Submitted by jconti1233 t3_10rsq4m in providence
$27 million awarded to providence for "urban trail network" by fed govt. I Hope this will have a transformative impact on providence. thoughts?
Submitted by jconti1233 t3_10rsq4m in providence
$27 million awarded to providence for "urban trail network" by fed govt. I Hope this will have a transformative impact on providence. thoughts?
I really want them to redesign North Main and Promenade/Kinsley Ave. Doesn't look like the moneys going there but that's fine, it looks like they're doing Valley st. which is great.
promenade and kinsley is already set to be redesigned! https://wrwc.org/wp/what-we-do/greenway/plans/woonasquatucket-river-greenway-improvement-project-plans/
Kinsley Ave has plans to be redesigned as a one way road with walking/bike path along the water
Here's a pic I took of the plans when I went in a walking tour with woonasquatucket council https://photos.app.goo.gl/FgYQtxyuTLPQtzCZ6
Design work for Promenade and Kingsley is essentially complete, and construction should begin this year. Planning for a redesign of North Main is underway but it’ll be some years still before we see transformative change.
This is great to hear! Have you heard of any of the proposed changes of north main?
You can read all about it (including the final report) at this link
I'm excited and optimistic on it! Glad that it's going towards improveing walkability and bikeability in Providence.
Some promising statements here from Sen. Jack Reed:
>the project will help to “build out the network by creating last-mile connections to residential, employment, and cultural activity centers” between neighborhoods in the city and eliminate serious crashes for “vulnerable road users.”
“The trails are a combination of on-road and road-adjacent protected bicycle lanes and shared-use trails, neighborhood greenways on low volume streets, and off-road shared use paths,” the spokesperson added.
Will they be taking input or ideas from residents? This is great news.
I would imagine so! Though I'm not totally sure through which avenue this will take place. Providence Streets Coalition is a great org to follow as I'm sure they'll post more about this: https://www.instagram.com/providencestreets/
Any idea if they might build a safe way to bicycle into Providence from Cranston?
the proposal are for urban trails in providence proper. But if youre in cranston and can get to roger williams park safely this grant is proposing a safe path from the park to the core of downcity
I’ve heard there are plans to connect the woonasquatucket greenway with the washington secondary path eventually as well
There are, the map in the article shows the link
haha oops!
Interesting. I have no safe way to get there. But it is very cool if people could bicycle to that park from Providence.
Cranston has a laughable "bicycle network" which is nothing more than signs along streets. Not even so much as a pavement marking. It would be nice if Cranston did something along the lines of Providence, as this article suggests
https://cranstononline.com/stories/revisiting-the-cranston-bicycle-network,166530
It looks like the plan is to connect the Washington Secondary trail to Olneyville, at which point you can use the on-road path down Broadway into downtown. I believe there should also be an-off road option for that via the Woonasquatucket River Greenway soonish. So, I guess it depends on where in Cranston you're coming from?
I hope it will be a strong start, but ultimately $27m is a tiny amount when it comes to public infrastructure. The quote from the ABC6 story, “advance engineering and systemic construction” makes it seem like maybe this will go toward designing blueprints for shared use roads, that will be implemented with other infrastructure dollars in the future. Like, making the technical engineering drawings for substrates, surfaces, markings, barriers, etc. to be used, that will eventually lead to a cohesive network of accessibility rather than a mishmash like how bike lanes are handled different ways in different parts of the city.
Thank goodness - I really hate almost getting hit by a car whenever I’m not in one, and often when I am in one as well
How likely is it that Smiley squanders this grant on filling potholes and making raised crosswalks rather than building urban trails? Are the funds tied to specific projects and outcomes?
Rofl! So true! I looked into for awhile. The SS4A grants we're either study or implementation grants. Good news is that This is an implementation grant. And afaict the Great Streets initiative is the backbone of the grant. But if you look carefully at what the grant is funding you quickly observe that the Hope Street trail is omitted and the South Water trail is reconfigured. So it looks like a stripped down Great Streets proposal
Yikes—how is south water reconfigured?
The urban trail was drawn as going up from trader joes only to ped bridge, crossed the bridge, and continued north from the other side of the bridge. The current portion from ped bridge to Hemenways was deleted.
South Water may not be the most convenient bike route from downcity or the East Side. That protected lane ends awkwardly north and south. However it gets relocated, South Water must not revert to 2 wide highway-style traffic lanes so 40 mph traffic again separates a park from a neighborhood and degrades the vibe of the park. Speed limits, signs, lights, paint on the pavement, speed cameras - none of this works. Street design must make it physically impossible to drive like that.
Hope street trail was put together by the steeet coalition with support from the planning and development department. This grant was awarded to the planning and development department.
It would also be great if there were clawbacks if it’s not implemented per the application—would hold the city’s feed to the fire.
Just moved here from a more bikeable city and would looooove for this to be effective.
Did they ever release the results from the Hope Street Temporary Bike Lane surveys? I think they was supposed to be made public in December.
Not sure. My hunch is that there's a lot of data and things happening around Providence that demands the attention of Providence Streets Coalition. Not to mention their funding is likely pocket change and the work relies almost exclusively on volunteers.
If we’re smart, we’ll ditch the Hope Street idea just because it’s made so many enemies. Let’s get urban trails built!
They were obtuse and insisted on the bike path going directly through the Hope Village area. They should have just had the bike path go up Hope then once to Hope Village divert over one block into Lorimer which goes straight to Blackstone parallel to Hope Village.
This keeps the street parking in Hope Village (which is needed, particularly October-March when biking dramatically decreases) and still provides a bike lane along a long stretch.
My guess is the study would show rather low usage.
>divert over one block into Lorimer
No, the whole point is that bike travelers may go safely and directly to the shops and restaurants, not be told to stay out of the way. If parking fills up on or just off Hope St, then people can park on Lorimer.
This is why we can’t have nice things. You have to have your way and you aren’t willing to compromise.
The businesses didn’t want it. The residents didn’t want it. And it made more sense to have the bike trail be on a less busy, parallel street. But that apparently wasn’t satisfying enough?
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Right. Karens on Nextdoor must have a veto.
A complete redesign of Allen’s Ave would be great!
Anything to get these cyclists out of my fucking lane please 🙏
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No, I’m in a 1 ton pickup with 6 tires and you’re on schwin with a water bottle. It’s definitely my lane. Here is why the WHOLE country hates you and your chosen race with yourselves. Get on the sidewalk with the rest of the pedestrians mooch
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No, you’re not a vehicle. You’re a pedestrian on a bike. A bike that can only go as fast as you pedal it. I don’t care that you don’t ride in PVD your attitude is the reason why people hate cyclists.”iM aCaR” no you’re a bug on my windshield get the fuck off the road.
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You feel protected by that? I wonder if that’s what will go through your mind as you’re going under a tire. “ tHE laW sAiD IM A cAr” or while your mom feeding you through a tube “I CAn REAd AnD I WaS rIgHt”. Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken and Riding in the road doesn’t make you a vehicle. “SoMEOne HiT mE iN tHe HEad WiTh A FRoZeN BoTTle oF WaTeR bUT ThE lAw sAId I’m A CaR”. Chode
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Ahhh I see you can read but have the comprehension of a stump. This was purely hypothetical, but you didn’t care because the law said you could. Law says you can do something that’s gonna get you killed and you’re still completely on board…… late for a booster?
laterbacon t1_j6xjdho wrote
I've ridden on the flagship stretch on Broad Street and it's great. I look forward to the day when I can get around the city on my bike and not feel like I'm constantly putting my life at risk.