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Conference noted::bicycle

Title:	Bicycling
Notice:	Bicycling for Fun
Moderator:	JAMIN::WASSER

Created:	Mon Apr 14 1986
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	3214
Total number of notes:	31946

2950.0. "bike-friendly highway dept's" by PCBUOA::KRATZ () Wed May 03 1995 14:18

    How bike-friendly is your local town's highway department?
    
    One of my commute options takes me on Newtown Road in Littleton,
    which saw its share of rocks and sand accumulate over the winter.
    For a mtn bike, it's no problem, but the sand was deep enuf in
    spots to be dangerous to road bikes (forcing them out into traffic).
    So yesterday at about noon I call the Littleton highway department,
    explain that I'm a bike commuter, and nicely ask if the sweeper
    can swing by this road.
    
    They got to it sometime that afternoon.
    
    Sterling, a town on a popular resevoir ride route, also seems to
    be pretty good with the sweepers; their roads are usually cleared
    before anybody elses.
    Kratz

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
2950.1		WMOIS::GIROUARD_C		`Wed May 03 1995 14:20`	8
	Gardner and the surrounding towns where I live seem to be pretty good. However, I'm not sure what kind of a response I'd get if I were to call as you did. I'd consider myself lucky if I were you. I wouldn't count on that response from my highway dept... Chip
2950.2		CONSLT::MCBRIDE	Reformatted to fit your screen	`Wed May 03 1995 14:56`	3
	Would they swith the storm drain grates to be perpendicular to the road versus parallel like they are in most of Fitchburg? Personal pet peeve of mine.
2950.3		WMOIS::GIROUARD_C		`Wed May 03 1995 15:03`	7
	-1 know what you mean... we have the same problem at our TT course on Rte 140. some of those grates will only go one way (our problem). i think the state has a regulation that they must now go perpendicular. Chip
2950.4	Acton has been slow in the last few years...	DECRAL::BODGE	Andy Bodge	`Wed May 03 1995 15:57`	10
	Apparently Acton (Mass.) has a limited sweeping budget. Sweeping continues into the summer. I've never called to complain so I don't know how responsive they'd be. This year, they are grinding and repaving a number of roads in town - currently Central St. and nearby streets in W. Acton, at least. I suppose that is one way of sweeping! Be aware of it if you plan to ride through Acton. Andy
2950.5	try biking out here!	ANGLIN::HARRISA	crash landing in the cresant sea	`Wed May 03 1995 16:26`	20
	well, herein minneapolis/st. paul they take about 5weeks to sweep all the streets. this is going on now. yu can definitly tell the area that have not been swept. but there are so manybike paths/trails here that you don't have to ride on the road. also anumber of streets int he dowtown areas have bike lanes on them (some of these do need to be re-painted). the county highways by me (east of st. paul) all heav very wide shoulders. so even if the road wasn't swept, there is still enough room to ride and not worry too much about traffic. in fact, a bridge in minneapolis was rebuilt recently. it re-opened late last year. it is meant to be a bike/walk/blade/run across the mississippi bridge. after being spoiled here for biking, i'm not sure i would enjoy biking littleton again. i only did it a little in highschool, but i know the roads haven't changed much.
2950.6		STARCH::WHALEN	Rich Whalen	`Wed May 03 1995 16:51`	9
	re .2,.3 I've been told that it is illegal inb Massachusetss for the storm drains to have the openings such that they are parallel to the direction of travel if they can be perpendicular. So, you can tell the highway department that they are violating the law and opening themselves to liability when you call them to complain about it. Rich