Suddenly in the last few weeks we started to hear different variations of establishing bike paths where there are no sidewalks in Peru particularly on Marquette Rd Tonight we hear another version of the story in that we want to connect to the Kaskaskia Alliance Trail that would connect east to the IM Canal and west to St. Bede and further west.
By now you might be asking yourself, What does the heavy traffic on Marquette Rd have to do with a linkage to the Kaskaskia Trail?
Yesterday people were questioning How can we get over or under Route 251? Where will we get the funding? What's the purpose of all this?
Or with all the heavy traffic on Marquette Road, would a yellow line on the side of the road keep bikers and walkers safe?
And tonight I am just wondering why we awarded a contract to Chamlin for $3000 when the Committee was only set in place a week or 2 ago and today without even one meeting by this new Bicycle Path Committee we are awarding a contract to draw up routes. Without one bit of public comment by hardly anyone in the public sector. Not counting me as I am now setting my views down to be read. We meaning the City now want to be a part of the Safe Route To School Program for access to funding, ok that is fine although I believe the kids living east of 251 are bussed since all schools in Peru are west of that highway. Are we going to establish bike paths throughout all of west and northwest Peru so kids can go to Parkside on their bikes?
One bit of good news that the new Bicycle Path committee meetings will be now open to the public so watch the city web site if you are interested and I will try to post meeting dates.
The city would be counting on "grant money" from the State of Illinois disregarding the fact that the state is now 13 BILLION dollars in debt.
Makes our 45 million dollar debt look rather minute.
20 comments:
Lois, I guess my question to you would be, do bikes currently cross 251 everyday and do bikes travel down every public street in Peru the way things are currently? Why would trying to make things safer for these people be a bad thing? I'll sit down an wait for my answer.
Thank you Lois for saying what I left the meeting thinking. I talked to several people regarding this path and walked away with several different stories. And, I agree, they now seem to be about a totally different bike path than the one that was originally suggested for Marquette Road.
I get the impression after reading many of your postings , that the city council MUST have your approval before any action can be proposed or taken ?
Were you elected a sub- Mayor this past election ? I must have missed your name on the ballot.
We need to let the city be run by the aldermen/Mayor/city clerk, whom have been elected. Then evaluate each aldermen and Mayor after 4 years(the mayor is out ) voice your opinion at the ballot.
The factless comments here only agitate and are not constructive. I am sure glad the last 44 yrs had a positive result but I fear with a click of 20 now constantly talking we will as a city SPEND MORE MONEY AND GET NOTHING TO BETTER THE CITY. "The Peru action committee" needs to stay home and knit or do what ever".
We don't need the help.
I heard the city is getting a cost study done that costs $20,000-$30,000 to raise our electric rates. We as residents are again taking it in the shorts. More spending and no cuts...Same old song and dance. Will the extra cash in rate hikes go to keep our overinflated workforce happy? At least it makes the job of Mayor easy, raise rates and you don't have to make cuts.
7:18AM
Sir when you hire someone to do a project for you, you have a plan in mind and a pretty good idea of what you want done. When we built our home we spent months talking to people, looking over plans ourselves, we did not call someone ans say
"we want a new house, please draw some plans and then we will tell you what we want" We did months of pre planning and "thinking" about the project. We sat down together and discussed it and this is what I would expect the city to do instead of farming out the project IMMEDIATELY.
The city should know exactly what they want after committee meetings, council approval and everyone on the council understanding the project and maybe approving the project, at least a majority.
From a personal perspective, it sounded like "Hey Roger you are not too busy right now, here is a project"
1:06AM
Yes, probably hundreds of adults and children safely ride our city streets safely each day and some of them all year. We have several adults we see on a daily basis using a bike for their transportation method.
Considering the width of most of the streets in the areas south of Shooting Park Rd, adding a bike lane would not make much difference in how or where they ride their bikes.
My question to you is "How would a yellow line designating a part of the road make it safer than it is now?.
Most of the traffic in town is on Route 6, Peoria St and Marquette Rd.
Probably followed by Seventh St, West St Calhoun and maybe Church. But we in the city already know where the busy streets are as studies have already been done.
Generally people using their bikes recreationally would not be on these streets but would choose alternate routes that they already know are less traveled by cars.
Bike paths within a city have to be done very carefully as you are going to run into parking issues for residents.
I can't tell you how many bikes cross 251 each day, I would have no way to know that. The area of concern is the intersection of 251 and Shooting Park Rd. The roads over 251 are 7th St. and Route 6 and anyone using either of those roads can safely cross 251 now.
My question to you would be and maybe this is where we differ "What is your perception of a bike path?"
The city has a staff member that works with grants
Why is she not involved in this project? She has been working on the pool and getting good results.
She could do it much cheaper than $3000 and she will get it done. Why not use the Mayor's assistant for these important projects instead of Roger?
Lois please review alderman O"Beirnes comments at last nights meeting regarding the PAC. I thought we lived in America and had freedom of speech. I think his comments are hurtful and uncalled for. Many times we have to sit back and listen to the aldermen say things we didn't agree with but had to remain silent. I think the general public should be aware of his comments. What do you think?
Being at the meeting last night, I think the city council would run a heck of a lot better if they passed a ruling to TAKE OUT ALL OF THE PUBLIC CHAIRS, no sitting. Maybe then the public would be discourage in attending, thereby the city council can get on with running the city and doing the appropriate business.
Lets offer the removal of the chairs the next time the Mayor asks for comments from the public in attendance.
ANON 11:42, Alderman Obeirn has the same freedom of speech as you do. Hurtful and uncalled for! This Alderman has taken your public bashings and beatings and not said a word. Comments,rumors,conspiracy theroies have been thrown at him every meeting and your blog sites. He says that the group is misguided or whatever and you get teary eyed. You got your Mayor and now you regret his lack of leadership. Be grateful you have Obeirne.
11:42
Yes we live in the USA and Mr O'Beirne has every right to say whatever he wishes according to the First Amendment in our Bill of Rights.
But so does anyone else living in Peru have the absolute right to voice their opinions without objections from council members. There were no comments from anyone attending the meeting last night and Ald. O'Beirne brought up the topic because he was annoyed by the NT article the night before regarding people who have joined together to promote honesty and integrity in government for the common good of the city of Peru.
Anon 1:17 Are you saying that the general public should have no say whatsoever in their government and that they should allow those who 1. question their city attorney 2. tell experts in their fields that they are wrong 3. oppose the library (need I go on?) to run their lives. That, in my opinion, would be a citizen who just doesn't care about their town or community.
11:03AM
Yes we do have an employee who has written some grants and perhaps she could do this for less than $3000.
Something was wrong with the whole procedure last night. Almost like it had been discussed privately before it was brought before the council. Again just my impression. I will be reviewing minutes of previous council meetings to see if any type of bicycle path had been discussed in the last 6 months or so.
to anon 3:17pm
The citizens have a say when they voted for their aldermen. Let the aldermen do the job they are elected to serve. All of this complaining and squabbles would be over. Maybe then the city could move forward instead of complaining about petty issues.
Bless our aldermen and their courage to do the right thing, regardless of the gang of 20 Peru action committee continuous complaining on worthless issues.
Those of you who have voted to the contrary this past election you now see what has happened. Lets have your vote count next time to move this city forward for the people not for the gang of 20.
3:17PM
So you are saying that once we elect an official for any office from local to national, we never have the right to watch their governance and criticize them when we believe they are wrong?
Do you want me to believe that once you vote you never voice another comment about how they conduct the business of the city,state or United States?
In my opinion you would be not be a very good citizen because it is part of your responsibility when living in a Democracy to be observant and knowledgeable and sometimes critical of all our governments.
Well stated Lois. But please criticize and watch the governance on both sides of your coin. The site is painfully Anti-council and pro Mayor. As Brian Foster pointed out that these alderman are not elected to serve the mayor. They are elected to serve the residents of Peru. And may not agree with the objectives of the mayor. In which wonder what are the objectives of the mayor? Give compliments and criticize where you see is fitting. You would be much more relevant if you had other objectives than replacing your alderman.
Did he not replace your street or remove all traffic from Marquette Street? I don't think he raised your taxes or eliminated police protection?
Be fair and issue related.
10:25AM
Thank you for your well thought out comment and we would actually like to see the blog run in the way you would
like it to be.
Unfortunately we are constantly getting comments that are:
1. Criticizing the Mayor because he was elected and defeated Baker or because he is Union.
2. Also we are criticized because we are interested in how our city functions and that means attending City Council meetings. I do believe that much of that is coming from only one alderman and perhaps his family and friends.
3. I see a total lack of communication and cooperation in our city government and much of that stems from the fact that "change" occurred and is hard to deal with but it can be done. This is a new era and we need to look beyond the "but that is the way it was always done". But they must look beyond past accomplishments and not make decisions or votes with the next election in mind.
Steve and I do not pull our posts out of thin air air as some people like to say. They are researched prior to being put on the blog and I realize some may be not your liking but unless you can prove otherwise, derogatory comments add nothing to this conversation.
By the way, our street is better than most and I don't live on Marquette Road.
Why wasn't Kristie's post from last night posted? Too true for you and Steve
Post a Comment