Obsessing over a bridge

[nowster]

https://tylervigen.com/the-mystery-of-t ... eld-bridge

This pedestrian bridge crosses I-494 just west of the Minneapolis Airport. It connects Bloomington to Richfield. I drive under it often and I wondered: why is it there? It's not in an area that is particularly walkable, and it doesn't connect any establishments that obviously need to be connected. So why was it built?

The author then spends two months (and many footnotes) trying to answer that question.

[RichardA35]

An interesting read and an object lesson in community severance by the interstate and the reliance on motor transport for short journeys leading to its current lack of use.

[orudge]

Very interesting read indeed. I am also now reminded of an incident on my last trip to Minneapolis. One of our colleagues decided (as you do) to walk from the airport to our hotel, a distance of around 13 miles. I guess he wanted to stretch his legs after the flight from Australia. Of course, American airports are not generally designed with pedestrian access in mind, and he had to navigate a number of freeway-style roads to get onto the surface streets that would eventually lead him to the city centre. He got stopped by the cops maybe twice, who couldn't understand why somebody would want to walk along such roads (to be clear, none of them were actually roads that prohibited pedestrians, but they are not roads that you'd generally want to spend much time on if you're not in a motorised vehicle). Anyway, he did make it, 4 hours or so later. I think he took the train back though!

[Owain]

The author then spends two months (and many footnotes) trying to answer that question.

It's impressive! I hope they were duly awarded the appropriate qualification.

... I am also now reminded of an incident on my last trip to Minneapolis. One of our colleagues decided (as you do) to walk from the airport to our hotel, a distance of around 13 miles. I guess he wanted to stretch his legs after the flight from Australia. Of course, American airports are not generally designed with pedestrian access in mind, and he had to navigate a number of freeway-style roads to get onto the surface streets that would eventually lead him to the city centre. He got stopped by the cops maybe twice, who couldn't understand why somebody would want to walk along such roads (to be clear, none of them were actually roads that prohibited pedestrians, but they are not roads that you'd generally want to spend much time on if you're not in a motorised vehicle). Anyway, he did make it, 4 hours or so later. I think he took the train back though!

A friend of mine went with one of his colleagues to Indianapolis for a conference. They didn't try walking from the airport, nor along any interstates or anything where they shouldn't or couldn't have done.

All they did was walk the modest distance from their hotel to the conference venue. They noticed that nobody else was walking anywhere, and that all the people in cars kept staring at them like they were mad.

[Vierwielen]

The author then spends two months (and many footnotes) trying to answer that question.

It's impressive! I hope they were duly awarded the appropriate qualification.

... I am also now reminded of an incident on my last trip to Minneapolis. One of our colleagues decided (as you do) to walk from the airport to our hotel, a distance of around 13 miles. I guess he wanted to stretch his legs after the flight from Australia. Of course, American airports are not generally designed with pedestrian access in mind, and he had to navigate a number of freeway-style roads to get onto the surface streets that would eventually lead him to the city centre. He got stopped by the cops maybe twice, who couldn't understand why somebody would want to walk along such roads (to be clear, none of them were actually roads that prohibited pedestrians, but they are not roads that you'd generally want to spend much time on if you're not in a motorised vehicle). Anyway, he did make it, 4 hours or so later. I think he took the train back though!

A friend of mine went with one of his colleagues to Indianapolis for a conference. They didn't try walking from the airport, nor along any interstates or anything where they shouldn't or couldn't have done.

All they did was walk the modest distance from their hotel to the conference venue. They noticed that nobody else was walking anywhere, and that all the people in cars kept staring at them like they were mad.

Last year my daughter was in Johannesburg on business. She was advised to take a taxi to get from her hotel to a restaurant, even if it was around the corner.

[FleetlinePhil]

The author then spends two months (and many footnotes) trying to answer that question.

It's impressive! I hope they were duly awarded the appropriate qualification.

... I am also now reminded of an incident on my last trip to Minneapolis. One of our colleagues decided (as you do) to walk from the airport to our hotel, a distance of around 13 miles. I guess he wanted to stretch his legs after the flight from Australia. Of course, American airports are not generally designed with pedestrian access in mind, and he had to navigate a number of freeway-style roads to get onto the surface streets that would eventually lead him to the city centre. He got stopped by the cops maybe twice, who couldn't understand why somebody would want to walk along such roads (to be clear, none of them were actually roads that prohibited pedestrians, but they are not roads that you'd generally want to spend much time on if you're not in a motorised vehicle). Anyway, he did make it, 4 hours or so later. I think he took the train back though!

A friend of mine went with one of his colleagues to Indianapolis for a conference. They didn't try walking from the airport, nor along any interstates or anything where they shouldn't or couldn't have done.

All they did was walk the modest distance from their hotel to the conference venue. They noticed that nobody else was walking anywhere, and that all the people in cars kept staring at them like they were mad.

And yet my son and his family walk extensively (and very quickly!) in suburban Chicago. On our visits, at times my wife and I have taken to using the bus or El for a couple of stops rather than try and keep pace with them; admittedly they are more used to the 30+ degree heat than we are. In all honesty, I feel marginally safer there than I do at home.

[KeithW]

An interesting read and an object lesson in community severance by the interstate and the reliance on motor transport for short journeys leading to its current lack of use.

One aspect that did occur to me was the introduction of school buses and assigning students to schools outside their normal catchment area in the 1970's to reduce the issue of de facto segregation. In many US cities that resulted in kids being put in a bus to go miles when there was a school just across the road. The rising crime rate in that era would also be a factor I suspect.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/187 ... ince-1950/

[Ruperts Trooper]

An interesting read and an object lesson in community severance by the interstate and the reliance on motor transport for short journeys leading to its current lack of use.

One aspect that did occur to me was the introduction of school buses and assigning students to schools outside their normal catchment area in the 1970's to reduce the issue of de facto segregation. In many US cities that resulted in kids being put in a bus to go miles when there was a school just across the road. The rising crime rate in that era would also be a factor I suspect.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/187 ... ince-1950/

The UK has done the same thing under the mantra of "more choice" which causes significant congestion as parents drive their kids to a school across town rather than walk to the local school - many parents put the local school as first choice but don't get in there.

[orudge]

The UK has done the same thing under the mantra of "more choice" which causes significant congestion as parents drive their kids to a school across town rather than walk to the local school - many parents put the local school as first choice but don't get in there.

As usual, I expect this refers only to England (maybe Wales?) rather than the UK as a whole. Certainly in Scotland, the vast majority of children go to their local school. I think it is possible to place a request for a different school, but there generally needs to be a justifiable reason for it. But then, to be honest, the whole system in England with academies and free schools and suchlike seems totally alien (and unnecessary) to me!