I get it Dan. I welcome the changes. This stretch of road has been the red-headed stepchild of the kelly drive path for years. We've enjoyed the open utility trenches, PWD trenches that never get marked or filled in. I've personally most enjoyed the minefield of a parking lot where people try their best to run me down.

This isn't about the construction. It's about common courtesy toward people. I've ridden around the lincoln drive path construction, the kitchens lane repaving, the PWD when they blocked the path for 2 weeks last year, as well as the reconstruction of the roadway around the transportation center. There's *never* any notice given which allows people to proactively plan a safe route.

This particular case gave negative one day's notice. I understand I can pay to join a club which will tell me the things a simple route sign would tell me. Please tell your brethren at the bike coalition that penndot blocked the very path on ridge that people are supposed to use.

The Bike Coalition has a blog that describes the various bike related projects that are going on in the greater Philadelphia area. They had a posting on Feb 24 describing the closure and the proposed detour. You do not have to be a coalition member to read the blog. More info here:

http://blog.bicyclecoalition.org/2011/02/srt-path-from-falls-bridge-to-ridge.html

I'm sure the Bike Coalition would appreciate your feedback so that future efforts to inform the public are more effective. They have had volunteers handing out flyers detailing the closure several days near the the East Falls Bridge. Volunteers will be there between 4 and 5:30 this Thursday.

Thanks for the info. Added the blog to my newsreader. Took that "detour" today, I was mistaken, there are many more highway on and off-ramps than I'd thought. Never saw those signs at the transit center and nothing was posted at Forbidden Drive near where I enter. There's one stretch of the roadway w/ no shoulder, someone's gonna get hit there :-(

Your efforts aside, PennDOT did absolutely *nothing* on the trail to notify users. The Parks Department failed as well.

Councilman Jones- Anything y ou can do to help with this mess?

It is great that the new path will be an improvement. The detour plan needed [more] thought.

where are the "sharrows" the city has promised in its press release??????? It's been well over a month since construction began people!

http://www.citypaper.net/blogs/nakedcity/Bike.html
"The city is recommending that bicylists use Ridge Avenue, which will be marked with "sharrows," — arrows, but for sharing, and "share the road" signs. And be careful: Ridge isn't ideal for bikes. "

Many thanks to Pedestrian & Bicycle Coordinator Charles Carmalt. He promptly returned an email I sent him explaining that the road will soon be marked with sharrows by PennDOT. I won't disclose the contents of the message, but suffice to say, there was some confusion as to which parties would be implementing the plan and organizing the work.

really PENNDOT????? you blocked the tiny bit of shoulder we're supposed to use as a

haha, it's since been smashed into a million tiny pieces. i can't say i'd shatter if you hit me with your car, i'd probably do more bleeding.

no, hasn't been fixed or even acknowledged. they've pulled the traffic cop and everyone knows it. it's a red-light running free for all in this work zone.

a couple of other fine points.

* there are several work zones in this area. there is a peco/pgw workzone just past the "end work zone" sign blocking the shoulder with signs and rubble

* the "share the road" signs, albeit symbolic at best, appear at the end of the work zone past the area where the shoulders disappear.

what's more, the construction workers who initially failed to block their work zone on kelly, are now physically assaulting cyclists who dare pass through on the roadway

"4500 block Kelly Drive – complainant said he broke his right leg after someone pushed him off his bike with two hands. Complainant had a verbal dispute with a construction worker after the worker alleged the complainant had damaged the mirror on one of the worker’s vehicles. After waiting for 15-20 minutes for the police, the complainant told the worker he was going to take off. The construction worker then yelled for other workers up the street to stop the complainant from riding away. Complainant was taken to the hospital.

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/neighborhoods/germantownwest-oak-lane/item/18521-39th-district-bike-rider-assaulted-at-penndot-work-site"

Mayor Nutter, I *dare* you to ride through this area on "bike to work" day. (caveat: you must do so solo without your contingent of police.

Maybe a death will bring some sorely needed attention to this area.

Councilman Jones,
This is your district. What have y ou done to address this dangerous situation? Have you contacted the Streets Department? Have you contacted PennDOT? Have you had one Council hearing or made any public statement? Does anyone really care about cyclists?

Curtis Jones, Jr.
Receiving reports with keywords:
"City Council District 4" Roxborough Wissahickon East Falls

maybe his keywords will trigger an alert.. (or maybe this just isn't of any interest to the good councilman)

still an issue SCF. this one's too hot for the city to touch on this, the eve of the "bike a few blocks to city hall under police protection with mayor nutter" extravaganza.

Why is this so difficult for PennDOT to understand and fix? And these are the folks doing the engineering on our bridges? Not confidence inspiring.

i don't know what to tell you meg. i never really expected either penndot or the city to do anything about this morass.

i get the impression the city stopped working on citizens issues during election season. just waiting for someone to get clipped crossing one of these on/offramps. (and hoping that person is neither you or i) I see school children skirting disaster in this area every day. enforcement is non-existent, even with the PPD on the scene.

if this were football, councilman jones would be all over it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

keywords: City Council District 4

apathy is catchy..