Desire path between Humpback bridge and Mason bridge

[rcannon100]

Federal Advisory Committee Act

As long as the federal agency does not control the group, there isnt a FACA problem. Control usually means things like control who are the members. The other tell-tale of the FACA is the dance of the FACA is that the agency formally asks specifically the FACA for advice. Here a stakeholder is offering advice and input. That’s a big difference (citizens do get to voice their opinions to the govt)

[lordofthemark]

@dbb 85070 wrote:

It just kind of annoys me that we complain the NPS isn’t spending enough to maintain the trails (which I consider to be a real treasure) and then we take actions (through the use of desire lines) that tend to increase the trail maintenance cost (or decrease the beauty of the trails).

Okay, so I do I feel more guilty slowing very much or even stopping within a few feet of the beginning of the Mason going east bound, or do I feel more guilty riding the desire path (at least until I am good enough to get up the hill cleanly without the momentum assist from the desire path) ? Given a trivial contribution by me to the desire path, vs the chance of a bike-bike collision in a narrow spot, I think I will continue to take the desire path toward the Mason, for now.

[bobco85]

Honestly, I think this desire path should be paved so that the intersection resembles the triangle intersection where the MVT meets 4MR like this: [ATTACH=CONFIG]5584[/ATTACH]

@lordofthemark 85096 wrote:

Okay, so I do I feel more guilty slowing very much or even stopping within a few feet of the beginning of the Mason going east bound, or do I feel more guilty riding the desire path (at least until I am good enough to get up the hill cleanly without the momentum assist from the desire path) ? Given a trivial contribution by me to the desire path, vs the chance of a bike-bike collision in a narrow spot, I think I will continue to take the desire path toward the Mason, for now.

I always avoid that desire path even when on my hybrid, mostly out of habit from avoiding all off-road stuff when I’m on my road bike (it’s amazing how long my tires go without a flat when I keep them exclusively on pavement). I understand losing momentum can suck, but it’s really not all that bad.

I do not support using the desire path in its current state, but if you are going to use it, make sure you signal your turn.

[lordofthemark]

I skipped the desire path in this AM’s conditions, and managed to get up to the bridge okay anyway, so maybe I no longer need the desire path.

[KLizotte]

@lordofthemark 85582 wrote:

I skipped the desire path in this AM’s conditions, and managed to get up to the bridge okay anyway, so maybe I no longer need the desire path.

Very impressed that you rode in today given the rainy conditions!

[rcannon100]

On Desire Paths

[NickBull]

@dasgeh 85006 wrote:

I happened to have been right there, talking to dbb just last week, as we finished a conversation before riding off in different directions.

Honestly, it don’t think it’s a safe option for people coming downhill off the bridge. While we were there (~5 min), we saw people do all sorts of dumb stuff at the intersection, but the dumbest were the people bombing down the hill from the bridge, taking the desire line full speed, and continuing on to the main MVT with no regard for who is already on it.

…

Yup, I’ve almost been hit by people coming down the “desire” path off the Mason bridge. They were well behind me along the bridge, then while I rode the paved path, they thought they could whip by me by taking the shortcut down the dirt==”desire”==lazy path. But they misjudged how fast I would accelerate out of the turn onto the MVT and were almost unable to brake hard enough on the dirt to avoid hitting me. I saw them at the last second and braked hard. I’ve also had the opposite, people who were following me over the Humpback and then try to take the dirt path to cut past me, only to misjudge it and almost hit me.

It’s such a short piece of dirt that I would think that any serious obstacle (fence or wall) placed across it would make it so that it is not worth taking the shortcut.

Should it just be paved instead, as some have suggested? Suppose it were, then cyclists coming off the Mason bridge are crossing the lanes of two sets of riders, the ones coming from under the bridge on the MVT who are turning and riding up to the Mason bridge, and then a moment later, cyclists coming off the Humpback who are staying on the MVT. And it would be ambiguous at the first crossing point who has right-of-way since both cyclists are on the on-ramp to the Mason, and both are coming around corners where they may not have seen the other rider. At the second crossing, right of way should be clearer since the rider coming down the off-ramp is joining the main MVT. But because they would now be going straight there may be more of a temptation to think that just riding a little harder will let them nip ahead of an oncoming cyclist coming either direction on the MVT. In contrast, the present turn is tougher to just negotiate without slowing down and yielding to cyclists on the MVT.

So I think that it would be better not to pave the dirt and instead to block it. And maybe put Dasgeh’s STFD sign there as well.

Nick

[KLizotte]

Perhaps a roundabout should be put in there instead!!! That would make life interesting.

[Rod Smith]

Hey we’re not going to win the National Bike Challenge by taking shortcuts!

I used to think that dirt path was for jays but I after reading this thread and watching the Ted talk, I guess it’s OK. So I’m in favor of paving it but until it’s paved, I’ll go around. LOFM, it’s actually possible to carry good speed through those bends without crossing the center line (going into the city). Try when it’s clear. When other riders or pedestrians are present, brake and downshift! You might need to dump your speed but you’ll be able to keep spinning if you drop your chain to the small ring and maybe a bigger cog too.

[Author]

Posts