Sorry - it's dark and I can't get a photo but in today's storm a very, very large branch (the size of a small tree) from my neighbor's yard fell and is blocking the alley behind my house. No traffic can move through the alley. There also seems to be a downed wire.
The detour for the B-Line Trail around Switchyard Park right now (10/22/2019) is a product of shortsighted planning, a lack of anticipation of user experiences, and just illogical. When coming from the north, the detour turns you to the west on a small gravel path and leads to a street - W. Hillside Drive. There are no signs after leaving the B-Line that indicate there is a planned detour route. My assumption is to go on the multi-use path on the west side of Rogers. Good luck getting over there in rush hour traffic on a bicycle. No one on Rogers stops for bicycle or pedestrian traffic trying to cross the street. Why would the detour not go on the multi-use path on the north side of Grimes to Rogers? A sidewalk is in place to get from the B-Line (just north of the bridge) to the Grimes path and then use the light to cross Grimes and Rogers to get on the Rogers path. That is what I will do from now on with my logical thinking that the City did not use in setting up the detour. Also, the accessibility issues with the detour as it is now seem questionable at best, and unsafe otherwise. After you cross Rogers and get on the multi-use path to head south, the journey is far from smooth sailing. That path is woefully maintained and clearly not prepared to be the detour of the B-Line Trail. The trail bed has gravel, sand, and glass on it, among other debris. Multiple points along the path have overgrown bushes and tree limbs that present a hazard. The City's detour signs should read: Good Luck to All Who Pass. Thanks for creating a fun adventure on the commute home today. Nothing like leaving the safety of the B-Line to enter a world of traffic, debris, and obstructions. Well thought out. But, what else do we expect in a city that notoriously fails at detours and construction projects? Not on time and clearly out of the way. I'll drive tomorrow for my own safety.
Missing street sign at Grimes & Palmer
Someone spray painted on the sidewalk at Grimes Lane and Park Avenue. The spray paint is on the north west side of the intersection, on the sidewalk.
Workers took away bus stop sign.
Scrap tire in the gutter along W. Cottage Grove - section between Monroe St. and Summit St.
Gourley Pike between Arlington and Monroe is in serious need of repair.
Weeds and grass has been allowed to become wildly overgrown along the drainage ditch at the bottom of the valley in Crestmont Park. There is no reason that should be happening. It's not to prevent erosion. Grass doesn't have to be 3 feet tall to prevent erosion. It just keeps it from drying out and causes it to attract mosquitoes among other things. In addition, invasive vines have climbed and wrapped around many of the trees and many of the trees are surrounded by overgrown areas containing invasive honeysuckle and others. Not acceptable in one of our City parks.
Topic: West 16th, Hancock Dr., and West 15th section through/beside Crestmont Park. This is a beautiful, and I believe under-appreciated stretch of street. Quiet, park setting with trees. However, there is one problem - the road is extremely narrow. Too narrow. If a car is coming one way and encounters a car coming the other way, one has to stop and pull half-way off the road for the other to get by. This is particularly problematic because the blacktop drops off several inches right at the edge and the soil at the edge is often washed out in certain areas. Another issue is that some drivers drive entirely too fast through here and then cut the corner at the bottom of the hill too tightly - this has practically run me off the road in the past. I don't wish to suggest that this section of street be widened. That would ruin its park-like atmosphere. What I would like to suggest is this: Starting at Lindbergh, W. 15th, Hancock, and W. 16th up to Monroe St be made one-way westbound. Then, the section of Lindbergh between W. 15th and W. 17th be switched to one-way northbound once 17th is reopened. I don't think that much traffic normally comes up Lindbergh where it would create that much more traffic on W.16th, etc. Perhaps put down counters to check, but it would cut out the traffic from one way and make the road more safe. Even if none of this is pursued, one thing that is definitely needed are "SLOW" signs and "PARK" signs. There may be a sign marking that there is a ninety-degree curve does in the bottom, but if not, there needs to be one of those too. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope you will give this some consideration - at least definitely the part about the signs.
Referencing case #170526...if Renwick gets their City trees trimmed, then we would like the same for our neighborhood. Please begin along Hancock Dr on the opposite side of the road from the park, continue up to Lindbergh and turn left. Continue down the right side. Turn left on W. 12th and then trim alongside the City alley between Oolitic and Lindbergh. As much of this overgrowth, particularly along Hancock, has obscured signs, it would be very helpful. Thank you.