Looking south over the north end of the CN, former SOO, yard from the Winneconne Ave. overpass at Neenah, WI, on 18 Apr. '20. Locomotives include EJE 703, IC 9601, IC 9568. I wish I could photograph this scene without the handrail in the foreground, but the morons who designed this overpass (with the tacit approval of the morons who pretend to be the local government) only incorporated a sidewalk on one side of the bridge, the north side. There is no provision for bicycles to safely cross the overpass, except to use the unusually narrow sidewalk. However, the sidewalk is too narrow for bicycles and pedestrians to safely pass each other. Sure, bicyclists are legally entitled to use the roadway, but you will risk your life if you are foolish enough to exercise that legal right. The majority of motorists drive like idiots on Winneconne Ave. (as well as just about every other freeway, interstate, highway, county road, country road, back road, gravel road, dirt road, access road, public street, private street, driveway, pioneer trail, parking lot, and all-too-often sidewalk, in the United States). The Main St. overpass was ill-designed in the same manner. This ineptly designed overpass was constructed ca. 1988, so we will probably have to wait 20 years, or more, for an overpass with sufficient sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides. |