Comments on: Adventures in Traffic: College Park to OIA http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2008/11/19/college-park-to-oia/ Encouragement, Education & Advocacy for Bicycling in the Real World Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:48:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Keri http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2008/11/19/college-park-to-oia/comment-page-1/#comment-526 Keri Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:17:39 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=1339#comment-526 I love Andrew's idea. With the exurban housing market in the toilet, this is the time! I love Andrew’s idea. With the exurban housing market in the toilet, this is the time!

]]> By: andrewp http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2008/11/19/college-park-to-oia/comment-page-1/#comment-525 andrewp Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:03:45 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=1339#comment-525 Interconnections between neighborhoods is the key. You can plan these into new devleopments, but what do you do about existing neighborhoods? Here's a way-out thought!! :) Get the City/County to buy selected houses that are forclosed but are located between two non-connected neighborhoods and knock them down to create what you could call a "Neighborhood Connector Path" ..... These paths can be like little Parks -- deeded to the Neighborhood Association with a right of way for the public to pass. Only wide enough to accomodate pedestrians and bikes -- no cars!! Start with neighborhoods closer to existing Elementry and Middle schools (so we can get more kids biking to school, and can allivate parental concerns about riding on any hi-traffic-volumed roads). Look at existing shopping areas next and get neighborhoods connected so people can run utility/shopping errands by bike. Continue working your way out, until you can connect one end of Orlando to the other without having to get on (maybe cross, but not ride on) any major arterial. Just trying to think "out of the box" ...... Interconnections between neighborhoods is the key. You can plan these into new devleopments, but what do you do about existing neighborhoods?

Here’s a way-out thought!! :)

Get the City/County to buy selected houses that are forclosed but are located between two non-connected neighborhoods and knock them down to create what you could call a “Neighborhood Connector Path” …..

These paths can be like little Parks — deeded to the Neighborhood Association with a right of way for the public to pass. Only wide enough to accomodate pedestrians and bikes — no cars!!

Start with neighborhoods closer to existing Elementry and Middle schools (so we can get more kids biking to school, and can allivate parental concerns about riding on any hi-traffic-volumed roads). Look at existing shopping areas next and get neighborhoods connected so people can run utility/shopping errands by bike. Continue working your way out, until you can connect one end of Orlando to the other without having to get on (maybe cross, but not ride on) any major arterial.

Just trying to think “out of the box” ……

]]> By: LisaB http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2008/11/19/college-park-to-oia/comment-page-1/#comment-491 LisaB Thu, 20 Nov 2008 03:16:15 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=1339#comment-491 As you learned first hand, this section of town makes for a difficult commute. I’m a competent and confident vehicular cyclist. But there are some parts of my commute from Winter Springs to OIA that require nerves of steel. Conway Road is one (the early morning drivers are in contention for the “Nastiest Motorists of the Year” award). Semoran Blvd. (S.R. 436) is another. Despite a bike lane, the large trucks whizzing by at 55 mph and cars entering and exiting shopping plazas keep me on my toes. This is definitely not a course for the unskilled and uninitiated. Which brings me to a challenge for the government types who plan infrastructure for cyclists. Do you own a bike? Do you ride a bike? Have you ever ridden a bike on these routes at rush hour? Either way, I invite you to join me on my daily bike commute. I’d love to hear your thoughts on how well the infrastructure works. As you learned first hand, this section of town makes for a difficult commute. I’m a competent and confident vehicular cyclist. But there are some parts of my commute from Winter Springs to OIA that require nerves of steel. Conway Road is one (the early morning drivers are in contention for the “Nastiest Motorists of the Year” award). Semoran Blvd. (S.R. 436) is another. Despite a bike lane, the large trucks whizzing by at 55 mph and cars entering and exiting shopping plazas keep me on my toes. This is definitely not a course for the unskilled and uninitiated.

Which brings me to a challenge for the government types who plan infrastructure for cyclists. Do you own a bike? Do you ride a bike? Have you ever ridden a bike on these routes at rush hour? Either way, I invite you to join me on my daily bike commute. I’d love to hear your thoughts on how well the infrastructure works.

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