RR crossing Bike Trap on SW Boones Ferry Rd. Tualatin

[K'Tesh]

Sent this to every agency that I thought MIGHT have a hand in this, as well as the press, and a few lawyers.

Subject: RR crossing Bike Trap on SW Boones Ferry Rd. Tualatin
Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2011 10:05:51 -0700

According to someone at Pacific & Western, that last year, the raised lip of asphalt at this rail road crossing on SW Boones Ferry Rd. caused two cyclists to crash (requiring an ambulance to transport them to a hospital), and a year later may have broken my spoke. I found out about the previous crash after calling to complain about the broken spoke.



I know it's innocent looking enough, I regularly go over larger edges all over the area, but this one is located in the bike lane, next to busy State Hwy 141, and at the bottom of a steep hill.



The person from Pacific & Western Rail Road said that it's not their responsibility, it's ODOT's, ODOT says' it's Washington County. Washington County Denies that it's theirs.

I really don't care who owns it, so long as it gets fixed before someone else gets hurt or killed.

[DarkStar]

The Oregon Department of Transportation is going to have to take the credit on this one, per their own map it is clearly listed as a "State Hwy" at that location:

http://egov.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TDATA...s/Tualatin.pdf

It isn't part of an "Other Jurisdiction" until the road is south of the Tualatin River.

[RonC]

The really bad railroad crossing problem spot is on Lower Boones Ferry Rd., across from the car wash just north of Dicks Sporting Goods. There are badly warped metal plates on either side of the acute angled tracks. If anyone knows who to contact to get this atrocious crossing fixed, I'd be glad to write letter(s) to help get it done. If I go that way, I've taken to dismounting and walking across the tracks, having fallen on them just trying to scooter/kick my way across them slowly (dark and wet evening).

[DarkStar]

Originally Posted by RonC

The really bad railroad crossing problem spot is on Lower Boones Ferry Rd., across from the car wash just north of Dicks Sporting Goods. There are badly warped metal plates on either side of the acute angled tracks. If anyone knows who to contact to get this atrocious crossing fixed, I'd be glad to write letter(s) to help get it done. If I go that way, I've taken to dismounting and walking across the tracks, having fallen on them just trying to scooter/kick my way across them slowly (dark and wet evening).

Well, according to that ODOT map I posted it doesn't belong to them...

[Simple Nature]

You guys should check out the heaves at the tracks though downtown Hillsboro. You could get airborne on a few of those. Fortunately most of them are not high speed blvd's but on my trike it is like mtb technicals.

[Apennine]

Reading this post, I'm convinced bicyclists need to carry the following:

- whisk broom and dust pan to sweep up broken glass (and tacks!) on trails

- machetes or shears to lop down overgrown shrubbery on trails

- camera, notepad and gps to report bad grates on the road

- that neon spray paint that construction people use, to spray on hazards (such as the dangerous lip on that railroad crossing) as a warning to users.

K'Tesh, I think you already do 2 or 3 of the above, thank you!

What else should we carry?

[Dovestrobe]

Originally Posted by Apennine

Reading this post, I'm convinced bicyclists need to carry the following:

- whisk broom and dust pan to sweep up broken glass (and tacks!) on trails

- machetes or shears to lop down overgrown shrubbery on trails

- camera, notepad and gps to report bad grates on the road

- that neon spray paint that construction people use, to spray on hazards (such as the dangerous lip on that railroad crossing) as a warning to users.

K'Tesh, I think you already do 2 or 3 of the above, thank you!

What else should we carry?

Yeah! I think using my machete to clear the greens from the "Yield to Bikes" sign at the Bertha exit off of Capital Highway would definitely make a fine statement! To the motorists, your next if you dare to cut me off again! ...only kidding.

[K'Tesh]

Originally Posted by Apennine

Reading this post, I'm convinced bicyclists need to carry the following:

- whisk broom and dust pan to sweep up broken glass (and tacks!) on trails

- machetes or shears to lop down overgrown shrubbery on trails

- camera, notepad and gps to report bad grates on the road

- that neon spray paint that construction people use, to spray on hazards (such as the dangerous lip on that railroad crossing) as a warning to users.

K'Tesh, I think you already do 2 or 3 of the above, thank you!

What else should we carry?

What are you thinking??? (I have all of the above... )(and more... saws, retro-reflective tape, etc )

[Apennine]

Originally Posted by Dovestrobe

Yeah! I think using my machete to clear the greens from the "Yield to Bikes" sign at the Bertha exit off of Capital Highway would definitely make a fine statement! To the motorists, your next if you dare to cut me off again! ...only kidding.

Ha ha, that's exactly how I was thinking! If there are no bushes to trim, you can whip it out at menacing drivers/pedestrians/other cyclists.

(Purely defensive, natch)