I'm glad someone else is contacting the DOT on this issue. I started commuting to work daily in December from South Windsor to Windsor, with hopes of becoming a one car family. But then the first big snow came and I found I couldn't cross the CT River. When I contacted the DOT, the answer I received was that it would be up to the towns of Windsor and South Windsor to plow the bike path. I'll try the contact you provided.
Aubrey - You are the reason the DOT needs to take clearing this bridge seriously. Why is it automatic and simple to clear 6+ lanes, but a short, critical single multi-use non-vehicular crossing does not compute for the DOT car centric bureaucracy? Ah yes, car centric. We've got to break them of that nasty habit.
Who are they? The skunks. They are out and about. It smells funny. Must be getting on Spring.
But that's not what I'm talking about. Cyclists. I've seen them peeking out, trying to decide if it's warm enough to ride about.
Good thing there are tons of fun stuff planned for them. Take a gander:
IceBike to Work - Friday, March 15. East Hartford. 7AM-8AM. Meet for breakfast at Maddies on Main Street. Right across the street from Pratt & Whitney.
Reveal the Path movie screening - Tuesday, April 16th. 7:30PM. Wadsworth Atheneum Aetna Theater.
This mountain biking / adventure / travel movie came through Hartford in February and sold out. Sold out faster than any movie this promoter has ever toured with. Faster than NYC. Faster than Boston. Kudos Hartford. This is your chance to see it if you missed it.
Informal Happy Hour meetup ahead of time at Arch Street Tavern. Get there early if you want to eat so you're not scrambling to get to the movie on time.
Get your tickets here online!
Part of the proceeds go to Bike Walk CT.
Bike Walk CT Summit - Saturday, April 27th, New Haven, CT.
The 2013 Bike Walk Summit will bring together people from all over Connecticut to talk about how to improve bicycling and walking in our state.
Don't miss the chance to learn from experts and connect with others working on these issues. Come away energized and inspired and with tools you can use to make a change.
The Detour! - Saturday, April 27th, Manchester, CT.
Salem's signature romp. He suggests a route. You can decide to follow it - or not.
If you decide to do the whole thing make sure you are prepared. Unlike me, don't just show up without route sheets and hope to hang on with others that actually planned ahead.
It's sorta long too - if you decide to do the whole thing. Something like 115 miles. When you include the extra time / effort for the off road bits it feels something like 150 miles. Bring lights and chubby-ish tires.
The photo below I took last Friday night heading home from South Windsor on the 291 Bissel bridge pedestrian crossing. The DOT had snowblown the highway into the bike / ped path. Several weeks after the super storm there were still 3 foot drifts of icy slush. I put a note in to the responsive CT DOT Bike Ped Coordinator (Kate Rattan - katherine.rattan@ct.gov) who said she would put in the maintenance request. Trying to get the clearing of DOT bridges to be a more automatic thing for the DOT, but we're not there yet. Until then - you need to point out the issue. Now you know who to bother. Be nice. Kate does her best from the inside of a slow changing organization.
"They're back!"
3 Comments -
I'm glad someone else is contacting the DOT on this issue. I started commuting to work daily in December from South Windsor to Windsor, with hopes of becoming a one car family. But then the first big snow came and I found I couldn't cross the CT River. When I contacted the DOT, the answer I received was that it would be up to the towns of Windsor and South Windsor to plow the bike path. I'll try the contact you provided.
March 9, 2013 at 5:50 PM
Aubrey - You are the reason the DOT needs to take clearing this bridge seriously. Why is it automatic and simple to clear 6+ lanes, but a short, critical single multi-use non-vehicular crossing does not compute for the DOT car centric bureaucracy? Ah yes, car centric. We've got to break them of that nasty habit.
March 10, 2013 at 10:06 PM
Hmm, good job! This is really something!
April 28, 2013 at 4:29 AM