KELO-TV reports that Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation has what seems like a really good idea for Falls Park: a people overpass over Falls Park Drive!
“I would say the other big thing that’s going to be one of the bigger moves is a new land bridge across Falls Park Drive, so vehicles would actually pass underneath the walkway so people don’t have to try and cross into Falls Park on those busy Saturdays especially when the Farmers Market is in play,” Sioux Falls Park Director Don Kearney said earlier this month [Don Jorgensen, “Changes Coming to Falls Park,” KELO-TV, 2023.07.24].
There’s already an underpass that allows folks crossing from Falls Park to the Farmers Market to take the bike path along the west side of the river and avoid Falls Park Drive traffic, but I suppose that path might not be obvious to folks parking at the Horse Barn or the market, and it’s certainly not the most direct route between the park and the market. I always enjoy getting up over a street and have a view of the traffic and the world around the park. And it’s nice to keep strolling or rolling without worrying about Jason Ravnsborg on his phone mowing me down with his massive metal mortality machine.
However, pro-people-power Institute for Transportation and Development Policy says pedestrian overpasses only reinforce automotive hegemony:
One of the primary problems with pedestrian bridges is that they are not designed in a manner that prioritizes ease of crossing for people. Pedestrian bridges are, on average, much longer than at-grade crosswalks. Compared to an average street crossing of 11 meters, the typical pedestrian bridge spans 103 meters due to ramps or stairways needed to elevate bridges above street level. These bridges are typically built with steep stairs or steep sloped ramps which are particularly challenging for people with disabilities, children, the elderly, and anyone carrying goods. Forcing people to climb high stairs discourages passage and when these areas are poorly lit, as is often the case, women in particular feel even more unsafe and vulnerable. These structures, are designed in a manner that is inconvenient for pedestrians, dangling them above speeding cars, and reinforces a mentality that drivers can drive as quickly as they would like. Additionally, when traffic incidents involving pedestrian bridges occur near or beneath pedestrian bridges, the drivers are often absolved of responsibility as the bridges send the message that pedestrians shouldn’t be on the street, is reinforced.
Due to the hostile design of these bridges, pedestrians often forego using them and instead cross the roads underneath them. Pedestrians make decisions based on their environment: if their behavior is risky, it is often the result of inconvenient or inadequate infrastructure rather than poor decision-making. The added distance presented by pedestrian bridges not only creates a physical barrier for those unable to climb stairs or steep ramps, but it adds extra time and effort that pedestrians will try to avoid by simply crossing at-grade. For example, a study by ITDP India observed two locations in Pune and Erode and found that 85-95% of pedestrians continue to cross at-grade even when pedestrian bridges are available. Furthermore, by keeping people farther away from cars, those motorists are given permission to drive faster and more recklessly. High vehicle speeds can be fatal for pedestrians. Even a speed increase from 50 kph to 60 kph, decreases the pedestrian survival rate from 50% to 10%. Pedestrian bridges are not associated with increased safety for pedestrians. For instance, in Mexico City, the boroughs (delegaciones) with the most pedestrian bridges have the highest rates of traffic crashes involving pedestrians and hit-and-runs, 27% of which occur within 300 meters of a pedestrian bridge. In Nairobi, 43% of crashes involving a pedestrian happen within 500 meters of a pedestrian bridge. Statistically, pedestrian bridges are demonstrably not safe for pedestrians. Because the bridges give cars a sense of exclusive access to the road, drivers are less likely to be aware of, or look for pedestrians [ITDP, “Pedestrian Bridges Make Cities Less Walkable. Why Do Cities Keep Building Them?” Transport Matters, 2019.10.01].
The Safe Routes to School guide says well-designed pedestrian bridges and tunnels have their place in people-friendly infrastructure. Bridges and underpasses can reduce pedestrian accidents, but only if they are made easy to use. SRTS says bridges work best “where the topography allows for a structure without ramps”… which could be a problem across Falls Park Drive, as the terrain around the park–market crossing area is relatively flat. SRTS also says bridges and tunnels make the most sense as alternatives to crossing “freeways or major multi-lane, high-speed arterial streets.” With just two lanes and a 25-mile-per-hour speed limit, maybe Falls Park Drive could be made just as crossable with a controlled signal at the crosswalk with a lot less engineering.
t above quote is from an AI source trained by a negative minded owner. I trained The Assistant and continue to reinforce positivity and inclusivity of suggestions in my helper’s development.
If SF Parks wants to really help Sioux Falls, figure out a way to purchase the Minnehaha Country Club / Golf Course and turn it into a Central Park for Sioux Falls.
P. Aitch- I was thinking of your Assistant the whole time I read the above article and wondered why yours seemed so much better. I keep forgetting about its ability to learn. Like Ms. Faibanks, the term AI still means artificial insemination to me and makes me want to rinse off my arm real good from AI’ing too many heifers back in the day.
I associate pedestrian bridges with Wyoming train yards and it makes me queasy. Mr. H is spot on about women not feeling safe using ped xings. They’re rape traps… .
@All Mammal – The way I teach my assistant is by how I give it directions to complete the task I want. When the directions follow a pattern, The Assistant learns to lean to that way of completing the task. e.g (Assistant ~ In the style of Dr. Seuss explain this subject to an elementary mind like grudznichts.)
PS … The Americans for Disabilities Act requires pedestrian bridges to have elevators which are really “rape traps”.
Yes, nothing says “natural beauty” like laser shows, Xmas lites, bridges, scenic tower, restaurants, man made channels… Now, brings on the farmers market, beautiful luxo hi-rise condos, maybe a tram from downtown… I spent my youth swimming, fishing, climbing all over the falls… the NATURAL FALLS. I don’t even visit when I’m in town, any more.
Seems to be plenty of land around the Farmers Market location to expand parking on the north side of Falls Park Drive. Move the current east entrance further to the east and make it Enter Only and place an Exit Only (right turn only) on the west side of the complex. That would reduce the vehicle traffic for pedestrians crossing Falls Park Drive from the Horse Barn lot…just thinking.
BTW…Is there a Wednesday (or any other weekday) Farmers Market in this city?
Eve–regarding your interest in having the City acquire the Minnehaha Country Club for a public park like New York’s Central Park. Maybe the City could take it via eminent domain.
Loren and I mostly agree on this. They needed to clean up the area, but the stuff they added detracts from the natural beauty of The Falls.
The Falls we grew up with, though, was not natural either. I would have preferred a much different “re-development,” one which would have re-established some of the prairie elements, the cactus, and the big trees around a reconstructed Seney Island. Mostly what is needed is to correct the pollution problems. Yes, the fishing was something kids and old geezers did a lot. I haven’t been there forever.
Yes, Donald, I guess that climbing thru the old Queen Bee ruins might not be allowed today. :-)
Too bad that the Minnehaha Country Club and Western Ho Golf Courses are privately owned and the members are some of the richest in the City of Sioux Falls, and most of them are your BOND HOLDERS who fund many of your cities Capital Projects over the past 20 years. You really think we are going to take their land from them? At any time, they could come and recall all their BONDS…Besides, the Kiwanis Club owns a ton of property up there along the River…
It was Westward Ho
Not long ago, Zitterich
Are you still obtuse?
Seney Island was always privately owned, never belonged to the State, nor the City. The “person” who holds the Land Patent owns all rights to the land, and that was final. “WE” lost the natural beauty of the island in 1908 when they turned the channel into a land fill, filled it in, and built the Millpond Dam across the river. The Cascade Falls were blown to bits in 1908, and the Island was gone by 1920…Today, Lloyd Companies holds the “patent” rights to the island, and together with Sioux Steel, they have turned it into a Commercial Wonderland Theme Park.
Mr. Blundt has the right idea “eminent domain”. That worked when this land was taken from the Natives when the land was “privately owned”. So I would guess that it would work these days with paperwork instead of legal means rather than bullets of illegal means. Make that land a real steal just like it was all those years ago.
Exactly, Jerry. It’s always a bewilderment how South Dakota Republicans can be so ignorant of history.