[Greater-baltimore] FW: city holding "workshop" on building aroundabout at Key and Light Streets

Maurice Peret mauriceperet at gmail.com
Wed Oct 13 23:36:21 UTC 2010


Wow! What a fascinating discussion. I appreciate the diversity of
views on roundabouts and, for the record, have not taken a concerted
opinion of my own yet on this proposed one. What others have offered
by way of example is illustrative. The point being that roundabouts
tend to be as dissimilar as intersection configurations. There are
many different types, placed there for several varying reasons, and
with unique challenges and advantages specific to each one. I only
want to find out how this one is planned to be designed before forming
an opinion. The general area in which this roundabout is being
proposed is a heavily touristed one with lots of pedestrian traffic,
not every tourist rents a car. I learned my lesson in the aftermath
when the whole audible pedestrian signal debate came to a head with
basically a cacophony of APS were placed sporadically here and there
without any sort of standardization, to confuse the blind traveler
even more. If we're going to have to learn the signal system at the
same time we analyze the traffic patterns, well, you get the idea.

I agree wholeheartedly with Chris. Let's participate in the meeting on
Thursday as informed citizens bringing our own experiences as
pedestrians and motorists alike. They need to hear from all of us, not
as drones who all do and function the same way, but as members of the
community who will be impacted by and will have an impact upon the
changes being proposed. We should then come to the Greater Baltimore
Chapter meeting this Saturday, October 16, compare notes, then decide
whether or not and what sort of action from the organized blind might
be pursued.

Thanks everyone for your informed opinions. And thank you, President
Danielsen, for your leadership. I admire and respect all of them.

Yours,

Maurice


On 10/13/10, Aaron Allen <aaron.allen at comcast.net> wrote:
> As a blind person who has navigated round-abouts as a part of daily travel,
> I can say that the most dangerous aspect is unattentive drivers.
>
> Many drivers in the U.S ar not accustom to these traffic tools and thus do
> not have the proper skills to navigate them.
>
> Also, many lack the proper knowledge of driver etiquette.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: greater-baltimore-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:greater-baltimore-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Danielsen, Chris
> Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 5:05 PM
> To: NFB of Maryland Baltimore Chapter Discussion List
> Subject: Re: [Greater-baltimore] FW: city holding "workshop" on building
> aroundabout at Key and Light Streets
>
> Ed,
>
> I agree with you that the situation at the corner isn't currently
> pedestrian friendly, but that doesn't mean that a roundabout will
> necessarily make it better. I think we need to know more before we can
> say one way or the other. The city representative has specifically
> asserted that the roundabout will be safer for pedestrians, and I would
> like to know on what basis he is saying this, or whether it's just
> boilerplate he's throwing out there to promote the project. I also want
> more information, from Maurice but also from others, on how blind people
> actually deal with roundabouts. Maurice's opinion carries a great deal
> of weight with me, but so does Ellen's and so may the opinions of other
> blind people who have dealt with these things. This is a situation where
> we may need to balance our desire for high expectations for blind people
> with the actual experiences of blind travelers. I'd love to believe, and
> say, that this won't be a problem for our members, but I don't feel
> comfortable just doing that on philosophical grounds without also taking
> into consideration what our actual experiences are. Just based on what I
> know, I have trouble believing that roundabouts are preferable for blind
> pedestrians, even if we can in fact manage them. Should we accept a
> situation that will make our lives more difficult simply for
> philosophical consistency? Or am I dead wrong, and are these things
> really not a problem at all? I'm certainly open to being convinced.
> Ultimately, however, our sole guidance on whether to support, oppose, or
> remain neutral should be based solely on what we believe is best for
> blind pedestrians, not on any other consideration.
>
> Chris
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: greater-baltimore-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:greater-baltimore-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Morman, Ed
> Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 4:06 PM
> To: NFB of Maryland Baltimore Chapter Discussion List
> Subject: Re: [Greater-baltimore] FW: city holding "workshop" on building
> aroundabout at Key and Light Streets
>
> Hear, hear! Bravo, Maurice!
>
> As a sighted person who frequently walks to work at the national center,
> I can say that the existing situation at that corner is NOT pedestrian
> friendly.  And as a person who sometimes drives to work, I can add that
> neither is it a wonderful place to drive, especially going south and
> continuing on Light Street.  I suspect that opposition to the project by
> Federal Hill merchants has more to do with the disruptions during
> construction than to the final result.  Their opposition is
> understandable, but shouldn't determine what happens.
>
> There is another recent roundabout in the city, in the Harbor East
> neighborhood, and it seems to work well and to be visually attractive.
> Admittedly traffic is much lighter there and it was created as the
> neighborhood was being built, but it does serve as an good example.
>
> Cordially,
> Ed Morman
> Edward T. Morman, MSLS, PhD
> Director, Jacobus tenBroek Library
> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND JERNIGAN INSTITUTE
> 200 East Wells Street
>    at Jernigan Place
> Baltimore MD 21230
> 410.659.9314 x2225
> 410.685.2340 (fax)
>
>
> Text the word BLIND to 85944 to donate $10 to the NFB Imagination Fund
> via your phone bill.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: greater-baltimore-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:greater-baltimore-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Maurice Peret
> Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 3:15 PM
> To: NFB of Maryland Baltimore Chapter Discussion List
> Subject: Re: [Greater-baltimore] FW: city holding "workshop" on building
> a roundabout at Key and Light Streets
>
> Greetings Fellow Federationists & Friends,
>
> I am pleased at the invitation to attend an informative discussion
> about the proposed city roundabout. Professionally, I would only
> caution that we participate as informed citizens rather than
> immediately jumping to the murky conclusion that roundabouts are by
> definition unsafe or unnavigable by blind or other pedestrians. While
> I have my own personal curiosity about the efficiency of these
> architectural traffic designs, I have successfully learned to manage
> them and teach them to my students. That there need necessarily be a
> bridge or other pedestrian path constructed over or around this
> proposed design might be premature until the proposal has been fairly
> and thoroughly heard and understood. Other than the inevitable
> headaches associated with the traffic and pedestrian interruption
> caused by construction of the proposed roundabout, it may not
> necessarily prove impossible for us to deal with. I would first want
> to hear how the thing will be designed as being "pedestrian friendly"
> before forming my own opinion. We don't want to assume the posture of
> too many of our professional friends out there who jump to the knee
> jerk conclusion that a thing is impossible or unsafe for blind
> travelers without giving it a scout's try.
>
> Just food for thought,
>
> Maurice Peret, NOMCT
>
> On 10/13/10, Rovig, Lorraine <LRovig at nfb.org> wrote:
>> By the way, you can go to the 6 PM meeting even if you just show
> up--You
>> do not need to use the computer-invitation. The meeting is at Christ
>> Lutheran Church across Light Street from the Science Center, or enter
> at
>> 701 South Charles Street.
>>
>> PARKING
>> Parking is available for in an underground garage (enter on Lee
> Street)
>> and in the parking lot on Charles Street.  I do not know if parking in
>> the church garage or lot will be free; check signs.  Some parking is
>> available on Key Hwy and on Light Street.  Check the city signs but I
>> think street parking is free on Light and Key after 6 PM.
>>
>> Hope to see you there!
>>
>> Lorraine Rovig
>> Help?: Text the word BLIND to 85944 to donate $10 to the NFB
> Imagination
>> Fund via your phone bill.
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: greater-baltimore-bounces at nfbnet.org
>> [mailto:greater-baltimore-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Danielsen,
>> Chris
>> Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 10:55 AM
>> To: NFB of Maryland Baltimore Chapter Discussion List
>> Subject: [Greater-baltimore] {Disarmed} FW: city holding "workshop"
>> onbuilding a roundabout at Key and Light Streets
>>
>> Dear Fellow Federationists:
>>
>> Some of you may wish to attend this event. I plan to do so myself.
>>
>> Chris
>>
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
>>
>> From: Rovig, Lorraine
>> Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 10:32 AM
>> To: Cheadle, John; Danielsen, Chris; Hartle, Mary Jo; Amy Phelps;
> Booth,
>> Steve; Aloma Bouma; Hartle, Jesse; Kuhnke, Kristian; Pare, John
>> Subject: city holding "workshop" on building a roundabout at Key and
>> Light Streets
>>
>>
>>
>> Dear Pedestrians and Friends,
>>
>> I suggest you forward this to anyone you know who would be affected by
> a
>> roundabout established at the intersection of Key and Light Streets.
> The
>> workshop is Hosted by Mark R. Brown of Baltimore City to explain this
>> dumb idea, and "guests" include folks like Anna Epsilantis  who runs
> Big
>> Jim's Deli in Cross Street Market. She and other merchants are against
>> the plan because it is not pedestrian-friendly.  Me too, same reason,
>> and because they are not very driver-friendly either.  There is no
> idea
>> of a pedestrian bridge over the roundabout and I think in this economy
>> none would be built until after a few pedestrians are killed. She is
>> going to protest it along with other merchants.  (I ran into Anna
> while
>> having dinner last night and she informed me of this workshop which is
>> designed as a way to get the neighborhoods and the city to buy the
>> idea.)  Anyone can attend the workshop by marking the online
>> "invitation" linked to the announcement below.
>>
>>
>>
>> Lorraine Rovig
>>
>> Office: 410-659-9314, x2415
>>
>> Help?: Text the word BLIND to 85944 to donate $10 to the NFB
> Imagination
>> Fund via your phone bill.
>>
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
>>
>> From: annabigjims at aol.com [mailto:annabigjims at aol.com]
>> Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 10:08 AM
>> To: Rovig, Lorraine
>> Subject: Fwd: Sonny Morstein has invited you to Key and Light Street
>> Roundabout Workshop
>>
>>
>>
>> Good Morning
>>
>>
>>
>> This is the planned roundabout we spoke of.
>>
>>
>>
>> Anna
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Sonny Morstein <mail at mail.socializr.com>
>> To: annabigjims at aol.com
>> Sent: Wed, Oct 13, 2010 9:33 am
>> Subject: Sonny Morstein has invited you to Key and Light Street
>> Roundabout Workshop
>>
>> To ensure you receive invitations, add mail at mail.socializr.com to your
>> address book.
>>
>>  To view the images in this email, please click on Show or Display
>> Images.<http://static.socializr.com/images/logo_small.gif>
>>
>>
>>
>> Invite More People
>> <http://www.socializr.com/invite/260538188/1505721562>
>>
>> Sonny Morstein has invited you to:
>>
>> Key and Light Street Roundabout Workshop
>> <http://www.socializr.com/event/260538188/1505721562>
>>
>> Thursday, October 14, 2010, 6:00 PM
>>
>> Hosted by Mark R. Brown
>>
>> Christ Church
>>
>> 701 S. Charles street, Baltimore, MD
>>
>> I am inviting you to a special workshop to discuss the Key & Light
>> Street roundabout project. This is a Baltimore City Department of
>> Transportation effort that will make this important intersection safer
>> for pedestrians and vehicle traffic and create an attractive gateway
>> linking the Inner Harbor with South Baltimore.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> View Guest List and RSVP
>> <http://www.socializr.com/event/260538188/1505721562>
>>
>>  <http://www.socializr.com/event/260538188/1505721562>
>>
>> View Guest List and RSVP
>> <http://www.socializr.com/event/260538188/1505721562>
>>
>> Sent on behalf of Sonny Morstein <jmorstein at aol.com> at 10/13/10 6:33
> AM
>>
>>
>> Block emails from Sonny Morstein or Socializr
>>
> <http://www.socializr.com/block?recipientemail=3032920&blockemail=405972
>> 4&verifycode=140214&eventId=260538188&code=1505721562>
>>
>> (c)2009 Socializr, Inc. All Rights Reserved.   "Don't be boring."
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>>
>>  <http://www.socializr.com/invitation/260538188/3032920/socializr.gif>
>>
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>
> --
> Maurice Peret, NOMCT
> National Orientation & Mobility Certifier Trainer
> ****************************************
> CHANGING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE BLIND
> ****************************************
>
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-- 
Maurice Peret, NOMCT
National Orientation & Mobility Certifier Trainer
****************************************
CHANGING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE BLIND
****************************************




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