
Posted by alcitizens on Jun. 01 2011,10:33 pm
(MADDOG @ Jun. 01 2011,10:30 pm)
QUOTE
Perhaps it has been the intent of the city all along to reduce traffic and finish killing off all businesses on the west side of town.
Posted by Liberal on Jun. 02 2011,12:47 pm
Apparently the bike rider on the stencil is just happy to see you.
Posted by GEOKARJO on Jun. 02 2011,1:39 pm
One of the questions asked of the candidates during the 1st ward forum was would I have supported the Front Street Bike trail proposal, I said No. I was ridiculed for my opinion, "the project is dangerous, the street is not wide enough to be safe for this kind of project without widening of the street." I guess someone will have to be seriously injured or maimed to understand this project was a bad Idea.
Posted by sumpdump on Jun. 02 2011,3:29 pm
WOW, you are not kidding. I hate that street now. Nothing like packing in 20 lbs in 2 lb bag if you know what I'm saying.
Posted by Stone-Magnon on Jun. 02 2011,3:39 pm
Now you're complaining about bike lanes? Get on your bike and use em for a few months in the summer you lazy ass.
Posted by MADDOG on Jun. 02 2011,6:50 pm
(Stone-Magnon @ Jun. 02 2011,3:39 pm)
QUOTE
Now you're complaining about bike lanes? Get on your bike and use em for a few months in the summer you lazy ass.
Are you nuts?! Not until the traffic figures out it's not the best route traveled anymore.
I drove it tonight to Kwik Trip just to see. There were about eight people near the till when I mentioned, "Who screwed up the road out front." Six people made negative comments. I asked one of the employees if they were going to move the convenience store because of it. Three jumped in and complained about parking. Then I asked why some businesses and homes nearby got preferential treatment with parking and others didn't.
That started the people up again.Seems like the council and the Curs really have made people happy in Albert Lea once more. I'm sure that Mr. and Mrs. Mutt Cur and Mayor Vern are patting each other on the backs for this one. After all, this is part of their "vision" in the Comprehensive Plans for the city in that part of town.
Posted by Santorini on Jun. 03 2011,12:25 am
Seriously, what was the objective???Safer for bikers??
It is a mess...and it looks stupid!
When they were talking bike-trail I had no idea it would be so elementary. You are sooooo right...someone is going to get hurt or killed. Just a matter of time.
This was suppose to bring in business?
City can advertise bike-trails and they will be laughed off the map!
Posted by Rosalind_Swenson on Jun. 03 2011,1:48 am
(Liberal @ Jun. 02 2011,12:47 pm)
QUOTE
Apparently the bike rider on the stencil is just happy to see you.
LMAO
Posted by simpleopinion on Jun. 03 2011,12:48 pm
Okay first off I don't think that we really needed the bike lanes on Front St., I think having them go around the lake would have been a much better idea. But do you people really live within your own little boxes? I was just in Rochester yesterday and they have the same bike lanes and the same bike stencil. Also the same bike lanes are abundant in a lot of different cities that I have traveled through. Your problem is that it is something different and we all know that you people hate change otherwise you wouldn't complain about every little thing. It's something new, something people are going to have to get used to. Get over it.
Posted by MADDOG on Jun. 03 2011,12:58 pm
simpleopinion, coming on here telling this forum to "get over it" won't get you far.
Posted by Liberal on Jun. 03 2011,2:15 pm
Apparently Simpleopinion hasn't been to Rochester to see the bike lane/stencils. In reality Rochester appears to have a little classier stencil than our 00-woody stencil.Next time I'm over there I'll have to check to see how many times bikes and cars crisscross each others lane, but I'd guess that they don't have cars and bikes jockeying for position like the area near the Tribune, or the Broadway & Front intersection.
Posted by Alfy Packer on Jun. 03 2011,3:04 pm
And we paid how much for the paint job? Don't get me wrong, I like to ride bike, but if it is safety everyone is looking for, maybe a little hole patching would be a smarter use of the money.
Posted by MADDOG on Jun. 03 2011,5:01 pm
I wonder if simpleopinion noticed their road is much wider.Simple obviously doesn't live on the street or have to travel the road for any reason. They obviously don't own a business near there either.
Posted by Moparman on Jun. 03 2011,5:47 pm
I drove down Front last night on my way to work to check the lanes out. What a joke!! It is just another embarrassing, poorly thought out, useless, project that Albert Lea is becoming famous for!!
Posted by hairhertz on Jun. 03 2011,6:32 pm
(simpleopinion @ Jun. 03 2011,12:48 pm)
QUOTE
Okay first off I don't think that we really needed the bike lanes on Front St., I think having them go around the lake would have been a much better idea. But do you people really live within your own little boxes? I was just in Rochester yesterday and they have the same bike lanes and the same bike stencil. Also the same bike lanes are abundant in a lot of different cities that I have traveled through. Your problem is that it is something different and we all know that you people hate change otherwise you wouldn't complain about every little thing. It's something new, something people are going to have to get used to. Get over it.
Welcome aboard! Way to jump right into the fray.
Posted by simpleopinion on Jun. 03 2011,7:20 pm
I do agree that like a lot of things this city does it wasn't thought out completely, it's not perfect but nothing ever is for everyone. I do think it cost too much for what it is and again I think it would have been more beneficial having it around the lake unstead. Also I do travel Front street every day to work and the road is plenty wide we are just not used to the new lines. If it's that big of a driving problem for some of you simply take another route.
Posted by Moparman on Jun. 03 2011,8:20 pm
What about the people that have to live and work on that route? Where are all the bike lane proponents now that they see what a disaster that has been created? Do they still think Albert Lea is the next Lanesboro because of these bike lanes?
Posted by ControlledHyperness on Jun. 03 2011,11:53 pm
I dunno...those bike lanes down by the Blazing Change Landing seem...lacking. First off...once you cross the bridge it just...stops. Not sure where the bikes are supposed to go, but like many things of late..it joins the "trail to nowhere". Secondly, Im not sure the fishermen are gonna like having their parking yanked away on that bridge in the name of a bike lane. Just waiting for some "unknowing" guy to come along and whap some biker not using that sidewalk big enough for the bikes 
I give it to mid summer before some kind of re-paint project starts, or some kind of something to "help" citizens to know what in the world we are supposed to do. LOL
Posted by Alfy Packer on Jun. 04 2011,8:21 am
A little black paint could fix it
Posted by hymiebravo on Jun. 04 2011,10:52 am
The best bike paths are the bituminous type like the Blazing Star Trail. Austin has managed to set up quite an extensive amount of them. The way they are set up they can take you to or through busy areas. Then you only have short distances where you have to navigate on busier roads. The Front Street situation is silly. It's like the architects behind it never even visited the area. That is really a dead area for bikes and even foot traffic. Especially when school is out.
So you're riding along heading east in the bike lane. You come up to the Kwik Trip area and there are cars parked there. Now what?
Where exactly is the destination headed out that way as well?
Is it to connect to the path by Shoff Park?
Designate the sidewalks on Front as bike/pedestrian paths. Then add some of those "free" sidewalks along the north end of the Sibley Southwest area.
Or skip that whole area and try and open up the Blazing Star Trail across the Farmstead area across to Fountain Lake.
Access to the Trails Truck Stop area via the Blazing Star would be really good too.
How about bike access to Walmart Town?
Posted by ControlledHyperness on Jun. 06 2011,2:45 pm
Went out on a quick grocery run earlier...guess what??? A biker was using the sidewalk down by the pool...right where a new bike lane was painted... Guess he forgot the memo that he is supposed to use the road now...
Posted by pantalonesverdes on Jun. 06 2011,4:05 pm
Never heard such a bunch of juvenile complaining. Pretty typical for this forum.
Posted by Liberal on Jun. 06 2011,4:31 pm
I guess we should all be happy to spend many thousands of tax dollars on a paint job with homemade stencils. I looked online and an actual stencil costs under $30 shipped.And nobody should complain that places like the Tribune were paid off with parking if they went along with the project regardless if it's a danger to those of us still able to get on a bike?
Posted by ControlledHyperness on Jun. 06 2011,7:36 pm
I took the long way home from grocery shopping tonight..mainly to see the new lanes (now that the signs are finally up). I believe the thought "What in the world?!" came to mind multiple times. I see what you mean Lib about the criss-cross of traffic. It isn't so bad down by the pool and Trailside, but it doesn't take long to get confusing from that point onward. pantelones...If you notice, I don't think my posts have come off as complaining...just satirical sarcasm at it's best...LOL
Posted by grassman on Jun. 07 2011,2:43 am
(Liberal @ Jun. 02 2011,12:47 pm)
QUOTE
Apparently the bike rider on the stencil is just happy to see you.
Did they dedicate the path to Weiner?
Posted by sumpdump on Jun. 07 2011,9:32 am
Nice post grassman! That was spot on!
Posted by Alfy Packer on Jun. 07 2011,10:12 am
Last night I saw a car trying to make a right turn from the car lane, and another car came up on the bike lane and cut the car in the car lane off. I have yet to see a bike rider brave enough to go riding in the bike lanes on Front Street. Yet I have seen drivers who are disreguarding the bike lanes on front street on a regular basis. Looks to me like we need a special police force to take care of our new bike lane. I'm sure it will work if we spend a little more money on enforcing the concept. 
Posted by Pigpen on Jun. 07 2011,1:53 pm
To all the people who say we don't like change, for me its not that. I just don't see how anyone can vote on spending more taxpayers money when there is hardly any money. And to the one that had the deciding vote (and we know who you are) what the hell was going thru your mind.
Posted by MADDOG on Jun. 07 2011,5:37 pm
I just came from Kwik Trip on Front. Wasn't even thinking until I turned off Broadway and remembered. It's near ridiculous in the parts that do actually have parking too. I haven't seen a bicyclist the three times I've been on the road either. Anybody seen much bike traffic on Front?
I don't know how it's affected business at the Kwik Trip, but finding a parking spot there seems easier now. Maybe the city will move their gas account there to help compensate the store.
Posted by hairhertz on Jun. 07 2011,6:35 pm
light it and they will comebuild it and we will fill it
paint it and we will ride it?
Posted by 2034 on Jun. 07 2011,7:42 pm
I drive front 3 to 4 times a day. Never seen a bike on the path, sidewalks, yes.Thank god the kids don't use it!
Wasn't this an idea from the "healthy/blue zone/rusty lights/etc,etc./what's best for alberta princess leah people?
Posted by grassman on Jun. 07 2011,9:25 pm
Good intensions ... 
Posted by HiggsBoson on Jun. 07 2011,10:15 pm
In the number times I've been on Front, I've seen one bike using the lane. But I have seen numerous pedestrians WALKING in the lane on a side where there is no sidewalk, against traffic usually, including someone pushing a stroller.Build it, and someone will use it as a shortcut in a way you didn't intend.
Posted by ControlledHyperness on Jun. 08 2011,5:25 pm
(HiggsBoson @ Jun. 07 2011,10:15 pm)
QUOTE
In the number times I've been on Front, I've seen one bike using the lane. But I have seen numerous pedestrians WALKING in the lane on a side where there is no sidewalk, against traffic usually, including someone pushing a stroller.
Build it, and someone will use it as a shortcut in a way you didn't intend.
Build it, and someone will use it as a shortcut in a way you didn't intend.
Posted by Mamma on Jun. 09 2011,7:13 am
I saw a couple of guys riding their bikes on the sidewalk .... and saw two motorized wheelchairs in the bike lanes.
Posted by Liberal on Jun. 09 2011,8:55 am
I saw three riders yesterday. One was on the sidewalk, another was going the wrong direction on the path, and the third was actually using the path, and going in the proper direction.I think that's the first person I've seen using them as they were intended.
Posted by grassman on Jun. 09 2011,9:55 am
This little guy may make it to Albert Lea someday.
Posted by Glad I Left on Jun. 09 2011,10:58 am
Well he heard about the bike lanes, and pretty lights, new courthouse and school, and of course Tiger Hills....
Posted by usmcr on Jun. 09 2011,11:24 am
i am curious to know if anyone had the foresight to check on the number of daily bike usage on front st? is this just a stab in the dark to satisfy the blue zone folks? if i remember correctly it cost about $30k to create the bike lanes. was there a grant or such or was this at the city's expense? imho this blue zone thing is being blown way out of proportion. considering the total population of a.lea the blue zone is supported by a fraction of the population.
Posted by MADDOG on Jun. 09 2011,1:57 pm
(usmcr @ Jun. 09 2011,11:24 am)
QUOTE
i am curious to know if anyone had the foresight to check on the number of daily bike usage on front st? is this just a stab in the dark to satisfy the blue zone folks? if i remember correctly it cost about $30k to create the bike lanes.
That would have cost the city another $25,000 for a feasibility study. Also they probably didn't want to know what the bike traffic was.
Posted by twingroves on Jun. 09 2011,2:12 pm
DOING A STUDY WOULD MAKE TO MUCH SENSE AND ALBERT LEA DOES NOT DO ANYTHING THAT MAKES SENSE LOOK AT THE LIGHTS ON EAST MAIN ALSO THE STREET OUT BY LOVES TRUCK STOP HERES TO AL
Posted by usmcr on Jun. 09 2011,4:14 pm
do we not have a city planner? is it necessary to employ a outside firm to do a simple bike count on a city street! with the state of the citys fiances it seems to be a disservice to the community to arbitrarily do a project with out any information regrading the usage of said project. again i ask you is this to appease the blue zone proponents? imho front street was a extremely poor choice for a bike lane in the first place!
Posted by twingroves on Jun. 09 2011,6:18 pm
THE CITY PLANNER IS BIG DUMB ASS
Posted by GEOKARJO on Jun. 16 2011,11:37 am
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, < world news >, and < news about the economy >
Posted by Common Citizen on Jun. 16 2011,8:33 pm
(usmcr @ Jun. 09 2011,4:14 pm)
QUOTE
do we not have a city planner? is it necessary to employ a outside firm to do a simple bike count on a city street! with the state of the citys fiances it seems to be a disservice to the community to arbitrarily do a project with out any information regrading the usage of said project. again i ask you is this to appease the blue zone proponents? imho front street was a extremely poor choice for a bike lane in the first place!
Go down to the welfare office and hire a fat arse (one who can count) to sit by the curb on their lawn chair with a pencil and a tablet for a few days.
nuff said...
Did I say that out loud?
Posted by Hobo on Jun. 21 2011,3:48 pm
I would like to see some bike lanes on Lakeview Blvd. There's alot more people walking on the sidewalks there. The area from Grace ST to the new bridge needs to keep the bikes off the sidewalks. Also from the Dam bridge to the Hospital.
Posted by twingroves on Jun. 21 2011,6:39 pm
WHY DO YOU NEED BIKE LANES WHEN THE THE DUMB ASS KIDS RIDE ON THE SIDEWALK ANYWAY
Posted by Stone-Magnon on Jun. 22 2011,5:31 pm
That's why
Posted by twingroves on Jun. 22 2011,6:13 pm
WE GOT BIKE LANES AND THEY STILL RIDE ON THE SIDE WALK
Posted by pantalonesverdes on Jun. 23 2011,12:39 am
(twingroves @ Jun. 22 2011,7:13 pm)
QUOTE
WE GOT BIKE LANES AND THEY STILL RIDE ON THE SIDE WALK
There is nothing that I'm aware of that says they can't do so.
Posted by grassman on Jun. 23 2011,10:31 am
(pantalonesverdes @ Jun. 23 2011,12:39 am)
QUOTE
(twingroves @ Jun. 22 2011,7:13 pm)
QUOTE
WE GOT BIKE LANES AND THEY STILL RIDE ON THE SIDE WALK
There is nothing that I'm aware of that says they can't do so.
Riding bicycles on the sidewalk is illegal. (unless you are wearing green pants of coarse).
Posted by This is my real name on Jun. 23 2011,12:31 pm
(grassman @ Jun. 23 2011,10:31 am)
QUOTE
(pantalonesverdes @ Jun. 23 2011,12:39 am)
QUOTE
(twingroves @ Jun. 22 2011,7:13 pm)
QUOTE
WE GOT BIKE LANES AND THEY STILL RIDE ON THE SIDE WALK
There is nothing that I'm aware of that says they can't do so.
Riding bicycles on the sidewalk is illegal. (unless you are wearing green pants of coarse).
Actually, it is legal except in the downtown area. However, you do have to yield right of way to pedestrians.
I thought it was illegal for years, until a Tribune article a year or so ago when Engstrom looked into it because people told him it was illegal.
Posted by pantalonesverdes on Jun. 23 2011,1:14 pm
(This is my real name @ Jun. 23 2011,1:31 pm)
QUOTE
(grassman @ Jun. 23 2011,10:31 am)
QUOTE
(pantalonesverdes @ Jun. 23 2011,12:39 am)
QUOTE
(twingroves @ Jun. 22 2011,7:13 pm)
QUOTE
WE GOT BIKE LANES AND THEY STILL RIDE ON THE SIDE WALK
There is nothing that I'm aware of that says they can't do so.
Riding bicycles on the sidewalk is illegal. (unless you are wearing green pants of coarse).
Actually, it is legal except in the downtown area. However, you do have to yield right of way to pedestrians.
I thought it was illegal for years, until a Tribune article a year or so ago when Engstrom looked into it because people told him it was illegal.
You are correct. Here is the link to the city ordinances on bicycle rules: < http://library.municode.com/HTML...s62-151 >
Here are the state laws on it:
< https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=169.222 >
Posted by twingroves on Jun. 23 2011,6:45 pm
IF ITS LEGAL TO RIDE ON THE SIDE WHY THE HELL DID THEY SPEND 10000 DOLLARS ON BIKE LANES THE CITY IS RUN BY A BUNCH OF DUMB ASSES HERES TO THEM
Posted by This is my real name on Jun. 24 2011,6:50 am
(twingroves @ Jun. 23 2011,6:45 pm)
QUOTE
IF ITS LEGAL TO RIDE ON THE SIDE WHY THE HELL DID THEY SPEND 10000 DOLLARS ON BIKE LANES THE CITY IS RUN BY A BUNCH OF DUMB ASSES HERES TO THEM
If it bothers you that much, why don't you go to a city council meeting and propose to them/demand that they now mandate using the streets and bike lanes, and ban riding on sidewalks (at least in the areas where bike lanes are avialable)?
Posted by twingroves on Jun. 24 2011,6:40 pm
SINCE WHEN WHEN DID THE CITY LISTEN TO ANYBODY THATS HOW THE BIKE LANES GOT BUILT
Posted by Hobo on Jun. 24 2011,7:24 pm
Do any of you remember when the police department use to hire college kids to ride around in the summer and give out warnings to people that didn't follow the bike laws. Also they would go to the play parks and teach bike saftey.
Posted by This is my real name on Jun. 24 2011,8:11 pm
(Hobo @ Jun. 24 2011,7:24 pm)
QUOTE
Do any of you remember when the police department use to hire college kids to ride around in the summer and give out warnings to people that didn't follow the bike laws. Also they would go to the play parks and teach bike saftey.
The bike patrols! I remember them - one of them ticketed me for riding the wrong way on a one-way street!
Posted by grassman on Jun. 24 2011,8:35 pm
Hobo, incest is with a c. Unless of course you meant infest, which is totally different,
Posted by White Pride on Aug. 10 2011,12:17 am
(This is my real name @ Jun. 24 2011,8:11 pm)
QUOTE
The bike patrols! I remember them - one of them ticketed me for riding the wrong way on a one-way street!
How did they catch you without going the wrong way themselves?
Posted by sumpdump on Aug. 10 2011,5:49 am
cops don't go the wrong way. Just ask them 
Posted by twingroves on Aug. 10 2011,6:30 am
I HAVE BEEN ON FRONT STREET LOTS OF TIMES AND HAVE YET TO SEE ANY BIKES RIDING IN THE LANES BIG WASTE OF MONEY
Posted by Blackdog on Aug. 10 2011,9:11 am
Give it time. Soon it will be all bikes. For the simple reason alot of people will be getting DWI'S from all those crazy lines and will be forced to ride bike
Posted by White Pride on Aug. 11 2011,1:12 am
The bike lanes aren't going to make a damn bit of difference as long as the cyclists disobey the laws... I've seen more often than not bikes leaving the lanes to cross the road where ever they please, and NONE have stopped at the stop signs! It's the law that a cyclist is to dismount their bike and WALK it across an intersection!
Posted by Liberal on Aug. 11 2011,10:47 am
There is no law that says I have to dismount my bike to cross an intersection. I think that might have been one of Mike the Talking Bike's suggestion when I was in grade school, but there is no law that says we have to walk our bike across any intersection. Last I heard a bike is just like any other vehicle on the road and the same laws apply.
Posted by HiggsBoson on Aug. 12 2011,5:15 pm
(Liberal @ Aug. 11 2011,10:47 am)
QUOTE
I think that might have been one of Mike the Talking Bike's suggestion when I was in grade school, but there is no law that says we have to walk our bike across any intersection.
Hadn't thought of Mike the Talking Bike in years.
Posted by HiggsBoson on Nov. 20 2011,2:42 pm
Nice comment about the 'excited' biker in the fishwrap today.QUOTE
When is someone going to paint over the “penises” that the biker person stencil has all along the bike lane? I understand it’s supposed to be part of the other leg, but it doesn’t come across that way and it’s atrocious! PLEASE PLEASE someone make the little guys unisex!
< http://www.albertleatribune.com/2011/11/20/a-future-trail/ >