Mullins Group has been un-friendly to bike in other ways too. Madison Metro Administration is in a Mullins building. The City has had bikes for city staff to use stationed on the loading dock behind the Municipal Building for years. A few years ago we moved two bikes to Madison Metro for their staff to use. They were stored inside in a little used break room for over a year and had a good usage rate by Metro Staff. Then Mullins found out about the bikes, and insisted that Metro get them out of the building. The only place that was available was in the Bus Barn where they just got covered with dirt and grime from the busses, and were then never used. I eventually picked them up, cleaned them up, and put them back into use behind the Municipal Building.
I hope that they will come around to realize that supporting bicycling for their tenants is good business. John Rider From: Bikies [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Mary Ebeling Sent: Sunday, July 5, 2015 9:14 PM To: Mark Shahan Cc: [email protected]; BikiesSubmissions Subject: Re: [Bikies] What's Up with the End of East Mifflin Street*? Yes, I think most of us have been around to read earlier versions of the "what's the deal with this block of E. Mifflin St.?" conversation. This has been a thorn in the side of Isthmus cyclists for years. The Mullins Group, which owns the property, has not wanted to participate in supporting cycling through this E. Mifflin stub for years, resulting in a pretty silly detour of the bike boulevard onto Dayton St several years ago. The recent baracading of the end of the street with Jersey barriars and fencing is just the latest, and most serious attempt to keep bikers and walkers off the block of the street. Yes, the street is now privately owned, most of us know that. However, this block forms a natural connection to the Yahara path and hundreds of cyclists and pedestrians use this connection daily, year round. Mullins Group is also on the board of Downtown Madison Inc., and therefore should be working towards that groups long term goals, one of which is improving quality of life. For reference, DMI's website contains this statement: "DMI continues to work with City of Madison staff, local officials, the bicycle industry and bike advocates on policies, projects and plans that enhance bicycle transportation and infrastructure in and through downtown Madison. Issues and initiatives have included supporting bicycle infrastructure projects, preparing the City of Madison Platinum Bike Designation <http://www.cityofmadison.com/bikeMadison/about/platinumBiking.cfm> application, advocating for timely and adequate winter bike-way snow removal and promoting bicycling resources and events." I recently met with Susan Schmitz, DMI's director at the property to discuss the situation. As a year-round cyclist, she agreed this did not make much sense and she was planning to discuss this with Mullins. I have not heard back, although it hasn't been that long sinced we met. I am also aware that there is construction going on there right now. However there is always construction going on there. The building on the property is in pretty iffy shape and there is lots of work being done on it any given year. Simply put, Mullins is not being a good neighbor and at the very least, they should be called out on that. For now, I'll continue cutting through the back of the old Carl N John's Paddling and biking down that block of E Mifflin St. From the tracks in the grass in the morning, it is clear I am not the only one chosing this option. Mary Ebeling On Sat, Jul 4, 2015 at 11:57 AM, Mark Shahan <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > wrote: Tim, This has been on Bikies before. The last time was March 19, 2013, and you participated in the thread. The section of "Mifflin" blocked off from the Yahara River Path is private property now. The City vacated the right of way in 1903. Mark On Sat, Jul 4, 2015 at 2:17 AM, tim wong <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > wrote: Does anyone know what's up with the Jersey barriers and fences keeping bicyclists and pedestrians (as well as motorists who have always been blocked) from getting through at the end of the property at what would be the end of Mifflin Street onto the Yahara River path? In a seemingly passive-aggressive move some entity has consistently placed huge boulders to block passage by bicycles. As we moved the easier ones away, they would be put back in place. So, what the hell? This building houses a lot of state employees. Shouldn't they have access to the property from all directions? There is a parking lot across Dickinson from the building that is blocked with Jersey barriers. Is this transportational discrimination? A sign at the entrance at Dickinson says it is a "private space" and bicyclists should go use the bike route. Unstated is that the bike "route" goes up the hill to Dayton and back down to Thornton. I have used it several times when I didn't feel like going around the boulders and found it to be very icy at times in the winter. Why is this a "private space?" Why hasn't the city, over all the years, managed to get an easement? Why can't we use eminent domain to seize this property from the multimillionaires, Jerome and Carol Mullins? And why is the assessment on this entire property only $8000? The land itself is assessed at $1,862,000, a number that didn't change from 2014 to 2015. Has some corrupt city bigwig hatched some sweet deal with these notorious slumlords? I remember some chatter on bikies about ten years ago when I asked why this wasn't marked as the bike path, instead of being directed to use that idiotic detour on Dickinson and Dayton, but can't remember the upshot of it . . . . sort of forgot as long as we could still navigate around Mullins' boulders. But these Jersey barriers are going a little far. Why is the city not doing something about this? If someone knows more (or if this has already been on bikies, and I missed it), let me know what I missed. Thanks. *I realize Mifflin starts up again after First St., but I meant this section of Mifflin. -- "If we continue to consume the world until there's no more to consume, then there's going to come a day, sure as hell, when our children or their children or their children's children are going to look back on us--on you and me--and say to themselves, 'My God, what kind of monsters were these people?'" --Daniel Quinn _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
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