all 84 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] 72 points 9 months ago (37 children)

The REASON it's illegal and dangerous to walk from these hotels is there's a damn whole canal between here and the stadium and the bridge is a limited-access highway. https://maps.app.goo.gl/5nK4bkNg9fHkWunn7

There isn't a pedestrian bridge over the canal, that's why you gotta get a ride.

  • source
  • hideshow 37 child comments
  • [–] 38 points 9 months ago (20 children)

    So, why is there no pedestrian bridge?

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 20 child comments
  • [–] 51 points 9 months ago (15 children)

    Holy Shit, making it from the nearest hotel across the canal turns a 1-mile walk into a 6-mile hike =U

    That has to be deliberate, there's no other excuse for it.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 15 child comments
  • [–] 5 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (13 children)

    Deliberate in the sense that someone built a hotel on land that was cheap for reason?

    Do you think that the city should engage a billion dollar civil engineering project to build a pedestrian bridge over a navigable canal so that it can serve whoever was dumb enough to build a hotel here?

    To be clear, there are like a hundred hotels that you CAN walk to this stadium from, just not this one.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 13 child comments
  • [–] 11 points 9 months ago

    How much extra do you think it would have cost to add an 6' walkway to the bridge when it was built, merely as a future-proofing mechanism? When your first thought is, "No one would ever want to walk from one side to the other instead of using some kind of transportation," these are the kind of results you get.

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 10 points 9 months ago (2 children)

    A billion dollars for a pedestrian bridge? That thing had better be made of gold, then.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 5 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    found some figures about cost of bridge building and apparently if one were to construct a completely new pedestrian overpass/bridge over that canal would be on the ballpark of about 2-10 million dollars

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 2 points 9 months ago

    That sounds a lot more reasonable. And that's a standalone bridge. If you want to be stingy, you could also just have a walkway on the side of the highway bridge. Make sure you've got a solid wall between the cars ajd pedestrians, of course.

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 1 point 8 months ago (8 children)

    Do you think that the city should engage a -- civil engineering project to build a pedestrian bridge over a navigable canal?

    Uhmm? Yes? Have you somehow missed that there's a stadium on the other side of the canal? There are a lot of things in the southwest corner of the map, not just one hotel. I do not believe there's any other country on this planet where this is even a question. That bridge would absolutely get built. Building the stadium cost a big sum of money. A simple pedestrian bridge costs something like 50 000 $, maybe 200 000 $ if you want a fancy one. How would it not be possible for the stadium to pay that? It's an increase of about one percent to the project's expenses.

    And if they somehow forgot to include the necessary traffic connections in requirements for giving the permission to build the stadium, then I can assure you that the state is able to pay for a hundred grand for simple infrastructure.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 8 child comments
  • [–] 1 point 8 months ago (3 children)

    Yes, there are plenty of countries on earth that don't pave over their rivers so that you can build a business wherever you want without obstruction. What a stupid fucking notion.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] 1 point 8 months ago (2 children)

    Sorry, I understand each word you wrote, but not really their meaning. Would you be able to paraphrase, please?

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 1 point 8 months ago (1 child)

    Geographic obstacles exist in other countries too. No country on earth removes every geographic obstacle to create a shortest possible-straight line walking path between every structure that exists. The idea that literally anyone would do this is absurd.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 1 point 8 months ago (3 children)

    Here's the thing, that bridge would only serve tourists customers of the hotel, not the tax payers of NJ who would be paying for it. So it's on the hotel here to advocate for their customers and either work with NJDOT for the bridge or run a shuttle. But they put up the sign instead because their only care about their bare minimum liability, not making things safe or convenient.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] 1 point 8 months ago* (2 children)

    Please take a look at the map. There are plenty of things there, other than just one hotel. There's the whole town of Lyndhurst there, and the southern parts of Rutherford, just some 5 km away from the stadium. Or, if we take 5 miles, that would mean about 8 km. 8 km is about the limit until what distance can be covered by bicycle without an effort.

    A society exists for maintaining infrastructure. It's a basic function and it's unforgivable for a city to fail on that!

    EDIT: And because it's really useful to look at the map, here's a direct link to show the distances: https://www.openstreetmap.org/directions?engine=fossgis_osrm_car&route=40.81219%2C-74.07257%3B40.7875%2C-74.13428#map=14/40.80825/-74.09755

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 28 points 9 months ago* (8 children)

    That's the reason I can't simply walk to the nearby Denny's if I wanted to even tho it's like 3 blocks away; it's on the otherside of highway 99 and there are no pedestrian crossings for MILES over it.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 8 child comments
  • [–] 9 points 9 months ago (7 children)

    My FIL randomly got me an e-bike that I can't use for that exact reason. There's no way for me to get anywhere from my house without having to cross an extremely busy highway. I could drive the bike to places, but that defeats the purpose.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 7 child comments
  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago (2 children)

    Wait... What? Riding the bike defeats the purpose of having the bike? I'm confused.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago (1 child)

    How fast would the bike have to go to ride on highways? You're not going to safely go 60, but 40 might be obtainable if you can buy another battery of the same type, wire it in series, and don't give it too much current.

    You're definitely shortening the life of everything, but it's better than no use at all.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [+] 1 point 9 months ago (2 children)
  • [–] 2 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    In my state bicycles have to ride in the street, and are held to the same rules as motor vehicles.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [+] 1 point 9 months ago (1 child)
  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago

    Ah, mine does allow e bikes on both roads and bike lanes, although there are restrictions based on the top speed and how that speed is generated (pedal assist vs throttle assist).

    But the restriction is basically just when you need a license, registration, and insurance to operate. Basically anything that's under 20mph is a bicycle.

  • source
  • parent
  • load more comments (-1 replies)
  • load more comments (-1 replies)
  • load more comments (1 reply)
    [–] 32 points 9 months ago (8 children)

    I wish their was more infrastructure designed around walking, it makes me sad to see places that are so car oriented, it makes them ugly and unpleasant compared to city’s and country’s that prioritize walking and promotes a health lifestyle instead of driving and sitting in a car all day

  • source
  • hideshow 8 child comments
  • [–] 0 points 9 months ago* (6 children)

    I like walking when I'm not in a hurry and the weather is nice, but the weather usually isn't nice in most parts of the country (the US West Coast is an exception to that). I'm looking at moving to a southern state now and the only reason I'm even considering it is that I would be living in a car-centered area where I wouldn't have to spend more than a couple of minutes a day outdoors during the summer. Compare that to NYC where I used to live: milder summers, but still hot, and I had no choice but to endure them (and winters, and rainy days) because I couldn't drive to most places I went to. The unpleasantness of that far outweighs all the advantages of walkable neighborhoods for me.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 6 child comments
  • [–] 11 points 9 months ago (2 children)

    This comment is truly mindblowing to me!

    I do welcome you sharing your perspective, but I also feel like we must be of different species, because I so profoundly cannot relate at all. Fascinating!

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 3 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    I want to clarify that I like spending time outside - while in California I spend at least an hour outdoors on most days. Having to be indoors all summer would be a real sacrifice.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 5 points 9 months ago

    Yea I can understand having a pretty set comfort range, climatewise. If that were my situation, I would be dead set on living in a walkable place in California. I walk and bike from -25 C to 35 C (~0–90 F) and will just put on raingear if needed, that's freedom for me.

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 27 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    I'm glad my cities stadium is built on top of a train station. And that they close lanes of the surrounding roads for pedestrians to walk on when there's a big match

  • source
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 23 points 9 months ago

    Those who make peaceful walking impossible make violent jaywalking enevitable

  • source
  • [–] 22 points 9 months ago

    Seems like they should have a shuttle service

  • source
  • [–] 91 points 9 months ago (14 children)

    To be fair, the road design is literal highways all the way around it making it impossible to safely walk. It’s terrible design and super hazardous to pedestrians but there is a safety reason behind the rule.

  • source
  • hideshow 14 child comments
  • [–] 10 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    They should have been required to build pedestrian bridges and paths. If we didn’t line in a shithole capitalist hellhole.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 0 points 9 months ago

    I mean, there's a bridge right there. Hang a pedestrian walkway underneath. Plenty of bridges like that where it's been added after the fact.

    But we know, it'll see roughly 12 people a year actually use it because they're Americans.

  • source
  • parent
  • [+] -7 points 9 months ago (6 children)

    OP got the picture from either hexbear or X...

    It was obviously going to miss the point.

    It's not a law that you can't walk from a hotel to a stadium, it's a law that you can't jaywalk...

    https://www.legalfix.com/statutes/state-codes/new-jersey/title-39/section-39-4-34

    Likely across a highway/interstate that drink people keep thinking they can cross.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 6 child comments
  • [–] 25 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    The decision to build a stadium that is completely inaccessible without a vehicle, even if you are staying at a hotel next door, is the point.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 12 points 9 months ago

    For at least a few decades, I’ve been hearing complaints about American city planning intentionally excluding people who choose to, or can do nothing but, walk. Making it mandatory to arrive via automobile, that’s what they’re complaining about.

    The first I’d heard of this was a rich area in socal being completely inaccessible to the homeless because it was rimmed entirely by freeways. No way to leave or enter safely without a car and few groceries just outside. A local food desert. Or a food fort

    With that said, half of MetLife’s exterior is walkable, according to some maps. A long walk around a freeway is part of it. I’m not a fan of an extra 10 minutes of walking with industrial scenery but it seems fine enough

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 7 points 9 months ago (2 children)

    If there's a clear need to cross, they should provide a way to cross. That's how you prevent people improvising their own way.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] -5 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    That’s how you prevent people improvising their own way.

    No, that's how you completely destroy anyone's ability to get anywhere...

    Because no one would ever want to wait, so they'd constantly be widening every path.

    Like, how often do you think an NFL game is even played at this one location?

    And who's paying for it?

    Does the hotel have to pay for it? The stadium because that's where people go?

    The entire community they taxes even though they'd be the last ones to utilize a bridge that goes from a hotel to a stadium? They'll already have to deal with the major road closure to build the sky bridge no local will ever use

    Like, I understand the spirit of your point and that's it's coming from a good place, but you don't understand any of what goes into just this one narrow aspect that slightly inconviences maybe a couple thousand out of town era 8 days out of the year.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [+] -3 points 9 months ago* (4 children)
  • [–] 26 points 9 months ago (2 children)

    That's not necessarily a lie, it's illegal to walk on highways almost everywhere.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [+] -4 points 9 months ago (2 children)
  • load more comments (-1 replies)
  • [–] 19 points 9 months ago

    North Jersey is a wild sprawl of highways. It’s a shame it’s not more pedestrian friendly.

  • source
  • [–] 17 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    Lol, US things 🤷

    (Don't hate! It really is a deeply US thing. We're a very car Country as Germany but a thing like that would be totally alien to us.)

  • source
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 8 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    I came down with the flu and 102° fever while on a work trip this week. I ubered to an urgent care and the pharmacy was just across the street, but the street being a typical 5-lane American road with no sidewalk on either side, and no pedestrian crossing in sight in either direction.

    I had to play frogger in the traffic standing in an empty lane until the next one cleared to get across.

    Just truly mind-blowing bad design

  • source
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 8 points 9 months ago

    The freedom of cars.

  • source
  • [–] 8 points 9 months ago

    yea it’s like three highways over there - you’d think they’d build a bridge

  • source
  • [–] 14 points 9 months ago (3 children)

    fuck that

    Why would anyone want to go somewhere where its illegal to walk outside?

    No, its not illegal to walk outside. You're allowed to walk through public spaces.

  • source
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] 7 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    Now I don't know that stadium but based on the sign and the fact that this is the US I'm gonna assume that the only roads that go to the stadium are 4 or 6 lane highways and it's outright dangerous to walk there

    It's a joy

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • load more comments (-1 replies)
    [–] 3 points 9 months ago

    Standard American cities, aaahhh the beauty

  • source
  • [–] 1 point 8 months ago

    Good to notice that they do have a train station right in front of the stadium. It's a 2-minute walk. And if you're able to afford visiting the stadium, you are definitely able to afford the local train ticket there as well!

    It seems quite sure that "proper transportation arrangements" can mean taking the local train just fine.

  • source
  • [–] 2 points 9 months ago*

    I don't see this cross-posted to it, so obligatory /c/fuckcars

  • source
  • [–] 2 points 9 months ago

    You can try walking through the swampland or over the hills of buried garbage with grass planted on top.

  • source