Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by A.K.A Paul on July 3, 2010 at 6:21am

I hope it happens. It's not a very nice ride to get to the south end start of the North Branch Trail. But once you get on the NBT it is nice.

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Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on July 3, 2010 at 3:05pm

Talking about this?

There is a path that goes through Legion Park along the river. I'm not exactly sure how to make the connection, but it's doable. I vaguely remember a bike route sign pointing south just east of Devon and Kedzie.

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Permalink Reply by Michael J Blane on July 4, 2010 at 7:13am

My usual NBT ride has me coming Logan to California to Elston. The only problem has been the car washes on the southbound side of Elston who use the bike lane for queueing for the car wash.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Kenseth on July 5, 2010 at 2:16am

My girlfriend has the same issue. She has been yelled at by people in cars/SUVs while riding her bike. The last time, she turned right at a stop sign, while only slowing and not stopping, with a car, and then that car (or person inside) began heckling her for not stopping for several blocks. Then, when my girlfriend stopped for a woman and a baby stroller at a crosswalk, the car did not.

Anyway, the North Branch Trail should be extended, and same with "Margie's mile", both north of devon and south of Bryn Mawr. I'd also like to see it extended northeast from Bryn Mawr where there is a rough gravel path from old train lines.

Clark said:

However last week my wife, riding on her own, was verbally abused and scared by a SUV driver who didn't like her claiming a piece of the right southbound lane of Central. How come these big-car heroes seem to disproportionately pick on women cyclists?

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Permalink Reply by Duppie on July 6, 2010 at 3:03am

Just to get the names straight:
1. Margie's mile (named after Alderman Margaret Laurino) is the first development in the Skokie Valley Line Trail in Cook Count. It is supposed to one day hook up with the existing Skokie Valley Line trail at Lake Cood Rd and Skokie Blvd in Deerfield (?). This is a long term project.
2. The gravel path that you refer to is called the Weber Spur trail. It is scheduled to run from Elston North to Touhy in Lincolnwood, and connect with the Skokie Valley Line trail. The city of Chicago put out an RFP last year and US Congressman Mike Quigley asked for $6+ million appropriation in May 2009. Not sure what came of either one. See a nice write up about the Weber Spur trail here

Also, the NBT extension has been on the books for a long time. The last I heard is that the City of Chicago is trying to acquire some property near the river before construction can start. I personally wouldn't mind if they developed the part through the (city-owned) golf course first. The part of Caldwell-Devon-Caldwell is pretty horrendous and one of the main reasons my wife and I don't ride it more often.

Mark Kenseth said:

My girlfriend has the same issue. She has been yelled at by people in cars/SUVs while riding her bike. The last time, she turned right at a stop sign, while only slowing and not stopping, with a car, and then that car (or person inside) began heckling her for not stopping for several blocks. Then, when my girlfriend stopped for a woman and a baby stroller at a crosswalk, the car did not.
Anyway, the North Branch Trail should be extended, and same with "Margie's mile", both north of devon and south of Bryn Mawr. I'd also like to see it extended northeast from Bryn Mawr where there is a rough gravel path from old train lines. Clark said:

However last week my wife, riding on her own, was verbally abused and scared by a SUV driver who didn't like her claiming a piece of the right southbound lane of Central. How come these big-car heroes seem to disproportionately pick on women cyclists?

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Permalink Reply by pb on July 7, 2010 at 11:59am

I ride this route every morning, but I actually prefer to continue north on Kedzie and cross the river on Devon. Look out though, westbound Devon has a big rough patch just before the bridge, so the sidewalk crossing is a good alternative. And I definitely cross at Devon on my return trip south since there's no reasonable way to cross on Lincoln in the direction.

John Gieger said:

If you're going north, when you get to Lincoln, when the trail comes to the street, you actually have to go South on Kedzie to get back onto the trail after crossing the river. I always hate that part because of the awkward angle and steep incline to get onto the bridge, but it's still doable. The rest of the trail is great in either direction, but they need to fix the corner there, somehow.

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:

Talking about this?

There is a path that goes through Legion Park along the river. I'm not exactly sure how to make the connection, but it's doable. I vaguely remember a bike route sign pointing south just east of Devon and Kedzie.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Kenseth on July 8, 2010 at 2:06am

thanks for clarifying. i can't wait for all these connections and linkages.

Duppie said:

Just to get the names straight:
1. Margie's mile (named after Alderman Margaret Laurino) is the first development in the Skokie Valley Line Trail in Cook Count. It is supposed to one day hook up with the existing Skokie Valley Line trail at Lake Cood Rd and Skokie Blvd in Deerfield (?). This is a long term project.
2. The gravel path that you refer to is called the Weber Spur trail. It is scheduled to run from Elston North to Touhy in Lincolnwood, and connect with the Skokie Valley Line trail. The city of Chicago put out an RFP last year and US Congressman Mike Quigley asked for $6+ million appropriation in May 2009. Not sure what came of either one. See a nice write up about the Weber Spur trail here

Also, the NBT extension has been on the books for a long time. The last I heard is that the City of Chicago is trying to acquire some property near the river before construction can start. I personally wouldn't mind if they developed the part through the (city-owned) golf course first. The part of Caldwell-Devon-Caldwell is pretty horrendous and one of the main reasons my wife and I don't ride it more often.

Mark Kenseth said:

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Permalink Reply by Steve Tanner on July 18, 2011 at 12:43pm

I've also tried the "ride west on Devon" approach off the Valley Line.  It's not fun to get over to the North Branch Trail.  Then again, I grew up in the Forest Glen area, so I always just biked through the neighborhoods to get up to the trailhead at Devon.

Adriana said:

There really isn't. Devon is scary. It's not just the traffic, it's riddled with pot holes. I've tried it and I don't like it. I sometimes take the long way through Bryn Mawr and the residential streets outlined on the bike map. I like it, except the wait to cross Caldwell during traffic is frustrating...I commute this way. I now take Lincoln/Pratt/Touhy...its slightly better than Devon, but It's quick and I'm used to it now, so it feels safe.

John Boshears said:

Looking at the bike map, I'm not sure I see the purpose of the Valley Line trail.

Would it be crazy to try and ride west on Devon from the end of the Valley Line trail to the start of the North Branch Trail?

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Permalink Reply by John Wirtz on July 19, 2011 at 1:16am

I think this is now called the Sauganash Trail.  It currently connects to Bryn Mawr, which is a good east-west bike route.  There are planned extensions to the north in Lincolnwood and to the south to Elston.  Getting to the bike lanes on Elston would be very useful.  If the North Branch Trail were extended, it would also cross the south extension of the Valley Line/Sauganash Trail/Weber Spur Trail.

John said:

Looking at the bike map, I'm not sure I see the purpose of the Valley Line trail.

Would it be crazy to try and ride west on Devon from the end of the Valley Line trail to the start of the North Branch Trail?

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Permalink Reply by Carter O'Brien on July 19, 2011 at 2:54am

Agreed.  There are quite a few of these on Elston, scattered from Diversey all the way up to Foster.

Michael J Blane said:

My usual NBT ride has me coming Logan to California to Elston. The only problem has been the car washes on the southbound side of Elston who use the bike lane for queueing for the car wash.

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Permalink Reply by Bob Kastigar on September 3, 2014 at 3:40pm

The Forest Preserve District is voting on the bridge over the Metra tracks required for the southern extension of the North Branch Trail.

I highly suspect that the residents of Edgebrook are going to try to convince the board not to build the bridge. Thus, without drawing additional attention to the vote (and therefore more Edgebrook residents), we need to write in our support or testify in person during the next Forest Preserve board meeting next Tuesday, Sept 9.

If you wish to write support, here are the details:

Send an email to cookcounty.board@cookcountyil.gov with your testimony. Make it attention: Board Secretary

RE: Item # 14 0409 To construct and maintain a bicycle/pedestrian bridge over the Metra railroad, near Forest Glen Woods in the City of Chicago tracks near MP 11.0, between Devon and Foster Avenues, on Metra’s Milwaukee North Line.

You can also use the web contact form: http://www.cookcountyil.gov/contact/
If you wish to testify in person, here is the link to sign up (unfortunately it is very far south instead of downtown): (Sagawau Environmental Learning Center,12545 West 111th Street, Lemont, Illinois)

http://fpdcc.com/about/board-meetings/

You can also contact John Fritchey, 12 District Representative on the board:

District Office
2539 N. Southport Ave.
Chicago, IL 60614
(p) 773-871-4000 (f) 773-423-0392
office@fritchey.com

Let's not let this bridge get pushed aside or forgotten, like the Stone Bridge.  Send an email to cookcounty.board@cookcountyil.gov with your testimony. Make it attention: Board Secretary

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