Just did my commute ride in to work this AM and noticed new 10MPH stencils on the Kenilworth connector trail and the Cedar Lake Trail.

It leaves us transportational cyclists 3 choices
1) Break the speed limit all the time.
2) Shift our routes out to Cedar Lake Road or Hennepin Ave
3) Give it up and get back in the car.

All bad options. I also think it a big deterent to new commuters. Makes biking the commuter trails as slow and frustrating as sitting in traffic.

I've left a couple of messages this AM to see if I can learn more about the why's, the what for's, and the how do I make it go away's.

Scot

It sure sounds as if the bicycle freeway concept is dead! I don't use a speedometer, and I don't think I'll want to put one on under these circumstances

I would just ignore it.

+1...

I am doubting that they are going to have a cop radar checking anytime soon.

I worry about a commute time blitz. Half a dozen officers between 4-6 on a thursday handing out tickets like they are candy. Impounding bikes (and riders) who don't(can't) show ID.

I'm also concerned about the chilling effect it could have on new commuters. Obeying the 10 mph speed limit makes biking the trail as frustrating as sitting in traffic. So why change behavior.

Scot

My son just wrote me that he had seen a cop car out on the Greenway yesterday. He has also seen a radar unit by Lake Calhoun, clocking bike speeds.

I can understand Lake Calhoun because it is a place for little kids and other people just taking it easy. I can't imagine them doing this on Kennilworth.

WTF? 10 miles per hour? I might as well not ride if I have to go that slow.

Plus, around the lakes, you can at least take the parkway
rather than the path if you're going to ride faster.
I blame the froot booters!

Does anyone have any info from the city as to why they would be changing these trails? Are there new laws that were passed that apply to us?

I can't see this going down without a lot of protests from bikers, and I'd like to think that if it were put in front of any bike groups they would tell us what the city was planning before it went into effect...

Anyone have some black spraypaint and feel like doing some late night riding?

Here's what Lisa Goodman (council member whose ward includes the Kenilworth and the Cedar Lake Trail) said when I complained about this to her:

Quote:

From: Lisa.Goodman@ci.minneapolis.mn.us
Subject: RE: Feedback Form
Date: July 27, 2007 11:09:07 AM CDT
To: me

Mary,

Thanks for the e-mail. I'd suggest you contact your member of the city
council with these concerns. The Midtown Greenway is not even in my
ward and as for the 10 MPH rule, I assume the bike advisory committee
was consulted on this decision and I trust their opinion.

Lisa

and here's what I wrote back:

Lisa,

I can't believe this! Your ward (which is where I grew up, and where my parents still live -- and vote) is practically on top of the Greenway for the western third of the south border, and both the Cedar Trail and the Kenilworth are almost completely within your territory. There are tons of people riding on those trails, probably most of them your constituents. The people that I know on the bike advisory committee would have howled in protest about a 10 mph speed limit on the famous bicycle freeway. Which is what I am doing right now.

Mary

The Cedar Commuter Trail has always been 10mph!!! The painting on the trail is new, sure, but there used to be signs along the trail saying 10mph. Recently, though, only one 10mph sign has survived, as the others were removed (probably by trail users). I noticed the other day that the last 10mph sign was removed at the same time they painted the 10mph on the trail.

Yes, cops do hand out tickets. I passed a Park Police SUV on the Cedar Lake Trail that told me to slow down (I was doing a whopping 16mph at the time) and I know two people who have gotten tickets biking around Calhoun this year.

I don't mind the 10mph speed limit around the lakes (although 15mph like the rest of the country would be better), but if there is a speed limit imposed on the Greenway, that will be the end of me.

10mph on ANY commuter trail is ridiculous. 10mph around the lakes is a little slow, but I am starting to appreciate it more as I see more kids getting nearly killed by people biking around them in the 18-24mph range.

Irony: Minnesota, a state where speed demons kill drivers who venture into the left lane at less than 5 mph over the limit -- and the forums are full of sympathizers who can feel their pain and warn the slow-pokes to get back where they belong on the right --has bike freeways with a 10 mph speed limit!!!

How much is a ticket when you get busted?

Yet another reason you so rarely see me on a 'bike path'. Still haven't seen anything quite as silly as the 8mph limit on the St. Paul side of the river. Hell, I run faster than that. I don't suppose the squirrel cops are going to enforce the law against retractable dog leashes anytime soon.