Comments on: Tree removal happening soon on MTT connection through Riverside Park? http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/11979/ The people, issues, and events of Northfield, MN Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:10:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Construction begins on Riverside Park trail segment « Locally Grown Northfield http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/11979/comment-page-1/#comment-94318 Construction begins on Riverside Park trail segment « Locally Grown Northfield Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:29:53 +0000 http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/11979/#comment-94318 [...] The trees have been removed (see this July blog post for background) and construction has begun on the Mill Towns Trail segment through Riverside Park [...] [...] The trees have been removed (see this July blog post for background) and construction has begun on the Mill Towns Trail segment through Riverside Park [...]

]]> By: Sean Hayford O'Leary http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/11979/comment-page-1/#comment-90850 Sean Hayford O'Leary Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:16:09 +0000 http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/11979/#comment-90850 <p>The transition to the sidewalk and then bike lanes seems a bit janky -- get off your bike, walk a quarter of a block, cross the street, then get on the bike lanes again. I can see a lot of bicyclists ignoring that "dismount warning sign" and simply riding on the sidewalk for that short distance.</p> <p>I think it would have been preferable to extend the bike lanes west of Water so that exiting bicyclists could immediately turn onto the lanes.</p> <p>Otherwise it looks very nice, though. I'm impressed that they were able to maintain almost-full width through the whole trail (10' is what the city considers optimum, though most of the MTT is 8').</p> The transition to the sidewalk and then bike lanes seems a bit janky — get off your bike, walk a quarter of a block, cross the street, then get on the bike lanes again. I can see a lot of bicyclists ignoring that “dismount warning sign” and simply riding on the sidewalk for that short distance.

I think it would have been preferable to extend the bike lanes west of Water so that exiting bicyclists could immediately turn onto the lanes.

Otherwise it looks very nice, though. I’m impressed that they were able to maintain almost-full width through the whole trail (10′ is what the city considers optimum, though most of the MTT is 8′).

]]> By: Griff Wigley http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/11979/comment-page-1/#comment-90820 Griff Wigley Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:20:47 +0000 http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/11979/#comment-90820 <p>Here's a <a href="http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/trail-layout-plan08.07.09.pdf" rel="nofollow">PDF sketch of the proposed trail through Riverside Park</a>, connecting the MTT with downtown. Unfortunately, it's upside down so you have to download it and then rotate it. Brian O'Connnell wrote: <br /> <br /></p> <blockquote>Griff, <br />Attached is the most comprehensive plan drawing I have of the proposed trail.  This drawing shows the trail corridor, lighting locations, retaining walls, landscaping and other features associated with the trail construction.  Hope this works for your needs. <br />We do not post construction documents like this on the city web site.  Contractors have to come to the city and obtain a copy of the plans and specifications which is a huge document. </blockquote> Here’s a PDF sketch of the proposed trail through Riverside Park, connecting the MTT with downtown. Unfortunately, it’s upside down so you have to download it and then rotate it.

Brian O’Connnell wrote:

Griff,

Attached is the most comprehensive plan drawing I have of the proposed trail.  This drawing shows the trail corridor, lighting locations, retaining walls, landscaping and other features associated with the trail construction.  Hope this works for your needs.

We do not post construction documents like this on the city web site.  Contractors have to come to the city and obtain a copy of the plans and specifications which is a huge document.

]]> By: Griff Wigley http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/11979/comment-page-1/#comment-90814 Griff Wigley Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:25:37 +0000 http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/11979/#comment-90814 <p>I've edited the blog post headline, appending the phrase "on MTT connection through Riverside Park?" </p> I’ve edited the blog post headline, appending the phrase “on MTT connection through Riverside Park?”

]]> By: Griff Wigley http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/11979/comment-page-1/#comment-90811 Griff Wigley Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:06:25 +0000 http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/11979/#comment-90811 <p>In the [Sept. 18 Friday Memo][1], Brian O'Connell writes: <br /> <br /></p> <blockquote>The bid documents for the construction of the Riverside Trail project are nearing completion so that this project can be put out to bid. It is anticipated that bids for this trail construction should be received in early October with actual construction on portions of the trail beginning in late October. Since the start of the construction of this project is so late in the construction season, it is certain that the completion of the construction of the trail will be during the summer of 2010. <br /> </blockquote> <p><br /> <br />  [1]: http://www.ci.northfield.mn.us/assets/0/091809-JW.pdf</p> In the [Sept. 18 Friday Memo][1], Brian O’Connell writes:

The bid documents for the construction of the Riverside Trail project are nearing completion so that this project can be put out to bid. It is anticipated that bids for this trail construction should be received in early October with actual construction on portions of the trail beginning in late October. Since the start of the construction of this project is so late in the construction season, it is certain that the completion of the construction of the trail will be during the summer of 2010.

  [1]: http://www.ci.northfield.mn.us/assets/0/091809-JW.pdf

]]> By: Sean Hayford O'Leary http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/11979/comment-page-1/#comment-88606 Sean Hayford O'Leary Tue, 28 Jul 2009 02:27:54 +0000 http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/11979/#comment-88606 <p>Patrick, the intention is for the trail to route people onto the new 5th Street bike lanes. It gets hazier from there -- I think the idea was to bring people up to Union Street, over to 4th, and then out of town somehow. However, the 4th Street lanes are narrow, in poor condition, and don't connect to the 5th Street lanes.</p> <p>In any case, there's no need for the trail to go under the 5th Street bridge.</p> Patrick, the intention is for the trail to route people onto the new 5th Street bike lanes. It gets hazier from there — I think the idea was to bring people up to Union Street, over to 4th, and then out of town somehow. However, the 4th Street lanes are narrow, in poor condition, and don’t connect to the 5th Street lanes.

In any case, there’s no need for the trail to go under the 5th Street bridge.

]]> By: Patrick Enders http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/11979/comment-page-1/#comment-88604 Patrick Enders Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:46:42 +0000 http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/11979/#comment-88604 <p>Can anyone tell me what the plan is here? Are they trying to put the bike trail under 5th, or have a crosswalk here? When I looked at that tree-lined spot a couple weeks ago, it didn't look like there'd be much room for the bike trail to go through this narrow area.</p> <p>Unfortunately, I'm afraid it will indeed take removal of all the trees to get a trail through there.</p> Can anyone tell me what the plan is here? Are they trying to put the bike trail under 5th, or have a crosswalk here? When I looked at that tree-lined spot a couple weeks ago, it didn’t look like there’d be much room for the bike trail to go through this narrow area.

Unfortunately, I’m afraid it will indeed take removal of all the trees to get a trail through there.

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