Driving in Grand Forks

[JohnboyND7]

My experience is tesla owners are one of two things: 1) reasonably wealthy people who can afford them. 2) young airmen who absolutely cannot afford them.

 

Grand Forks has a tangible number of the latter.

[Cratter]

1 hour ago, JohnboyND7 said:

My experience is tesla owners are one of two things: 1) reasonably wealthy people who can afford them. 2) young airmen who absolutely cannot afford them.

Grand Forks has a tangible number of the latter.

I dont think Teslas are all that expensive relative to other new vehicles.

Especially the model 3. Around the same cost as most moms medium sized SUV/Crossover.

Now it you see that airmen in the new Roadster it's a different story. Lol

Tesla will eventually come out with an ever cheaper car.

The Tesla pickup truck is pretty much the same cost as all other crew cabs.

Add in fuel savings (and maintenance) and Tesla's are likely cheaper.

Never could understand how so many people can afford $45,000 pickup trucks.

....7 year loans is the likely amswer.

[Frozen4sioux]

On 8/5/2021 at 11:46 AM, Cratter said:

Never could understand how so many people can afford $45,000 pickup trucks.

 

$45k ?

Hahahahahahahahahhhahahah......... thats what 3 years old and 60k miles now.

[JohnboyND7]

56 minutes ago, Frozen4sioux said:

$45k ?

Hahahahahahahahahhhahahah......... thats what 3 years old and 60k miles now.

I'm not a pickup guy, but these new ones got so many bells and whistles its easy to see why they are so expensive lol.

My dad's truck feels like a space shuttle to me. I remember hating pickups as a kid because the back was so tight...now its like sitting in business class on a plane. 

[Frozen4sioux]

21 hours ago, JohnboyND7 said:

I'm not a pickup guy, but these new ones got so many bells and whistles its easy to see why they are so expensive lol.

My dad's truck feels like a space shuttle to me. I remember hating pickups as a kid because the back was so tight...now its like sitting in business class on a plane. 

the inflation costs of new vehicles is insane right now.

$70-80k for a truck... Wtf?

The money and hassle of running kids around town in the Silverado, im really needing to sit down and do a deep cost comparison for tesla... or other alternatives.

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

How's that town-and-gown relationship working out for you?

This is an abysmal planning failure, and a total embarrassment for all concerned.

Historic drought, so they sure can't blame the weather.

Huge black eye for the City.

[fightingsioux4life]

14 minutes ago, NoiseInsideMyHead said:

How's that town-and-gown relationship working out for you?

This is an abysmal planning failure, and a total embarrassment for all concerned.

Historic drought, so they sure can't blame the weather.

Huge black eye for the City.

They'll come up with some sorry-arse excuse for it.

[Frozen4sioux]

6 hours ago, fightingsioux4life said:

They'll come up with some sorry-arse excuse for it.

Well.... rona Delta obviously....

[TheFlop]

On 8/13/2021 at 6:34 PM, NoiseInsideMyHead said:

How's that town-and-gown relationship working out for you?

 

Road construction needs to have more timeliness incentives/disincentives built into the contracts.  If you aren't a big enough/competent enough company to tackle a project like that and have it done in a couple months then don't bid on it or else you can expect to take a hit in the pocketbook. 

[Hawkster]

I guess someone had a bad day.   Maybe more than one person.

 

[SIOUXFAN97]

sounds like neil is about a dozen heaters short of having a good day

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

One lane is open on each of the northbound and southbound sides of Columbia, and cross-traffic has finally resumed on University.  Still some paving to be done on the center of the north approach to the overpass, along with stoplight installation.

Semester began 3 weeks ago.

There just seems to be a total lack of urgency.

On the positive side, all orange barrels seem to have been removed along 32nd Avenue.  Enjoy your reconfigured turn lanes!

[Frozen4sioux]

16 hours ago, NoiseInsideMyHead said:

One lane is open on each of the northbound and southbound sides of Columbia, and cross-traffic has finally resumed on University.  Still some paving to be done on the center of the north approach to the overpass, along with stoplight installation.

Semester began 3 weeks ago.

There just seems to be a total lack of urgency.

On the positive side, all orange barrels seem to have been removed along 32nd Avenue.  Enjoy your reconfigured turn lanes!

Reconfigured as in how?

Out in Bismarck this year a big intersection was a damned mess all year and in the end.... the median was narrowed by a few feet and the turning lane was needlessly shifted.

Completly fail to see some of the rationalization for these projects other than to use Fed funding or lose it.

[UNDBIZ]

13 minutes ago, Frozen4sioux said:

Reconfigured as in how?

Out in Bismarck this year a big intersection was a damned mess all year and in the end.... the median was narrowed by a few feet and the turning lane was needlessly shifted.

Completly fail to see some of the rationalization for these projects other than to use Fed funding or lose it.

Although Bismarck's Washington/Century intersection didn't really need the turn lanes shifted IMO (it was easy to see oncoming traffic there), the GF 32nd Ave intersections near Target are tough to see for the left turn yield on green.  On 32nd, the vehicle in the opposite left turn lane blocks the view of oncoming traffic.

[Frozen4sioux]

43 minutes ago, UNDBIZ said:

Although Bismarck's Washington/Century intersection didn't really need the turn lanes shifted IMO (it was easy to see oncoming traffic there), the GF 32nd Ave intersections near Target are tough to see for the left turn yield on green.  On 32nd, the vehicle in the opposite left turn lane blocks the view of oncoming traffic.

Interesting. 

At least Bismarck didnt try to slam another bike lane into and crossing turn lane traffic there.

Never know where they are going to throw one of those into the mix.

[UNDBIZ]

Just now, Frozen4sioux said:

Interesting. 

At least Bismarck didnt try to slam another bike lane into and crossing turn lane traffic there.

Never know where they are going to throw one of those into the mix.

Haha yeah.  The one on Divide seems like it'd be pretty dangerous around 19th.

[jdub27]

18 hours ago, UNDBIZ said:

Although Bismarck's Washington/Century intersection didn't really need the turn lanes shifted IMO (it was easy to see oncoming traffic there), the GF 32nd Ave intersections near Target are tough to see for the left turn yield on green.  On 32nd, the vehicle in the opposite left turn lane blocks the view of oncoming traffic.

This was all the way from 20th Ave (Happy Harry's) through 38th (Target/Lowes). Right in front of the mall was particularly bad. Though I've still seen an accident or two even with the new turn lanes, but it is significantly better. 

[streetsahead]

2 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

This was all the way from 20th Ave (Happy Harry's) through 38th (Target/Lowes). Right in front of the mall was particularly bad. Though I've still seen an accident or two even with the new turn lanes, but it is significantly better. 

Yes now you don't feel like you're playing russian roulette every time you turn left.

[ksixpack]

Test your psychic ability and put in order when these events will happen first in GF…winner gets a pat on the back.

In no particular order…

A. 3rd street project downtown is completed and open to traffic.

B. Downtown Hugo’s opens

C. The reincarnation of the Alerus Financial drive through 2.0 downtown is reopened.

D. The Columbia Road project by campus is completed

E. The construction of the new Altru hospital is resumed

F. The first hard frost in GF occurs (temperature in the 20’s) 

G. Harry steakhouse downtown will be open to the public

I will go… C, G, B, A, F, D, E

[ksixpack]

On 9/17/2021 at 4:24 AM, ksixpack said:

Test your psychic ability and put in order when these events will happen first in GF…winner gets a pat on the back.

In no particular order…

A. 3rd street project downtown is completed and open to traffic.

B. Downtown Hugo’s opens

C. The reincarnation of the Alerus Financial drive through 2.0 downtown is reopened.

D. The Columbia Road project by campus is completed

E. The construction of the new Altru hospital is resumed

F. The first hard frost in GF occurs (temperature in the 20’s) 

G. Harry steakhouse downtown will be open to the public

I will go… C, G, B, A, F, D, E

So far it is C, A, G

…3rd street opened today; Harry’s opens tomorrow.
 

B could be next…Hugo’s told the apartment renters upstairs there is no more parking in the Hugo’s lot starting Monday.

[SIOUXFAN97]

did they reverse the drive in for alerus at pure north when they repoured the concrete?

[ksixpack]

40 minutes ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

did they reverse the drive in for alerus at pure north when they repoured the concrete?

No…just reduced 3 lanes to 2 so there is enough room to get through now!

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

The North Columbia realignment between the overpass and 6th has been on the books for years.

The roadwork carried on for more than a month after the fall semester began at UND.

It's November and there are still no permanent stoplights at either University or 2nd.  This means multiple lanes sharing a single traffic light suspended overhead, and no protected turns in any direction, despite turn lanes aplenty.

Sad.

[fightingsioux4life]

57 minutes ago, NoiseInsideMyHead said:

The North Columbia realignment between the overpass and 6th has been on the books for years.

The roadwork carried on for more than a month after the fall semester began at UND.

It's November and there are still no permanent stoplights at either University or 2nd.  This means multiple lanes sharing a single traffic light suspended overhead, and no protected turns in any direction, despite turn lanes aplenty.

Sad.

I think the new traffic signals are on back-order, like a lot of other things. It looks like they are putting in another traffic signal at Washington and 36th Ave S, but they are probably waiting for the traffic signals to get here so they can set them up.

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

On 11/4/2021 at 8:45 AM, NoiseInsideMyHead said:

The North Columbia realignment between the overpass and 6th has been on the books for years.

The roadwork carried on for more than a month after the fall semester began at UND.

It's November and there are still no permanent stoplights at either University or 2nd.  This means multiple lanes sharing a single traffic light suspended overhead, and no protected turns in any direction, despite turn lanes aplenty.

Sad.

As proof that I am capable of posting something positive, I can update that as of this week, both signals are up and functioning! 

However...the "University of North Dakota" illuminated signage on the skywalk is now partially obscured. Win some, lose some.