Actually, game day foot traffic goes in all directions, with
literally thousands walking down the SWP and crossing the
intersection SW to NE, but ideally, there would be tunnel outlets
that allow NS ped/bike traffic as well as NE/SW.
The game day tie-in is meant to attract the Council's attention,
mainly. For us bikers and walkers, it means almost nothing, as the
"game day" use is only portions of 6 days a year. It's the other 359
days I'm really interested in, as that intersection is just a drag
the way it is.
I'm not a trained civil engineer, but it seems that the topography of
the intersection favors a tunnel, but you have to be on site to get a
good idea of that.
On Oct 25, 2007, at 3:40 PM, Paul T. O'Leary wrote:
---- Scott Webb <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Never have I seen a more practical location for a bike/pedestrian
tunnel. Not just for the SWP bike traffic, but for game day foot
traffic. The neighborhood association is so well put together they
would keep it tidy and attractive.
This sounds nightmarish at best. SWP traffic and game day foot
traffic go in totally different directions. If the direction of the
tunnel favors game day traffic, it would constitute a "permanent
detour" for the SWP. As a tunnel, there would be no "outs" as there
are with open ground on the sides of a path. Game day foot traffic
would effectively close the tunnel to bike traffic.
A pedestrian tunnel under the whole intersection, going north-to-
south, for the Field House / stadium sounds like a good idea, but
just as a pedestrian tunnel, not as a replacement for the SWP as a
thoroughfare.
And yes, Mitch, this discussion reminded me of the Portland
"scramble signal" as well. But that's just more "separate but [not
quite] equal". Would they design the intersection so that, say, car
traffic on Monroe Street would ALWAYS have to stop, until someone
reached out of her car and pressed a button? Why should traffic on
the SWP have to?
A couple of weeks ago, we discussed another negative consequence,
affecting the GENERAL public safety, of paths like the SWP having
"second class" status, when a 911 dispatcher didn't have it on her/
his "map". Now comes another negative consequence. These issues
would mostly disappear if thoroughfares like this were put on an
equal footing (eek, bad pun!) with those for cars.
---------------
Paul T. O'Leary
Chronic Nuisance
Madison, WI USA
Scott Webb
Senior Editor
AQUA | the business magazine for spa & pool professionals
4130 Lien Rd | Madison, WI 53704 | aquamagazine.com
TEL 800.722.8764 x124 | FAX 608.249.1153
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