Do you think a bike path for the Marquette Road area is a good idea?
Personally I think a bike walking path to the Mall should have been constructed years ago. Many times I have seen residents walking along 251 coming and going to places like HyVee and north.
22 comments:
I interpret the newspaper article regarding the bike path as Mr. Mertel wanting to put the path itself on Marquette Road. I can't see anyplace that could be done through this subdivision and with the amount of traffic already in this area. He also referenced connecting the path to the schools. This is a "hazardous path" because all the schools are on the other side of 251 - a hazardous crossing! Please, please Mr. Mertel talk to the residents in this area and get some feed back and ideas before you proceed with any plans!!!
I think there should be a master plan put together for the total city which is including bike/walking paths. However we cannot do any bits and pieces without a total plan. Bits and pieces create a jumble mess of things and are not coherent.
Once the master plan is put together then funding can be considered as well as the plan to implement partial or the complete plan.
I have been talking about plans by this mayor for some time but everyone only thinks to defend the mayor for doing nothing. This has and is my point. Without a plan we will dance around trying to catch are behind going in circles , ie. like a cat or dog.
Alderman Mertel has requested the bike path at the recent city council meeting . VERY GOOD IDEA.
But remember all you bloggsters, this aldermen is one you are against because of his efforts for the city and against Mayor Harl. Now Mayor Harl likes the idea. Can you figure ,whose stripes have changed ?
our judgments have always been made not on personalities or individuals but solely upon decisions made by them. There is no personal animosity against anyone in the city government but sometimes a great deal of opposition to decisions or votes that they choose to make.
I too have no problem with a bike path. What you people don't quite understand is the location of the bike path he is proposing - right thru a very busy residential location.
What about our crumbling “car paths?”
I, too, do not understand how a bike path could connect from Marquette Road to any of our schools without crossing 251 which is listed as a "hazardous crossing". Also, I see no room for a bike path in that already overcrowded part of town.
I think a bike plan is a good idea. We better get started building it. Because the condition of the roads in Peru, We are going to all be rideing bikes, to the mall, schools, shopping,church. Also to work. THE ROADS ARE BAD. WE NEED A BIKE PATH, LIKE ANOTHER HOLE IN THE HEAD.
Why would we spend money on a bike path, when we don't have roads to drive on? Plus the city is broke.
Because of the holiday Monday's council meeting has been changed to Wednesday 7-7-10. On the agenda is the proposal to "AUTHORIZE CHAMLIN TO DRAW UP A BIKE PATH FOR $3000". As far as I know there has been no discussion or meetings regarding this proposal - a committee was just established at last week's meeting.
The $3K is for planning - not the actual path. Just like the $15 we spent to have Williams tell us the pool needs work or replacement.
Getting across 251 would be easy - build a pedistrian bridge or tunnel.
Before one penny is spent on this boondoggle somebody needs to do a little thinking. Chamlin should not even be involved at this point.
I did some preliminary research and found a web site called "Safe Routes to School."
The bridge mentioned above could cost $1.5 MM or more. The entire path would need to follow ADA Guidelines - more cost.
Precisely my point Mr. Foster. Our aldermen are making suggestions and moving forward without thought or communication with the people of Peru. I also realize a bridge or tunnel would have to be built over 251. My point exactly - more cost.
I was reading a book about Abraham Lincoln and his leadership qualities and came across a few sentences that reminded me of our aldermen. Many acts heralded as instances of leadership- oratory, manipulation, sheer self-advancement,brute coercion-are not such. Much of what commonly passes as leadership-conspicuous position-taking without followers,posturing on various public stages,manipulation without general purpose-is no more leadership than the behavior of small boys marching in front of a parade, who continue to strut along Main Street after the procession has turned down a side street towards the fairgrounds.
Please click on perupages.blogspot.com under the heading of Link on the left side of this blog and read Brian Foster's thoughts on the bike path being considered for Marquette Road.
If anyone could find themselves outside of Peru and visit Aurora/St. Charles area , one would find bike-walking paths everywhere. What that means is that the issue is a County issue not a city issue.
That is why a comphrensive plan is needed and voted on by the county not the city.
I just got off the telephone with Alderman Mertel. The $3K to Chamlin is to determine the best routes for the entire city - not just Marquette Road. After the best routes are determined - funding and property issues would be discussed.
Brian,
I am not sure the rest of the city is in need of bike paths. We have lived on a cross street across one of the main routes through the city, 7th street, and there is and always has been a lot of bicycle riders and walkers crossing over the ravine and across 251 without incident. Of course most of the streets have sidewalks for walkers and bikes on the streets.
The main concern seems to be Marquette Road and perhaps Church Street near Parkside.
It seems that most of the newer additions have eliminated sidewalks in their plans for the building of a subdivision.
I'm not so sure a city wide system is needed either. However, I fully support anything that even hints at creating a long range plan. Alderman Mertel agreed that such a system would take five to ten years to complete - properly. I have a feeling that financing and on street parking will kill the issue. I would oppose any plan that is not comprehensive, does not recognize the overall poor condition of our streets, and proposes an inferior product without maintenence provisions. If WE as a community determine this is what we want, I want it done correctly. No half way on this. We will also need detailed information on how the project would be paid for. I'm sure all of this will lead to some great debate. Who knows, this may be just the thing to get everybody thinking beyond the next election.
I also believe the article in the NT was misleading.
Where did the News Trib get their information? Under his picture it says MERTEL Asks for bike path for Marquette Road area. The newspaper is at almost every meeting and usually talks to the Mayor or Aldermen at the conclusion. If that is not what Aldermen Mertel meant then he should have asked for a retraction.
the newstribune was not misleading Brian Foster. I was at that meeting and what Mr. Mertel proposed is exactly what was quoted in the paper.
I only know what he told me on the telephone and what the NT said. All the more reason to either video tape or record the meetings.
Lois, if you recorded the meeting that Alderman Mertel made the statements about Marquette Road would you please replay that portion and tell us exactly what he said. It may clear up this problem of who said what. Thank you
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