by: Diane Benjamin
In Normal there is a great sledding hill on Jersey Ave. I remember taking my kids there. Even with parking on both sides of the street, at was still hard to find a parking place at times. It’s a great hill that attracts a lot of kids and their parents.
Unless you are going to walk there this winter, you will probably need to find a new hill. Bikes have taken over Jersey Ave. I didn’t see any bikes yesterday, but Normal must think “If we build it they will come”. Here’s the new layout of the road:
Parking is only allowed on one side of the street now. How long before somebody parks, opens their door, and a biker smashes into it? It’s hard enough to see a motorcycle coming, bikers aren’t going to be any more visible. Normal management will probably re-train drivers. Large fines should do the trick. The two vehicle lanes haven’t been finished. The center line needs moved over.
If you want to sled with your kids this winter, you could try parking at Underwood Park. Of course that would mean crossing Jersey with your kids, sleds, etc. No problems there, I’m sure.
Evidently promoting family fun isn’t as important as promoting bikes. I wonder how many will be on the roads in the snow? Maybe Normal will launch a shuttle service this winter. Park in Uptown and get a free ride to the hill. Not sure where all the sleds etc will travel, but I’m sure a program can be established for them too.
Maybe the saying should be: “If we build it it’s going to destroy something else, but hey, that’s progress.”
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Just when you think you’ve seen it all with the utter mangling of Bryan Street, the Town of Vitesse (formerly Normal) tops that with the inane marking of what was a perfectly functional Jersey Avenue. Drivers and bikers interacted just fine before this. Where are the people living in the apartment buldings (with inadequate on-site parking) supposed to park their vehicles now? The side streets off Jersey will now be clogged with parked cars, creating more problems. Do the town officials even think of unintended consequences before they act?
Agenda 21, squelch it before it squelches you.
Disgruntled Dave
Read yesterday’s article on Aldermen arrogance. Pretty much explains it.
I kind-a saw 5, maybe 6 bicyclists in downtown abNormal the other night. No lights on them, riders wearing dark clothing, riders all over the street totally disobeying all traffic laws. Cops really need to start writing tickets for this lawless bunch.
I have a better idea! Get them on video and send it to me!
I’m not sure that providing parking for sledding is a better use than a bike lane. Also, you comment that parking at Underwood means having to cross Jersey which is unsafe — yet you say sledders parked on both sides of Jersey to the point that parking was hard to find — meaning somewhere about half of the sledders already cross Jersey with no ill effects,
Underwood park is farther – not that easy to do carrying sleds and dragging rug rats. How many bikes are out in the snow? Why do the lanes only go half way down Jersey?
We live directly across from the east end of the sled hill. All 11 neighbors and our family lost space on the street for our second car. It is extremely inconvenient to cross an additional lane of traffic now, especially when you have two young children in tow.
If anyone has noticed the parking signs as well, there are four different types that I counted from the corner of Virginia and linden and, from linden to towanda traveling east on Jersey. I was ticked because my Interpretation of the sign was incorrect. As a resident we should have the ability to park on on the street, but the town of normal has better thoughts. Why can’t the signs read no parking between something to the effect of 9am-4pm. That is a good compromise one would think. It is odd that the city of Bloomington side of Jersey adjusted the bike lane to accommodate parking, however the normal side of Jersey accommodate the bikes( thank you Mayor of normal, also the owner of Vitess bike shop). It is all purely political.