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Bike in Duluth?

DULUTH CITY PLANNING COMMISSION BROWN BAG SESSION
Friday, September 12, 2008
Noon to 1:00 pm
Location: Conference Room 402
Fourth Floor Duluth City Hall

Creating a Bike-friendly Duluth: Sustainable transportation through bicycling
James Gittemeier, Planner with Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Interstate Council/ARDC
Mimi Stender of Fit City Duluth
Susan Koschak of Bike-Walk Duluth
Background/why bicycling
Bicycle Education overview - rules of the road
Sustainability
Health & Cost Perspective
Infrastructure Ideas for Duluth

For more information contact:218-730-5580

Comments

I saw something in Trondheim Norway that would be perfect to further bicycle usage in Duluth. The device was a bicycle 'lift' that would transport bike and rider up steep hills. There is a pully and cable device embedded into the road, slightly below grade next to the curb. At the bottom of the hill is a toll machine. You pay your toll and the cable begins moving under the grade of the street. On the cable there are foot rests that pop up above grade. You remain seated on your bike and put your foot on the foot rest. You are then propelled up the hill via the power of the pulley and the cable. It is like a T-bar lift for bicyclists.

The hills I saw it on were just as steep as Lake Avenue or 1st Avenue East and it did not impede traffic as the lift was next to the curb. Imagine one of those on Lake Avenue where you could get a 'lift' from Superior to 1st Street 1st Street to 2nd Street, 2nd to 3rd......etc....


cool! thanks ruthie- i'll pass the info along


Oh man! That is exactly what we need! I kept thinking about how nice it would be to have something like ski hill tow lines to get up the hills. It would be an enormous step to make biking more prevalent in this town. Just don't tie any improvements to coincide with road repair or it will never get done.


That is an *amazing* idea. I was just biking around my neighborhood yesterday afternoon and was thinking it'd be fun to bike downtown to the Mayor's Reception, but how would I get home afterwards? Well, it rained, it was a moot point, I drove. But still, I would ride my bike a lot more if I didn't have to worry about walking it back up the hill to my house.


I suspect that bike tows are not in the cards in the near future, given the city's current circumstances. The Lakewalk extension does make it a lot easier to get from Lakeside to downtown by bike though [I used to commute by bike every day, but I've never been real enthusiastic about the experience of doing so in Duluth]. If/when they get the 40th extension done, it will be even better.


A secure place to store your bike during the day downtown. http://www.bikestation.org/


Saw these as well. You are right they would be a great idea as well.


Damn, too bad I'll be at work, otherwise I'd go. I'm glad some ideas are being generated. Personally, I'd like to see the section of West Superior Street from Carlton St. to 40th Ave. W repaved. This is the main bike route between Superior and downtown Duluth, which I ride almost every day. There are so many potholes you have to play dodgems to keep from getting thrown, nevermind the wear and tear on my wheels. Worst pavement in the city.


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