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Missed Connections: The Worst Non-Links in Michiana
Posted by Adam Bee on April 18, 2009
A few days ago I wrote about Virginia’s law outlawing cul-de-sacs, and how they’re one of the biggest challenges to route planning in Michiana and especially Granger.
Here are my top five most infuriating non-links in Michiana:
1. Park to Catalpa: This is the worst in my book. Just a few more yards of pavement and Catalpa would connect all the way to Edison Lakes Pkway, Meijer, and Walmart. As it is, I take a short zag on Main to cut through the parking lot of a nice orthodontist.
2. Argyle at Erskine Village: Arrrgh! Some bozo thought it would be a good idea to put a fence here, cutting off the attractive Twyckenham/York route from south South Bend’s biggest shopping center. As it is, riders must either navigate the stairs behind Kroger on Alpine or attempt the tricky right-to-left from Brookton.
3. Sugar Maple to Portageway: Classic. This is a quintessential example, almost a platonic ideal of the non-link form. You can tell that it used to be connected, and Google Maps says it’s connected. But by satellite you can see that some jerk built a fence across the road, thereby dumping the whole Maple Lane Apartments complex to Bendix. Sad.
4. LaSalle Trail to Kenilworth: Nobody will build a crossing across Cleveland because they don’t want responsibility for anyone crossing the deadly Cleveland Rd. Instead everyone is forced to zig along Cleveland (illegally if from the north), which is even worse! It’s a classic example of CYA planning. Don’t forget that Cleveland itself is a result of the cul-de-sacs north of South Bend–to find another east-west route you have to go miles to the north or south, a fact with tragic consequences.
5. St Patrick’s County Park: It’s a nice enough park, but it blocks Laurel Rd from Adams Rd, frustrating a complete back-roads route from South Bend to Niles.
Honorable Mention: Anything crossing South Bend Ave east-west. Wouldn’t it be great if Howard or Campeau were actually through streets? Right now Corby’s your only option, through one of the nastiest intersections in the city.
This doesn’t even touch on Granger or the non-linking parking lots between Grape and Main in Mishiwaka. They’re too numerous to count, but collectively they form a real barrier to both motorized and non-motorized transit.
Can you add to the list of really frustrating non-links? What are some possible solutions to this problem? Do you have a catchier word for the phenomenon than “non-link”?
In a few days I’ll post my top five most satisfying links, where some saint went out of her way to create some truly sublime connections.
Bill Wasierski said
If you can tolerate a brief off road experience you can actually cut through St Pats. Go into the park and around the entrance shack. Almost immediately after entering take the service road towards the maintenence building. Just as you come to the fence head left around the fence to the parking lot of the building on the North side. On the east side of the lot there is a quick path around the gate and fence that puts you onto Adams and Stateline. I have not looked real close, but I believe there are some paths around the fences that may even allow after hours cut throughs.
I commute from the North side and one can only conclude that our leaders are clueless when it comes to planning. The only chance to connect the LaSalle trail is by bridging Cleveland, little chance. It is amazing to see that they are replacing the sidewalks on Michigan Ave to Angela.
I sent in commentary on the Riverside Trail, hoping to see the Tribune publish shortly. It only makes sense to complete a trail to Niles by following Laurel North from Darden and into St Pats. Maybe Berrien County can work on their end with the casino money they are making.
Adam Bee said
I’d heard about that workaround a couple times before but forgot about it. I was considering putting it on the Michiana Bike Map but eventually decided it’s the kind of thing you only want to tell people you’re sure won’t abuse the privilege.
I think you’re right on about the LaSalle Trail — it seems nobody ever thought about where it would go. How did the old railroad tracks cross Cleveland? If it could get up to Darden I think that’s a natural stopping point, but even now I think the more important connection is south through the campuses to the East Bank trail.