Reroute

http://www.lafayettepeloton.blogspot.com/ from now on

Long week

It has been a long week. One of the weeks where you work really really hard but end up making backward progress. Tomorrow I'm going to the DMV to get a new drivers license since my original one fell out of my bag somewhere in West Lafayette. I think my bike blog is gone forever since blogger refuses to admit that it isn't spam. Also, we got "evicted" from our clinic research lab. The fact that we are moving is crappy but not the end of the world, I just wish they would give me some boxes and some help packing and moving all the stuff. I might just throw anything older than 5 years away. No one will miss it. I'm holding out for the zoo on Saturday to finish a high note.

Farmer Nate

If I didn't like school so much (yeah right) I'd move to Decatur and be a farmer. I had a good time this weekend helping Liz's grandparents out around the yard. I hope that they have a big crop of beans by Thanksgiving. I didn't like them (the beans not the grandparents) the first few times, but now they suit me fine. Grandpa Jim let me borrow a hat so that I would look more like a farmer. You'll have to see Liz's blog for all the pictures though.

We saw a bunch of dear when we were driving around at dusk on the 4th, so that was fun. There is a fancy electric fence at the garden to help remind the deer to stay out. They can roam about the rest of the country if they please, just not in the garden.

Animal Crackers

I've decided that Animal Crackers are possibly up to 50 percent tastier when eaten out of a cardboard box that looks like a circus wagon. They just lose something when dispensed in the ever so common plastic wrapping. I'm not even sure that they make the cardboard kind any more, but I'm not the hunt now.

Response from the city

I was going to scan the letter, but didn't have time so here is a typed version for your viewing pleasure. I'm happy that they got back to me although saying that it will be a priority in the years to come is a little bit like tell a person who wants a job that you would love to hire them if they are willing to wait 4 or 5 years. In the mean time just try not to starve to get hit by some whacko semi.

"Dear Mr. DeYoung:

Thank you for your recent email regarding pedestrian saftey and connectivity along the west side of Northwestern Avenue between Lindberg R.d. and Neil Armstrong Dr. As you may be awate, this street is also US231 which is under the jurisdiction of the Indiana Department of Transportaion (INDOT)

INDOT is currently planning to construct a new road corridor for US231 to the west of the City. Once this project is constructed, the City will be given control of Northwestern Avenenue. In preparation for this, we have identified the need for a trail connection along the west side of Northwestern Ave., between the existing trail at the NW corner of the Lindberg/Northwestern intersectoin and the Wal-Mart Superstore shopping center.

I realize construction of out trail connection may be several years away, and the need for the pedestrian and bicycle facilities exists today. We are working to prioritize funding for this project so that we may build it as soon as it is under our authority. We are also working closely with INDOT to improve pedestrian safety along this important corridor.

Thanks again for you inquiry, and please feel free to contact me if you hae any further questions or comments.

Sincerly,
David B.
City Engineer"

Letter to the Mayor of West Lafayette

This is the letter that I wrote to the Mayor of West Lafayette last week regarding the need for a sidewalk.


"Dear Mayor Dennis,

My name is Nathan Deyoung, and my wife and I are West Lafayette residents living at 2431 Neil Armstrong Dr. I am sure that you are a busy man, so I will be as brief as possible. There is a strong need to extend the sidewalk or cottonwood from the corner of Lindenberg rd. to the entrance of Neil Armstrong Dr. along route 231.

Currently, there are three separate apartment complexes (over 10 buildings), one condo association, and one residential neighbor hood that are in are area and would benefit from this path.

1) Many of the residents enjoy biking to school and around West Lafayette. Many families, including ours, only have one car per household so we rely heavily on walking and biking to get around town. Extending the path or sidewalk from Lindenberg would allow for walkers and bikers to have a direct and safe path to do so.

2) It would provide more direct route for people walking from central West Lafayette to get to Wal-Mart. It's not safe for people to have to carry all their groceries down the shoulder of the road when walking or biking home.

3) There is only a shoulder on one side of the road so people are forced to walk or ride their bikes on the wrong side of traffic at times. I'm sure you know the danger in this.

4) As gas prices continue to increase more residents living in the apartment complexes are looking for ways to save money and a safe and direct path would allow many to do so while still being safe.

5) The pedestrian traffic is already increasing along the side of the road and frankly it is an accident waiting to happen as cars and semi-trucks often drift into the shoulder. On more than on occasion, I have had to move off the shoulder to prevent being hit. Also, bikers and walkers when passing other pedestrians get closer to the road.

6) My wife and I, and other people, have tried to use the golf course, but we are often chased down by golf cart and asked not to use the paths.

If you came to look at the road you would see that there is plenty of room for a separated path or sidewalk, and it would only need to be two or so blocks long. Thank you for your time and consideration. If you need signatures, I would gladly secure as many as you would like.

Nathan DeYoung"

back from West Virginia

Liz and I made it back from West Virginia. I read a lot of the way and that was perfect for me. I think that reading so much in the car helped me be a little more productive today since I got it all out of my system.

Liz and went out for coffee at 8:00pm. We were having a good time and getting work done (a rarity in itself) but then the shop closed at 9:00pm. I don't blame them. I don't think they sold more than two cups of coffee after we got there. It's weird that in Holland JP's and Lemonjellos can be so busy all the time, but Cafe Royal has so little business during the summer that they save money by closing up shop so early. Clearly the residents of West Lafayette need to get with the program and support their local coffee shops.

I emailed the mayor toady asking for a sidewalk. I gave him eight reasons for why we need one. The most important was that it is dangerous not having one. I have serious doubts of him actually reading my email though. I plan on mailing a copy if I don't get a return email sometime this week.

and a picture of me doing research a long long time ago