08-26-2017, 11:37 AM
In case you couldn't tell my usual commute was a bit different this week as I was travelling to and from UW regularly along the Laurel Trail, Caroline MUT, and IHT.
Two more observations from my travels:
1) After riding the Caroline MUT corridor between Allen and Erb twice a day for a week pulling a young child in a bike trailer in the rush hours I can easily say that I feel exponentially safer riding in traffic on Caroline; everything is so much more predictable. That's right, riding in bumper to bumper traffic was safer (and felt safer) than riding on the trail. The first few times I actually got off and walked across the road crossings along the MUT as I am legally required to do, but after getting honked at and told I was taking too long I stopped that practice immediately and started to ride across the crossings carefully but had too many close calls and just started riding in traffic on the rode the rest of the week. Damned if you do...
2) The curve of the Laurel trail along side east side of the Ion stop in Waterloo Park at Seagram is opposite to what would be useful. It curve to the north east as it reaches Seagram instead of to the north west. WB Seagram Dr to SB Laurel Trail riders would turn at Central Dr and not even use that section of the trail, but the designed curve only benefits those users. EB Seagram Dr to SB Laurel Trail users (or Laurel Trail users coming from the north crossing Seagram and continuing south) are forced to cycle a tiny bit further and then make a very sharp turn on to gravel often whilst dodging vehicles on Seagram and pedestrians on the trail.
3) On a positive note. That stop sign that was in the middle of the trail on the south side of Seagram on the west side of the Ion stop has been moved to the side sufficiently.
Two more observations from my travels:
1) After riding the Caroline MUT corridor between Allen and Erb twice a day for a week pulling a young child in a bike trailer in the rush hours I can easily say that I feel exponentially safer riding in traffic on Caroline; everything is so much more predictable. That's right, riding in bumper to bumper traffic was safer (and felt safer) than riding on the trail. The first few times I actually got off and walked across the road crossings along the MUT as I am legally required to do, but after getting honked at and told I was taking too long I stopped that practice immediately and started to ride across the crossings carefully but had too many close calls and just started riding in traffic on the rode the rest of the week. Damned if you do...
2) The curve of the Laurel trail along side east side of the Ion stop in Waterloo Park at Seagram is opposite to what would be useful. It curve to the north east as it reaches Seagram instead of to the north west. WB Seagram Dr to SB Laurel Trail riders would turn at Central Dr and not even use that section of the trail, but the designed curve only benefits those users. EB Seagram Dr to SB Laurel Trail users (or Laurel Trail users coming from the north crossing Seagram and continuing south) are forced to cycle a tiny bit further and then make a very sharp turn on to gravel often whilst dodging vehicles on Seagram and pedestrians on the trail.
3) On a positive note. That stop sign that was in the middle of the trail on the south side of Seagram on the west side of the Ion stop has been moved to the side sufficiently.
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.