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Below is an e-mail thread from the past week between me and TXDOT (Texas Department of Transportation), regarding their practice of obstructing sidewalks.
Subject lines:
I-35 frontage road maintenance -- pedestrian/bicycle issues
IH 35 e-mail
>>> From: Tom Wald <tomwald@XXXXX> 6/2/2008 1:00 AM >>>
>>> To: Darcie Schipull <dschipul@[TXDOT] >>>
For the past few weeks I have seen TXDOT crews resurfacing the southbound I-35 frontage road between Airport Blvd. and MLK, Jr. Blvd. In this time, I have noticed a few issues arise affecting pedestrians and bicyclists using the sidewalk.
* Rocky debris has spilled over from the road onto the adjacent sidewalk. The debris has not usually been swept up after the evening of work, but has been left on the sidewalk for over a week at a time. I called 311 to have debris swept up from the sidewalk between 41st St. and the railroad tracks (to the north) -- there was no indication that the sidewalk would be been cleaned had I not called.
* Vehicles have been parked on the sidewalks, sometimes completely obstructing passage. For this construction, there has always been available space to park vehicles within a few hundred feet that would not obstruct a sidewalk.
* In the middle of the resurfacing process, some sections of the street are impassible for a few moments, and that is understandable. What I do ask though, is that when a pedestrian approaches the construction area that there either be signs or construction personnel present to direct pedestrians when and where not to walk and to indicate a clear passage. During some stages of the resurfacing process, it would not be safe for a pedestrian to cross the street, yet no warning is present.
I'd like to see the above issues addressed and for these issues to no longer occur on TXDOT projects in urban Austin.
My hope is that by habit and/or training that the above issues are no longer existent. To people who recognize the need for safe, clean, and clear passage for pedestrians and bicyclists, preventing the above issues from arising would be second nature.
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If you do not address maintenance issues, please forward my e-mail onto an appropriate TXDOT employee.
Thank you,
Tom Wald
tomwald@XXXXX
512-XXX-XXXX (mobile)
>>> From: Terry McCoy <TMCCOY@[TXDOT]> 6/3/2008 8:28 PM >>>
>>> To: Tom Wald <tomwald@XXXXX> >>>
Good Evening Mr. Wald:
I am Terry McCoy, PE, Area Engineer for TxDOT with management responsibilities for the project for which you have expressed concerns. Your e-mail has been forwarded to me for review and response.
Regarding the debris remaining on the sidewalk, I will take steps to ensure that sidewalks are cleaned at the end of each work period. I apologize for that inconvenience. Please notify me at this e-mail address anytime there is clean-up work that remains.
Regarding vehicles being parked on and obscuring sidewalks;
During our standard work period for this project (8 pm to 6 am), the volume of pedestrians and bicyclists that we encounter is generally limited. Further, the work space is highly constrained. However, I will instruct our inspectors to strive in earnest to avoid blocking safe passage with any vehicle, and discuss and monitor these concerns with Contractor personnel as well.
Regarding the closure of intersections and direction of foot traffic, I will ask that all project personnel exercise a heightened sense of awareness in recognizing and directing pedestrians through the work area.
Thank you for bringing these issues to my attention. Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns.
>>> From: Tom Wald <tomwald@XXXXX> 6/4/2008 2:48 PM >>>
>>> To: Terry McCoy <TMCCOY@[TXDOT]> >>>
Thank you for your attention on this. The solutions you have described sound satisfactory.
If there are any issues that you would like to bring to the attention of the Bicycle Advisory Council of Austin, please let me know or contact the current BAC chair via http://austinbac.ning.com/
Tom Wald
Bicycle Advisory Council of Austin, councilmember
tomwald@XXXXX
512-XXX-XXXX (mobile)
>>> From: Tom Wald <tomwald@XXXXX> 6/5/2008 12:32 AM >>>
>>> To: Terry McCoy <TMCCOY@[TXDOT]> >>>
About twenty minutes ago, I picked up two lane closure signs that were blocking the sidewalk in about the same place as the errant trucks were a few nights ago. Each of the signs had apparently blown over from the wind. Each sign had been weighted down with a single sand bag.
I took a closer look at one of the signs and it appeared that the sign had been installed improperly. One side of the pole read, "SIGN SIDE", yet the flexible diamond warning sign had been installed on the other side of the pole. I'm not an expert on these signs, so I'm only giving this as a possible reason for why the sign blew over.
I lifted the signs off of the right-of-way, both the motor right-of-way and the sidewalk right-of-way, over the crash barricade, and onto the adjacent lawn.
I then called 311. Since I stated that the signs had been in the right-of-way and were construction warning signs -- one read, "LEFT LANE CLOSED AHEAD" -- the 311 operator transferred me to an emergency dispatcher. I confirmed with the emergency dispatcher that I moved the signs off of the right-of-way.
In the off-chance that you need to follow up with the Austin Police Department on this, the case number the incident report is 08-1570013.
Apparently one sand bag is not enough when placing road warning signs.
-Tom
>>> From: Terry McCoy <TMCCOY@[TXDOT]> wrote on 6/5/08 9:37 AM >>>
>>> To: Tom Wald <tomwald@XXXXX> >>>
Thank you; we are reminding all of our Contractors regarding the need for a sufficient number of sand bags to anchor the signs.
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