November 2015 Road and Trail Conditons

[consularrider]

@Starduster 127529 wrote:

Trollheim… OK, does anyone make a tire with a compound that will offer some grip on slimy boardwalk?

Studded tires?

[peterw_diy]

Alexandria’s Commonwealth Ave in Del Ray (from a block south of Monroe to Mt Vernon Ave) is in the process of being milled and repaved. Avoid if possible, and prepare to take the lane if you ride there.

[sjclaeys]

Caution at the W&OD crossing of Gallows Road. Looks like a car plowed into the pole at the east side of the crossing (i.e. the Fall Church side). There is glass and sharp debris everywhere (along with a wheel). Also, the crossing button is obliterated.

[Vicegrip]

Taking a broom to work with me in the am to clean up the debris. Safety glass kibble is everywhere.

[JimF22003]

@sjclaeys 127558 wrote:

Caution at the W&OD crossing of Gallows Road. Looks like a car plowed into the pole at the east side of the crossing (i.e. the Fall Church side). There is glass and sharp debris everywhere (along with a wheel). Also, the crossing button is obliterated.

Maybe they’ll put in a new button that actually does something.

[hozn]

@JimF22003 127562 wrote:

Maybe they’ll put in a new button that actually does something.

Did the one on that side not work? I guess I never have to push it going westbound at ~6:30.

[Tania]

@hozn 127567 wrote:

Did the one on that side not work? I guess I never have to push it going westbound at ~6:30.

It works although it’s not immediate. I think it’s programmed to be timed with the light at idylwood (and maybe even cottage) to keep traffic from backing up even more during rush hour. I head south on gallows in the evening and frequently cars are backed up in both directions at the wod crossing.

[Vicegrip]

Buttons always seem to work for me. There is an delay sometimes if the light had just cycled. My unscientific testing seems to point to about a 3 min recycle. After the 3 min time frame hitting the button causes a shorter wait before cycling the coveted white light of “buggity buggity buggity!” Have had the light change almost right after I push the beg button. Gallows would be a great place for a up and over bridge.

The pavement had been swept up a good bit this am all already so I totally skipped out on my planned housekeeping chores.

[hozn]

@Tania 127568 wrote:

It works although it’s not immediate. I think it’s programmed to be timed with the light at idylwood (and maybe even cottage) to keep traffic from backing up even more during rush hour. I head south on gallows in the evening and frequently cars are backed up in both directions at the wod crossing.

Yes, the west-side button definitely works and is ~15 seconds after Idylwood turns red. Wasn’t sure if east side was simply nonfunctional.

[Terpfan]

@Starduster 127529 wrote:

Trollheim… OK, does anyone make a tire with a compound that will offer some grip on slimy boardwalk?

http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/05/bikes-and-tech/technical-faq/technical-faq-tire-grip-wet-conditions_328827

Well, basically, the answer appears to be no except to lower psi a little. I was wondering the same thing. C’est le vie.

[mstone]

@Tania 127568 wrote:

It works although it’s not immediate. I think it’s programmed to be timed with the light at idylwood (and maybe even cottage) to keep traffic from backing up even more during rush hour. I head south on gallows in the evening and frequently cars are backed up in both directions at the wod crossing.

The timing there is terrible off-peak. You sit staring at an empty road for a couple of minutes, then the light changes just when cars start to approach. Horrible for all users.

[Steve O]

@mstone 127577 wrote:

The timing there is terrible off-peak. You sit staring at an empty road for a couple of minutes, then the light changes just when cars start to approach. Horrible for all users.

Yes. This, in fact, is bad for everyone. During times when synchronizing lights is not necessary (nights, weekends, off-peak), the best solution would be to have an immediate response to pushing the beg button–unless it’s just changed back, in which case allowing 20-30 seconds for Gallows traffic to proceed would seem reasonable.

Here’s why:

– Some cars will have to stop on Gallows anyway for the walk signal, so it’s totally arbitrary whether they are the ones right now or the ones a minute or two from now. No dif.
– People on bikes (and walkers/runners, too) eventually get tired of waiting and then proceed at some point when it seems all clear. Some of these people may misjudge and put themselves in danger. I have seen this happen.
– In this second case, the light eventually turns red and walk signal comes on for no reason, since the trail users have already proceeded.

A lot of regulars (like Hozn) know that there is a long wait, and so they just Idaho it. I often will hit the button–particularly coming from the west–see how things look, and then Idaho if it’s all clear. A little while later the light will change, but I’m long gone. So cars are sitting there at the red for no reason.

If trail users knew that the light would change right away or after only a short wait, a lot fewer of them would Idaho and overall safety at this intersection would improve.

[mstone]

@Steve O 127591 wrote:

If trail users knew that the light would change right away or after only a short wait, a lot fewer of them would Idaho and overall safety at this intersection would improve.

A countdown timer would help make it more predictable, but it might be too embarrassing to have it acknowledge that you’re going to be there for 120s.

[scoot]

@Steve O 127591 wrote:

Some cars will have to stop on Gallows anyway for the walk signal, so it’s totally arbitrary whether they are the ones right now or the ones a minute or two from now.

An immediate response might even reduce the number of cars that get stopped on Gallows. If I knew that the signal would respond immediately, I’d allow a wave of cars to proceed before pushing the button at the end of the wave.

[Tania]

Most of the lights at cross streets along Gallows have a very long response time during rush hour but are on-demand during off hours (I live just off Gallows less than a mile from the W&OD crossing). The big roads (like Prosperity and Idlywood) have slightly shorter wait times but not by much. Lights like the one by me, at the W&OD crossing and at Cottage can feel endless. Adjusting the light at the W&OD will have a big impact north and south all along Gallows so it’s not as simple as changing the behavior of just that light.

Traffic along Gallows – from Route 7 down to the hospital just past Route 50 – seems to fluctuate between full-on madness and almost empty depending on the time of day. It’s really quite lovely at 7am on a Sunday…

[Author]

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