Comments on: Minneapolis West River Parkway Trail Redesign http://www.thedeets.com/2008/12/10/minneapolis-west-river-parkway-trail-redesign/ You want The Deets? You can't HANDLE The Deets. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:58:15 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Minneapolis Bike, Walk, and Roll Plan Meeting Tonight | The Deets http://www.thedeets.com/2008/12/10/minneapolis-west-river-parkway-trail-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-8872 Minneapolis Bike, Walk, and Roll Plan Meeting Tonight | The Deets Thu, 19 Feb 2009 20:24:02 +0000 http://www.thedeets.com/?p=2735#comment-8872 [...] trails to be wide and smooth enough to skate safely. Then there’s the choice of surface for running trails debate. Yadda yadda. Park Board Public Meetings on Bike, Walk, and Roll Plan Thursday, [...] [...] trails to be wide and smooth enough to skate safely. Then there’s the choice of surface for running trails debate. Yadda yadda. Park Board Public Meetings on Bike, Walk, and Roll Plan Thursday, [...]

]]> By: Both West River Road Trails Will Use Asphalt! | The Deets http://www.thedeets.com/2008/12/10/minneapolis-west-river-parkway-trail-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-8203 Both West River Road Trails Will Use Asphalt! | The Deets Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:13:27 +0000 http://www.thedeets.com/?p=2735#comment-8203 [...] Nick, for taking the time to listen to and address the concerns of many of Minneapolis’ most passionate trail enthusiasts. GA_googleFillSlot("300x250_btw_post_and_comments"); 1 Comment so [...] [...] Nick, for taking the time to listen to and address the concerns of many of Minneapolis’ most passionate trail enthusiasts. GA_googleFillSlot(“300×250_btw_post_and_comments”); 1 Comment so [...]

]]> By: Rob Hart http://www.thedeets.com/2008/12/10/minneapolis-west-river-parkway-trail-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-8012 Rob Hart Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:55:53 +0000 http://www.thedeets.com/?p=2735#comment-8012 I run along the river roads about everyday and hardly ever use the walking path. There are some logistics to it. I see a lot of runners running on the grass/dirt path of the trails too. I run on the bike path in the winter because it's allowed and the City doesn't plow the walking path. I'm also one of many that hop on and off the bike trail in the summer too. If they widen the bike path by two feet (8-10) that'll free up some space for us runners. In comparison to the three lakes, it seems like the bikers around the river roads are accepting of us runners. Partially, because the walking path is very poorly lit. I agree with you, but I think (based on my observations) there are more runners using the bike path currently than the walking path. Hence, there really isn't a "running" path along the river roads today. It is a shared path with both runners, walkers, and bikers. I run along the river roads about everyday and hardly ever use the walking path. There are some logistics to it. I see a lot of runners running on the grass/dirt path of the trails too. I run on the bike path in the winter because it’s allowed and the City doesn’t plow the walking path. I’m also one of many that hop on and off the bike trail in the summer too. If they widen the bike path by two feet (8-10) that’ll free up some space for us runners. In comparison to the three lakes, it seems like the bikers around the river roads are accepting of us runners. Partially, because the walking path is very poorly lit. I agree with you, but I think (based on my observations) there are more runners using the bike path currently than the walking path. Hence, there really isn’t a “running” path along the river roads today. It is a shared path with both runners, walkers, and bikers.

]]> By: kohler http://www.thedeets.com/2008/12/10/minneapolis-west-river-parkway-trail-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-8011 kohler Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:11:54 +0000 http://www.thedeets.com/?p=2735#comment-8011 Assume for a second that there are no physical differences in the hardness of asphalt vs concrete. If that's the case, yet runners still believe there is, it's still a problem to create parallel paths with two different surfaces. Making the paths of the same surface in two different colors would be a problem if one of the two groups refused to use their designated path. This reminds me of the pedestrian paths worn through the mall on the U of MN campus. It doesn't matter how nice the sidewalks are if they don't serve a pedestrian's purpose. At the U of MN, that's getting from point A to point B efficiently. Along W River Rd, it's about running preferences. And the safety of bikers who'll have to deal with runners who'll refuse to use the new path. Assume for a second that there are no physical differences in the hardness of asphalt vs concrete. If that’s the case, yet runners still believe there is, it’s still a problem to create parallel paths with two different surfaces. Making the paths of the same surface in two different colors would be a problem if one of the two groups refused to use their designated path.

This reminds me of the pedestrian paths worn through the mall on the U of MN campus. It doesn’t matter how nice the sidewalks are if they don’t serve a pedestrian’s purpose. At the U of MN, that’s getting from point A to point B efficiently. Along W River Rd, it’s about running preferences. And the safety of bikers who’ll have to deal with runners who’ll refuse to use the new path.

]]> By: Rob Hart http://www.thedeets.com/2008/12/10/minneapolis-west-river-parkway-trail-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-8010 Rob Hart Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:46:58 +0000 http://www.thedeets.com/?p=2735#comment-8010 I find this debate interesting. Someone mentioned to me a few years ago that running on asphalt is easier on the body than running on concrete. While I agree the City of Mpls should use asphalt, I think there are some variables to consider. First off, many of the articles I found that support using asphalt verses concrete were written from authors that live in warm climate environments like California. Sub zero weather will make running on asphalt just like running on concrete. Second, weather fluctuation can cause hardening of asphalt. Asphalt, in the early years, may be soft but the older it gets, the more like concrete it becomes. Eventually, there would be little if any difference between the two. Third, concrete is usualy laid in squares and isn't continuous like asphalt. There are MANY different kinds of concrete so it's difficult to ascertain what (if any) difference there would be. How about rubberized concrete? I find this debate interesting. Someone mentioned to me a few years ago that running on asphalt is easier on the body than running on concrete. While I agree the City of Mpls should use asphalt, I think there are some variables to consider. First off, many of the articles I found that support using asphalt verses concrete were written from authors that live in warm climate environments like California. Sub zero weather will make running on asphalt just like running on concrete. Second, weather fluctuation can cause hardening of asphalt. Asphalt, in the early years, may be soft but the older it gets, the more like concrete it becomes. Eventually, there would be little if any difference between the two. Third, concrete is usualy laid in squares and isn’t continuous like asphalt. There are MANY different kinds of concrete so it’s difficult to ascertain what (if any) difference there would be. How about rubberized concrete?

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