What Have YOU Done Today?

[K'Tesh]

Wyeast,

IMHO inch by inch would be a bit of a pain. How could you quickly tell which foot or inch would you're looking at? I think that the guage I suggested would be easier.

Letsroll,

If I were to paint it with spray paint, I could be charged with vandalizm, and if I wasn't, it'd probably encourage vandalizm. Then there's the chance that overspray would probably pollute the stream worse than the retroreflective films.

Thanks for the interest.
K'Tesh

[K'Tesh]

Yesterday, I dragged out the snow shovel...

I shoveled a lot of sidewalk here in Beaverton. East side of SW Lombard from SW Center to the vacant field.



and from Perfomance Bikes on SW Hall to the MAX tracks.



I was trying to ride accross the bridge there, and bogged down. As I was dismounting, I saw a mother, with a friend, pushing her baby in a stroller IN THE STREET because she couldn't manage the slush on the sidewalk. I went home got my shovel and immediately set to work.

Now, I don't know about you, but I'm a little miffed about how little has been done for bikes and peds during snow events around where I live and work. I'd love to see my local government hand out tickets for those who fail to clear their sidewalks, then use the revenue generated to purchase equipment that would clear sidewalks and bikelanes.

Any guesses on what I'm planning on doing Tuesday night in Tigard? Or next week in Beaverton?

Ouch... I hurt...
K'Tesh

[jr98664]

Thank you, K'Tesh! I'm surprised that you hadn't built a pedal plow by now. I know I would have loved to have one for this snow.

In Vancouver, I'm still waiting for the gravelly slush to get cleaned from the bike lanes over here. It is still a great excuse to take the entire lane on most streets. Thankfully there should be plenty of cleansing rain before I have to head back to school in 2009. Hopefully it doesn't lead to any flooded drains and catch basins, but the City of Vancouver has been very good about keeping them functioning in most weather, so I'm hoping for the best.

[Psyfalcon]

I bet Beaverton, with its 80,000 people has 20,000 homes and buisnesses. Fine them each $100 for failure to clear their sidewalks (I saw none cleared for a week, and then only 1 before it melted) and you get a grand total of:

$2 million.

That should buy 10 dumptruck plows and the overtime to use them for a year or two.

[K'Tesh]

But this time my feet are dry


Fanno Creek Trail, under Scholls Ferry Rd, approaching from Tigard

Fanno Creek Trail was drowned again last night (this morning it's a muddy mess).

I was able to see from the reflectors that I placed on the fencepost that it was just under two feet deep. I then exited the trail, and took Nimbus over to SW Hall to rejoin the trail on the east side of Hall.

I couldn't see the reflectors that I put on the side nearest to Tigard, but this morning I saw that they had been underwater and are still in place (the 3 foot marker was never replaced).

What do you know those reflectors work!
K'Tesh

[lacorota]

Thanks to all of you that were active cleaning those paths! After getting discouraged this past summer with the Peninsula Crossing Trail, I did the same -- clean it, that is -- on what was a consistently poor section littered with glass. Several of us were informally stewarding the path, and no sooner was it cleared than the violator would bust yet another bunch of bottles. I finally quit using that path -- too bad.

Attitudes vary towards bikers, but I'm embarrased to say I have an Idaho acquaintance that thinks "we" bikers have no place on roads, and "we" should keep to dedicated, isolated bike paths, strictly.

That's why our friendship devolved to acquaintance status. He was one of "them" advocating those littering tacks along narrow roads to discourage cyclists, so he and other Bubba types could race home in their SUV'S to watch FOX News.

[K'Tesh]

I noticed that one of the missing "NON-MOTORIZED VEHICLES PROHIBITED BEYOND THIS POINT" signs that I called in was put up... (in the wrong spot). Called that one in (jr98664 that was ODOT's Maintenance line [503] 229-5002). It's located on the EB side of 99W in the bike lane as you are leaving Tigard. They put the sign up about a hundred yards ahead of the final signalized crosswalk. I've called again to suggest that they move the sign to an area past the crosswalk.

I've also called in the gravel on 99W and Hwy 217 again... (and Hall, and Canyon, and BH Hwy...).

I'm hoping that this squeeky wheel gets some grease...

Rubberside Down!
K'Tesh

[biciclero]

I've got to start carrying a camera to document things. Cut off the upper branches of a tree that had fallen across the sidewalk and bike lane on my commute home. Almost got taken out by it on night one, managed to swerve around it on night two, cut it up and dragged it off the bike lane on morning 3. I was only able to cut off the part that was blocking the bike lane; the rest of the tree is still blocking the sidewalk. I'm amazed at how much bigger things really are when I am stopped up close rather than whizzing by.

[K'Tesh]

Originally Posted by biciclero

I've got to start carrying a camera to document things. Cut off the upper branches of a tree that had fallen across the sidewalk and bike lane on my commute home. Almost got taken out by it on night one, managed to swerve around it on night two, cut it up and dragged it off the bike lane on morning 3. I was only able to cut off the part that was blocking the bike lane; the rest of the tree is still blocking the sidewalk. I'm amazed at how much bigger things really are when I am stopped up close rather than whizzing by.

Your right, we've got to start carrying cameras... They can clearly show what the issues are.

Thanks for stopping and taking care of it (as best you could).

Rubberside Down!
K'Tesh

[K'Tesh]

Called Tigard Public Works and proposed some changes to allow for faster cleaning of the sidewalks, and perhaps even the bike lanes.

I got this email as a reply:

Subject: Sidewalk cleaning

K'Tesh, if you could please capture the essence of our phone conversation n a return e-mail I’d appreciate it. You had a very detailed concept of how the City could get private sidewalks cleaned that I want to be able to respond to in detail.

My reply:

My ideas for clearing the sidewalks work like this:

In the fall, the city sends out in some kind of newsletter, or on a post card, a reminder to businesses and citizens that they are responsible to clear the sidewalks of snow and ice during foul weather, and following the event, clearing any gravel (within a reasonable time frame). This could also be put up on the city website and on cable access. Information would be posted on how people could get assistance and a waiver if they can prove some kind of reasonable reason why they cannot maintain their sidewalks (out of town, recovering from injury/illness, age, disability).

When the decision is made to start graveling the roads due to foul weather, a reverse directory would call residences and businesses in the area that are getting treated. This would be something similar to an automated calling system used by schools to advise of unusual sitiuations. The message would advise that the weather is not safe for travel, recommend people stay off the roads, and remind them of the requirement of clearing their walks.

After the weather event has ended, and prior to clean up proceedures begining for a neighborhood, another automated message would be sent. It would advise that the neighborhood is going to be swept in the following day(s) and that property owners are responsible to clean the sidewalks of gravel. It would advise that sweeping gravel into the gutter is acceptable. And the city could also add their voice to the messages that news media broadcast similar to the ones that were concerning Portland' situation.

As streetsweeping proceeds, cameras mounted to the machine would take photos/video documenting the conditions of the walks. If the situation warrants followup, a ticket would be issued, and a crew would be dispatched to clean the walk. The owner would be fined for failure to maintain their walk, and billed for the crews time. If the property owner cannot pay, then a lien is placed on the property for the cost of the fine and clean up, no harassing communications, no warrants, no need for bothering people unless the problem warrants it. Perhaps volunteer time to the city could be used to work off the debt owed.

Proceeds would be used to pay for the administration needed, automated calling equipment if the city doesn't have it already, self propelled sidewalk clearing eqipment, the cameras needed, and perhaps additional streetsweepers if enough is recovered.

Information and enforcement I feel would greatly improve compliance, and perhaps result in better mobility for peds, cyclists, and most importantly the disabled. Who knows, the flat tire I got tonight could have been prevented. It's important to remember that not everybody drives, but everybody walks (or rolls in disability situations), and the Public Right of Way is for the public, and not just cars and trucks.

I forgot that the streetsweepers could also be used to ID abandoned or illegally parked cars too... Nuts!

I didn't make up the part about the flat tire either. I walked quite a way (downhill which hurts more) from the school where the meeting tonight concerning Scholls Ferry Rd. was held to catch a bus because my rear tire blew... Not just a pop, fssss ssss ssss as the wheel went around, but a Bang, FSSS flat.

See Something? Say Something!
K'Tesh