Re: [PDI] an important local issue - pedxing and bikes

The real question is why are bicycles and pedestrians allowed to mix with motor vehicle traffic? You don't see them letting mopeds on the interstate. This is ASKING for mayhem. It is stupid and negligent.

Why not use all that plastic going into landfills to create bikeways and footpaths over the roads and streets. You could even cover the streets and roadways with plastic bike paths that have little sandwhich shops and bike repair shops, and get rid of most road salt poisoning the ground and runoff water. The plow guys could work putting in the elevated bikeways and maintaining them. Voila! No mix of inherently incompatible traffic. Instant healthy commuting inter-suburb. Do it with a roof over the bikeways and open sides and it becomes a year-round phenomenon, and a massive international tourist draw. Imagine that! A great place to mount solar cells and flower-pot gardens. Lots of jobs created and none lost. A whole new green economy sector. Stairway to Starbucks, pedal your @$$ off, literally. Reduce the drain on the health care system by giving people an easy, enjoyable, safe means to exercise while they travel. Save landfill space and reduce concrete use and potholes. save on diesel fuel for plow trucks. Give the plow drivers more regular work and work hours. Hmmm...

Wait, I forget. Such things are impossible in the "real" world. It would mess with the oil economy too much, and screw up our national insecurity.

Dan

Don wrote:

There is an upcoming public hearing on an important local issue of protecting pedestrians and bicyclists.

All are encouraged to participate and to pass this news to anyone that walks or rides a bicycle in our area.


MORE PEDESTRIANS WILL DIE ON BUTTERFIELD ROAD!

At a time of record high gas prices and an ongoing effort by many to help the environment and be healthy by walking/bicycling instead of driving we need an increased effort by the local and state government officials to protect us. Unfortunately one pedestrian died in Warrenville this week. But, soon IF BUTTERFIELD Road is widened as currently planned by IDOT to the multilane intersections without crosswalks MORE PEDESTRIANS will be killed when they try to cross several lanes of constantly moving traffic.

Pedestrian killed on road in Warrenville

By Jake Griffin | Daily Herald Staff Published: 2/21/2008 12:10 AM

A Warrenville woman was struck and killed while trying to cross a busy road on the city's west side Tuesday evening. Linda McGregor, 41, was attempting to cross Batavia Road from the south when she was struck by a westbound car approximately 75 feet east of the Country Ridge Drive intersection, Warrenville police said Wednesday. That intersection leads to a popular shopping center at the northeast corner of Route 59 and Batavia Road. The accident occurred at 6 p.m., police said. McGregor was taken to Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield where she was pronounced dead just before 7 p.m., police said.

The investigation is ongoing and the DuPage County coroner's office slated an autopsy for Wednesday. The results will become part of the investigation of McGregor's death. The driver of the vehicle has not been charged and police don't expect any charges. "There's no indication that it's anything other than an unfortunate accident," Deputy Chief John Naydenoff said.### End of the article ------------------------------------------------

We need the local authorities to demand safe crosswalks where ever Butterfield Road is expanded. Remember they say it will be expanded to four lanes BUT the intersections will be several lanes wide with traffic moving at all times UNLESS safe crosswalks are built into the design. Find your elected local, DuPage County Board and state representatives at this website for the Illinois Board of Elections website http://www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/AddressSearch.aspx ?or call 312-814-6440 to find the correct names and contact information for these elected representatives.  

Act now and contact your elected officials at the local, DuPage County and state level before March 18th. And then attend the formal hearing to request safe crosswalks at the intersections along the soon to be expanded Butterfield Road.   

SPECIAL MEETING 3/18 >The IDOT formal public hearing and input meeting on the Phase? I Preliminary Engineering design for the expansion of Butterfield Rd will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 18, 2008, at the Arrowhead Golf Course, 26W151 Butterfield Road in Wheaton.? PLEASE TRY TO ATTEND THIS MEETING AND bring a statement to be entered in the record.??Once IDOT conducts the public hearing and responds to public input, they will move into Phase II of the project, which includes the preparation of final engineering design/construction plans and specifications. Once Phase II begins, it is very unlikely that any significant modifications or adjustments to the design of this roadway expansion project will be made.?

For more info. go to the webpage for the Safe Roadways group at http://hometown.aol.com/SafeRoadways/????????????

 

Please pass along this?email for anyone interested in safe walking or bicycling in our communities   

For trail and bicycle related information and webpage links go to: http://hometown.aol.com/frndsgrtwstntrl