City Staff Seeking Variance to Paint Centerline on Wooddale Avenue
The Edina City Council directed staff to speak with MnDOT about the possibility of installing a centerline on the roadway, though that doesn't necessarily mean the city would install one.
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The Edina City Council moved this week to look into the possibility of installing a centerline on Wooddale Avenue, directing city staff to contact the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to seek a variance for between 50th Street and Valley View Drive.
Council member Ann Swenson suggested opening conversation with MnDOT about permission to install a yellow centerline, as she said she would like to "know if it's an option in our toolbox."
"My experience is that the behavior going south hasn't changed," Swenson said. "And that the majority of drivers that I follow … are not in the right place—they're in the center. It's still scary. I'd at least like to know if it's an option."
The City Council unanimously approved Swenson's suggestion, clarifying it was simply to see whether or not it would be possible to install the centerline and not necessarily agreeing to paint one on the roadway.
Council member Joni Bennett said she didn't want to suddenly paint a centerline on the roadway, as the previous decision to install advisory bike lanes on Wooddale was made "deliberately and carefully."
"I know that not all in the community share that view, but I know that we were listening to residents, that we were observing the conditions as they existed before any paint went down and what we chose at the time looked like the best solution," Bennett said. "Now to put down something when we don't know what the impact of that would be, I'm not sure that's going to help the confusion at all."
Swenson said she was not asking to paint anything on Wooddale, but rather wanted to look into the option of doing so.
"I want it as a choice," Swenson said. "I just need to know, is it going to be allowed or not under the current configuration. I'm not telling you that we have to do it once we have the option that we can do it, I just need to have it as a tool when we have that discussion."
Local residents have been fairly vocal in opposition to Wooddale Avenue's current design, which has only advisory bike lanes and no clear centerline.
In a recent letter to City Council members, Edina resident Jack Mertes said he has "never seek a bike rider on Wooddale the last 30 times I drove down [it]."
"I would think the LEAST the Council could do was to have included a YELLOW line down the middle," Mertes wrote. "Now when I drive down Wooddale at night I drive about 5 miles an hour when another car is approaching me while I try to figure out how much space I have."
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CLR
8:11 am on Friday, March 8, 2013
PLEASE do something about Wooddale Ave and the "advisory" bike lanes. Drivers that don't drive down Wooddale Ave regularly are unsure of how to handle these lanes and end up driving in the center of the road. I have almost been hit by south bound drivers multiple times because they are taking more of the road because of these lanes. What is it going to take to get these ridiculous lanes changed?! A center line would be a HUGE help.
mary kosters
8:35 am on Friday, March 8, 2013
It is going to have to take a major accident and law suit to get this changed. What a shame. I pray that you are not the victim.
Steve Melin
10:34 am on Friday, March 8, 2013
No variance needed. Remove the boneheaded bike lane markings and the problem is solved. The current configuration creates an unsafe roadway for motorists. A centerline would ensure that many drivers would drive on the bike lane. The bikers, feeling safe in their dedicated area, would then be placed in danger. Many people assume that if they stay in their lines, the roadway will be safe. No lines means common sense will prevail. Lines on a roadway that is not wide enough to support both activities, create an unsafe situation reagardless of how you paint it.
Mike B.
11:19 am on Friday, March 8, 2013
I have a brainstorm!!! Let's go back to where we were before this nonsensical scheme was launched! Taxpayer monies and time has been WASTED on this re-striping fiasco. Apparently, the City Council has way too much time on its hands and not enough to do.
If the City Council is so intent on further "work" on this, they should let the neighborhood kids use chalk to mark up the roadway. Then it could be changed every few days!
Mark Lokowich
1:22 pm on Friday, March 8, 2013
Look at all the time, aggravation and trouble, the "free money" has caused. I think the council needs a "Spending Diet and governance calming"
David F
9:52 pm on Saturday, March 9, 2013
I drive Wooddale every day and there are a lot of drivers confused by the various lane markings. Many people driving north drive use the parking lane to avoid south bound cars. The city needs to put center yellow lane markings down Wooddale.
Mike B.
10:47 pm on Saturday, March 9, 2013
I wish the City Council members were personally financially liable for this nonsense.
Let them pay for the re-re-re-re striping out of their own pockets. Maybe then we would see more responsible use of tax dollars.
Kim Melin
9:20 pm on Sunday, March 10, 2013
I feel badly for the aging community that is extrememly confused by the non sense.
Heather
10:06 pm on Sunday, March 10, 2013
Never ever see bikers on Wooddale and I live in the neighborhood. Terrible idea! People are all over and so confused. I avoid Wooddale now because of this. Remove the bike lanes. Too tight for two driving lanes. I'm not sure whose crazy idea this was, but we're amazed this happened!!!
Mike B.
9:57 pm on Monday, March 11, 2013
I am really not amazed this happened. This is the same Edina City Council which thinks the "Naming the Neighborhoods" is a pressing government function.
When the City Council throws around the word "community" and other touchy-feely words, you know they're up to no good.
Tim
9:02 am on Thursday, March 14, 2013
While I agree that the road, as striped, is confusing to cars and would agree that a center line stripe may help... too many seem to be voicing an "eliminate the bikes" attitude. As a cyclist it is painful to me to hear people (at least appear to) have the opinion that bikes belong on the sidewalks and trails... and not on the roads.
As a community we need to be conscious of each other and safely share our roadways between cyclists AND cars. Whether that means a center line or not, or removing "advisory" striping...
mary kosters
11:52 am on Thursday, March 14, 2013
With this attitude-cyclists need to paid for all this--we need to add a tax to all bikes--that are not doubt registered and licensed --correct??? Instead of the the cars paying for the roads let the bikes pay for their share---the administration and processing/maintaining of these lines and roads should be paid for by the bikes--
Tax and license bike!!
Marty Mathis
9:33 am on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Well said Tim. As a person who lives, bikes and drives on Wooddale I like the new bike lanes. I'm sure that it has irritated many motorist who now can't drive their normal 40+ mph on Wooddale. I actually had a driver give me a three second honk as I was biking in the bike lane a couple of days ago. He was actually heading in the other direction of me.
Mike B.
9:50 am on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Marty- I am a bicycle rider myself. But I, like most intelligent bike riders, know that roads are built for cars, and that cars have priority over bike riders on all streets.
It behooves bike riders to use less traveled streets, pathways,etc instead of causing havoc on the more-heavily traveled roads. Perhaps the "look" given to you was well-deserved, because of your "better than I" attitude.
Marty Mathis
10:00 am on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Why is there someone that always has to make personal and mean spirited comments?
Mike B.
12:50 pm on Thursday, March 14, 2013
I enjoying bicycling. But the costs are similar to an analogous situation years ago... the government UMPA- Urban Mass Transit Association, another failed federal agency, wanted to force cities to install handicap lifts on all city buses in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. But it was correctly pointed out that it would be much less expensive for the city to just offer free cab rides to disabled people instead of the massive amounts for the handicap bus lifts.
Mike B.
10:12 am on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Marty-
Then why do you say you enjoy the fact that you "irritated" another motorist, who evidently had the right of way?
Marty Mathis
10:27 am on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Mike,
That's not what I said. Please take a look at my post again if you get the chance.
Ryan Gauthier
3:04 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Here's an update on the Wooddale Avenue bike lanes, everyone: http://patch.com/A-2V4H. Thoughts?