[Mpls] Re: Big white fours on the street

[Tim Bonham]

These are not 4's, they are markings (a + sign) centered in 
intersections,  pointing in the direction of each street.  Then at the end 
of the west-most  one, there is a marking pointing north.  Since most 
Minneapolis streets run directly north-south and most avenues directly 
east-west, they do tend to be square-looking markings at most intersections.

They are done by the public works department, as a identification point in 
airplane photos, which are then linked together for a map of the city, 
which is then entered into a database.  They are working on a comprehensive 
geographic database of the city, including the streets, sidewalks, and 
buildings visible from these photos, and then linking that with maps of the 
various utilities (water & sewer pipes, electrical grid, phone & cable tv 
systems, etc.) in this database.  It is expected to make it much easier in 
the future to do things that involve knowing precisely where all these 
system run.  And to prevent errors like utility workers digging up a street 
accidentally cutting off phone service to a neighborhood for hours at a time.

This was discussed extensively on this list about 3 years ago.
        At that time someone had identified them as "unfinished 
swastikas", no doubt painted at night as neo-nazi gaffitti by people who 
were interrupted before they could finish them.  And they were alarmed at 
the number of them around the city!

P.S. Most helicopters have this marvelous invention from around 1200AD 
called a "compass", which lets the pilot tell which direction North is 
without having to look for paintings on the street.

Tim Bonham, Ward 12, Standish Ericsson

I've noticed that the city has painted a bunch of big white 4's in the
intersection of several streets in Minneapolis, or at least in south
Minneapolis.  My wife said she heard that it is to help helicopter
navigation -- the top of the fours always point North.  If that's the case,
then hopefully no helicopters will fly over 50th and Xerxes, because that 4
points East.  All the rest I've seen do point North.
Anyone else know about this?

Mark Anderson
Bancroft


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