10-04-2016, 02:49 PM
(10-04-2016, 01:57 PM)Markster Wrote: Erb/Caroline. They have created as many problems as they fixed.
Let's see what we can come up with:
It looks like the new design helped by:
Streamlining the Westbound traffic flow from Caroline
Making crossing Erb St safer on the E crossing, by a significant decrease in length
Making a preliminary commitment to improve bicycle crossings (that bike box is hopefully a sign of what's to come)
Making crossing Caroline safer on the N crossing, by placing an island (two shorter segments instead of one longer)
Improving train/vehicle safety Northbound by removing that dumb "one shortish car only" box between the rail crossing and the stop line (replacing it by setting the stop lines _way_ back)
It looks like the new design didn't help by:
Complicating the pedestrian Erb St crossing on the W crossing. (Canard comments it might be best of a bad situation due to MTO regs, etc)
Setting the Northbound traffic so far back from the intersection. It is _inviting_ drivers and cyclists to cheat across the tracks.
Planting a light standard in the middle of the sidewalk on the SW corner. Mobility is restricted, reinforcing feelings of hostility to non-motor traffic.
There is no clear picture as of yet how cycling traffic down the new Laurel Trail alignment will be accommodated. If memory serves, the drawings have it emptying straight onto the pedestrian crossing from the NW corner to the pedestrian island with no connection to the concrete MUT alongside the tracks which I presume is the desired connection for cyclists who wish to continue South or East. (As before, West is in-lane cycling nightmare on Erb, and there is no North).
Cyclists in the bike box continuing Southbound will likely try to enter the trackside MUT with too-shallow turns over the tracks, causing accidents unless designed appropriately (maybe paint a perpendicular path?). But maybe since this happens outside of the intersection it doesn't count?
Also, wow but the construction dirt trails make it obvious how _little_ of the intersection is actually used.
What'd I miss (pro or con)?