[Updated!] Dangerous Bump on Coventry Greenway
Aug 2nd, 2010 | By Matt Moritz | Category: Uncategorized
(c) Aaron Goselin
A bicycling user of the Coventry Greenway notified me that there is a dangerous bump on one of the trestle bridges on the newly completed trail segment. In the middle of one of the bridges, affecting traffic both directions is a very difficult to see and very severe bump in the decking that has caused at least 1 crash and a near crash as reported below:
… The surface is very nice and the landscaping is tasteful. I was on it for the first time after work today and discovered a structural hazard to cyclists. There is one trestle bridge overpass that has an unmarked speed bump running across the center! I hit that thing full on at slightly over 20 mph tonight and I dont’ know how I managed to stay upright….
RIDOT Customer Service has been notified and I’ve contacted Steve Church at RIDOT to see if anything can be done to repair or better warn riders of what I believe is an unintentional and dangerous warping in the bridge deck.
[UPDATE]
Steve Church responded that this issue was raised by another path user in March and passed along to the Project Manager, and that the temporary step of putting marking paint on the bump was taken in early April. The paint has faded at this point, but the Town of Coventry’s Directory of Parks and Recreation, Guy LeFebvre indicates that new marking paint will be applied to the bump, the railings around the bump, and signs placed on the bridge.
Guy also pointed out that the segment path is still under construction and closed to all users:
We are aware of the bump in the bridge decking, likely caused by expansion of the deck boards themselves.
We have repainted it again and will continue to repaint it as it fades. We have painted the rails beside it as well and are placing signs at each end of the bridge to forewarn patrons who are still using our CLOSED bike path.
There are many details yet to be completed and then there will be a punch list of items as well. Please advise all that you can that the path is still under construction and remains closed.
Why bother? They’ve INTENTIONALLY HIDDEN a huge speed bump at the Lyman Avenue end of the Northwest Trail. This is particularly onerous because you’re coming downhill at about 20 mph when you come upon it, there’s no opening for cyclists, no reason for it at all.
Someone was asking about bikeway expansion. Here’s some links about what they plan to do to finish ECGS through RI and expand bikeways.
WSBP will someday poke through to Hill Farm Rd (all I’d demand), then WSW toward Camp Westwood (Harkney Hill Rd) along the abandoned trestle trail, through Summit to CT border.
Official Map…
http://www.dot.ri.gov/img/content/bikeri/bikeplanfebruary2010.pdf
Here is a rough but better Google Map…
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Washington+Secondary+Trail&daddr=Washington+Secondary+Trail+to:Log+Bridge+Rd+to:41.689963,-71.74716+to:Old+Railroad+Grde+to:Linwood+Dr&hl=en&geocode=FbhWfAIdK067-w%3BFWMnfAId0zy6-w%3BFe4mfAIdb_W5-w%3B%3BFYYjfAId7Sa5-w%3BFb47fAIdXHK4-w&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=3&sz=14&via=1,2,3,4&dirflg=b&sll=41.69586,-71.735401&sspn=0.050374,0.073986&ie=UTF8&z=14&lci=bike
Note: Google won’t let you actually map segments of trestle trail that are currently impassable.
The Providence Plan supposedly answered everyone’s horrified questions about how to get through downtown from Blackstone Bikeway to Parkade with some poorly placed incomprehensible signs.
While we applaud anything to get RI’s lard butt obese to self propel, there are 4,000 of usable roads, many of which are perfectly suitable for cycling, if you don’t mind bad pavement, illegal striping that excludes cyclists, and these new patches that Providence Water is putting while fixing lead pipes feeding neighborhoods. See latest Guide to Cycling in the Ocean State at…
http://www.dot.ri.gov/bikeri/index.asp
Hmm. Lead pipes? Explains a lot about residents who don’t turn these crooked administrations out on their ears.
My husband hit this "speed bump" last night and nearly crashed; I and two other regular users know about it and are well aware to slow down before hitting it. You cannot see it – the paint is faded. This is a dangerous situation.
The last time I complained about the NW Trail, it was because some motorist had crashed into a post at a crossing and left a huge shard sticking up. Could imagine some kid getting impaled. They fixed it eventually. You have to complain; the squeaky wheel gets oiled… sometimes.
Speaking of unnecessary speed bumps, made this W-E transit of North Providence (Centerdale to Marieville – which, inexplicably natives pron. Maryville – yesterday:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&am…
Was trying to avoid at all costs riding on despicable Mineral Spring Avenue, but it's a hilly, twisty route that I doubt cyclists and motorists alike would want to use as an alternative to North Providence's main street. Bicentennial Way has a half dozen bumps for no particular reason, although the Middle School has none ironically. Lydia Avenue, too. There's really no good option when riding from Johnston to Pawtucket unless you cross North Providence, which completely ignores needs of pedicyclists and wheelchair users.