Description
A newly completed road without the ability for cyclists to activate signal change riding east or west on E. Main St. (Forestville) or Forestville Ave. (Plainville). There does exist a pole mounted button, but it is located on the north side of the roadway, adjacent to a sidewalk. By the time a cyclist headed west dismounts to activate the button and gets back on the bike, the signal will change from green to red for the cyclist half way through this already wide and dangerous intersection.
Can the trip wires in the paving be made to activate an automatic change at the traffic controller at this intersection?
21 Comments
Jim Cassidy (Guest)
Dan (Registered User)
Hello Jim,
Who did you contact at CTDOT? Did they get back to you at all?
I just emailed Katherine Rattan - I found her email on http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=3531&q=259658. Hope she gets back to me! Here's what I sent her:
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It sounds like the issue reporter is bicycling on the road, and needs to trigger a left-turn arrow. His bike won't trigger it, so he has to push a button mounted on a pole, but by the time he gets back to his bike, the arrow is almost out.
I was wondering whether it's possible to make the bicycle trigger the turn signal, or if it's not, either make the arrow last longer (when it's triggered from the button), or give the bicyclist some extra time to get back to his bike BEFORE triggering the arrow. Do any of those sound feasible?
Jim Cassidy (Guest)
Thanks for sending this to Kate Rattan. She has already responded to my report on the CTDOT website saying that she referred my complaint to Traffic Operations with a personal comment that she did not know whether the controller could be adjusted to be sensitive to a bike in the loop. My main point in sending this report was to get it fixed (thanks for your clarification of this), but, secondly, to complain that CTDOT could allow a major road construction project to so blatantly overlook cyclists' needs.
I have also involved CCRPA, of which I am a Board member, in this effort, but I'm not holding my breath for any quick response by them or anyone else on this issue.
What is your interest or involvement in this? Thanks for whatever is your motivation.
Jim
Dan (Registered User)
Jim:
Kate replied to me, and said much the same. I asked again whether they can extend or delay the arrow, to buy bicyclists more time. Do you think that would help?
I'm a life-long Bristol/Forestville resident, and a frequent walker, so I like to keep my home safe for non-motorists. And I work at SeeClickFix, so I'm always interested in seeing how we can keep the system working. :)
Jim Cassidy (Guest)
I note with interest you are from . One of my bike advocacy colleagues is currently serving on a study group (through CCRPA) looking at ways to improve the Center (including bike/ped options). Jim Barnes is his name, and I have copied him in on our exchange. I would welcome some exchange by email, if you would like. You probably already have my address. My phone is 860-302-0596.
Dan (Registered User)
Jim: not offended at all. We're a small team, so it's tough to watch everything, but we like to know when things aren't working as well as they could.
More info from Kate:
"The correct way to turn, if you can't actuate the traffic light, would be to use the crosswalk like a pedestrian. This accommodation will work in the short term, as the crosswalk timing is based on a walker therefore a cyclist should be able to clear the intersection in less time. Signal timing will depend on many factors of which, multimodal accommodation is one consideration. Traffic determines those signal timings and calibration."
Jim Cassidy (Guest)
Jim Cassidy (Guest)
Jim Cassidy (Guest)
I
I am sorely tempted to close this issue as nothing noteworthy has ever come from it. In the beginning there was some live help from Dan Bernier, but now all I get is automated inquiries from a faceless machine. I'm no longer impressed enough with SCF to respond to such queries in the future, but I will leave the issue open in the hope that someone will take it seriously before there is a bike-car accident here..
Jim Cassidy (Guest)
Jim Cassidy (Guest)
Jim Cassidy (Guest)
Jim Cassidy (Guest)
No response from appropriate agencies.
Not giving up. I believe in efforts like SCF!
Jim Cassidy <small class="fwn">(Guest)</small>
Is anybody there?
Jim Cassidy (Registered User)
Jim Cassidy (Registered User)
Now that CCRPA is no longer on the scene, I wonder if CRCOG even knows that this intersection exists, let alone what is the issue that I raised three years ago. Can someone at SCF please send to the appropriate person at CRCOG (Jennifer Carrier, I believe) to see if they can get some action?
Thanks.
Jim Cassidy (Registered User)
I'll leave the subject open in hope someone from SCF may even contact me.
Jim Cassidy (Registered User)
I had a glimmer of hope last year when several members of a consultant engineering firm familiar with the situation and knowledgeable about a solution took up the cause, but nothing ever came of that. I continue to hope for something to come from SCF actions, but I'm guessing those actions are more electronic and routine rather than people talking to people.
Jim Cassidy (Registered User)
I just finished submitting my comments in support of SB425 to the CT Legislature with a copy to you. There, I stated my continued support for the work of SCF, even though it does not seem to be working to get CTDOT, CRCOG, or the towns of Plainville and Bristol to take up the cause for improving the signals for cyclists at this busy intersection.
I would also like to point out here something which I have not done before. This roadway, CT372, is also known as CT Bike Route CTB4, considered by CTDOT as a "primary cross state bike route". At the moment, one must consider such a bold proclamation to be empty words without any proof to substantiate the claim. CTDOT may still be looking for someone to replace Kate Rataan (mentioned in one of my first comments) as "Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator". Let's hope the new person can make more of a difference than she was able to.
Question to anyone on SCF staff with time o answer: Do these comments still get submitted to a live person after the issue has been open for such a long time?
Thanks.
Jim Cassidy (Registered User)
By the way, does anyone at SCF even read posts on an issue that has been open for 1741 days?
Thanks.
Closed Jim Cassidy (Registered User)