The Chainlink

Gate Being Installed Under LSD Between River & Randolph Near Lakeshore East Development??

Does anyone else take "the shortcut" from the Lakefront Path that (headed from the north) goes like this:

 

1. Exit path to left just south of river

2. Make quick right (so you don't plunge into the lake) and then another right just past the Asian restaurant)

3.  Go underneath  bike path bridge

4.  Go under LSD (thru Columbia Yacht Club parking lot)

5.  Ride into loading dock area of Lakeshore East development

6.  Ride surface road in Lakeshore East development up to Upper Randolph

 

Here's my question.  Today, workers were digging holes in the pavement on the edge of locations 4 and 5 where they are apparently about to install a gate!  Does anyone know anything about this?  Will the gate be open during daytime hours?  Will it be open during nighttime hours?  Is it being put up by the City or by the Lakeshore East development? If the latter, will access still be allowed to non-residents of the Lakeshore East development?  How big is the gate?

 

I have been using this shortcut to get to the McDonald's Cycle Center for my daily commute for years and it presents a *far* safer way of making it past LSD (namely, going under it intead of across it or its on/off-ramps)  and also avoiding Lower Randolph to make it from the Lakefront Path to the Cycle Center.  I am going to freak out if the access is about to be cut off for everyone but Lakeshore East residents or if the gate is going to be locked at inconvenient hours.

 

Anyone know anything?

 

Dave

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Active Transportation Alliance on October 5, 2010 at 3:30pm
Hey Dave, we are looking into this and will let you know what we find out...our initial guess is that it's private property but keep your fingers crossed.

Thanks,
Ethan, with Active Trans
Permalink Reply by nom de plume on October 5, 2010 at 4:30pm
Wow. This could be a SERIOUS bummer for dozens of cyclists who use this route for avoiding the far less bike friendly means of getting from the Lakeshore Path to Upper Randolph or the McDonald's Cycle Center. Obviously, private property is private property, but I am hoping that the private property-holders would at least make passage through the gate available to all (or all during certain hours of the day) as opposed to making the gate a locked one for which only the owners of Lakeshore East condos have a key. If there is anything that the folks at Active Trans can do to find out what is going on and, as needed, lobby the private property owners to keep this gate unlocked, at least, say from 8am-8pm that would be great

Also, has anyone ruled out that there might not be an easement there that would actually be violated by the construction of a gate and fence? It seems that a means of allowing for egress from the dock area into the area under LSD has been specifically thought out, perhaps for security reasons?

Keep us posted. I know I am hardly the only cyclist that uses this means of getting from the Lakefront path to Upper Randolph and thus, hardly the only cyclist who would be annoyed if a restricted access gate was put up.
Permalink Reply by nom de plume on October 6, 2010 at 10:23am
Obviously, this is unofficial information, but while riding in to the office this morning, I stopped and asked one of the construction workers about the fence that is going up along the border of the Lakeshore East development and the under-LSD-Columbia Yacht Club parking lot). I asked him if there would be key-restricted access where the fence was going up. He told me "no, this part right here [pointing to the area by the gravel ramp down into the Lakeshore East loading dock area] will be open." Hopefully, he wasn't lying or misinformed. And better yet, the gate will remain physically open most of the time, even if unlocked.

Let's keep our fingers crossed that the guy was telling me the truth and that even if a gate goes in, it won't be restricted to key-holding Lakeshore East residents. This is an incredibly useful and much safer bike access route from the Lakeshore Path to Upper Randolph.

Ethan, did you find anything out on your end?

Dave
Permalink Reply by Active Transportation Alliance on October 7, 2010 at 1:23pm
After checking with CDOT and the Park District, it is definitely private property.

We did find out that their is an official CDOT recommended route from the Lakefront Trail to Upper Randolph that appears on the 2010 Chicago Bike Map

The official route follows the Riverwalk under LSD to the north end of Field Blvd. at Lower, Lower Wacker where there is an opening in the fence to transition between the trail and road. You can then follow the road up through Lakeshore East Park to Upper Randolph.

Also, just following Lower Randolph straight up from the LFT to Michigan is also an extremely direct and relatively easy route for many cyclists.

We'll continue to look into this.

Thanks,
Ethan, with Active Trans
Permalink Reply by Liz on October 7, 2010 at 2:06pm
While I agree that following Lower Randolph is extremely direct, it is one of the most danergous and stressful sections for a cyclist. I have tried that route on a few occasions, and stopped using it in favor of the lakefront east area cut through when I commuted from the North side. In the morning I noticed that traffic on lower does not yield to cyclists. There are many speeding vehicles that do not give adequate passing room to cyclists. Even though there are 3 traffic lanes on much of this road and little other traffic vehicles on lower or covered areas are less accommodating to cyclists in my experience. I do not think that most drivers understand how vulnerable we are in areas where there may be a tunnel or wall next to us and that we required 3 ft on either side of a bike to ensure safe handling around pot holes (which are less visible in the dark conditions). While a think that cyclists have great access to put us close to downtown, there are a lot of "last mile" gaps in the routes. Once you leave the lakefront path or come to the end of milwaukee there are very few safe options to navigate the loop.



Active Transportation Alliance said:
After checking with CDOT and the Park District, it is definitely private property.

We did find out that their is an official CDOT recommended route from the Lakefront Trail to Upper Randolph that appears on the 2010 Chicago Bike Map

The official route follows the Riverwalk under LSD to the north end of Field Blvd. at Lower, Lower Wacker where there is an opening in the fence to transition between the trail and road. You can then follow the road up through Lakeshore East Park to Upper Randolph.

Also, just following Lower Randolph straight up from the LFT to Michigan is also an extremely direct and relatively easy route for many cyclists.

We'll continue to look into this.

Thanks,
Ethan, with Active Trans
Permalink Reply by Active Transportation Alliance on October 7, 2010 at 4:22pm
Absolutely, and that's most likely why it's not the recommended route but a route that some cyclists do use. We all make our own route choices based on our own comfort/safety.

Ethan, with Active Trans




Liz said:
While I agree that following Lower Randolph is extremely direct, it is one of the most danergous and stressful sections for a cyclist. I have tried that route on a few occasions, and stopped using it in favor of the lakefront east area cut through when I commuted from the North side. In the morning I noticed that traffic on lower does not yield to cyclists. There are many speeding vehicles that do not give adequate passing room to cyclists. Even though there are 3 traffic lanes on much of this road and little other traffic vehicles on lower or covered areas are less accommodating to cyclists in my experience. I do not think that most drivers understand how vulnerable we are in areas where there may be a tunnel or wall next to us and that we required 3 ft on either side of a bike to ensure safe handling around pot holes (which are less visible in the dark conditions). While a think that cyclists have great access to put us close to downtown, there are a lot of "last mile" gaps in the routes. Once you leave the lakefront path or come to the end of milwaukee there are very few safe options to navigate the loop.



Active Transportation Alliance said:
After checking with CDOT and the Park District, it is definitely private property.

We did find out that their is an official CDOT recommended route from the Lakefront Trail to Upper Randolph that appears on the 2010 Chicago Bike Map

The official route follows the Riverwalk under LSD to the north end of Field Blvd. at Lower, Lower Wacker where there is an opening in the fence to transition between the trail and road. You can then follow the road up through Lakeshore East Park to Upper Randolph.

Also, just following Lower Randolph straight up from the LFT to Michigan is also an extremely direct and relatively easy route for many cyclists.

We'll continue to look into this.

Thanks,
Ethan, with Active Trans
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on October 7, 2010 at 5:17pm
I would agree with Liz' opinion on Lower Randolph. Not for the faint of heart. Definitely requires extra visibility. Higher bike speeds are helpful.

The recommended route gives a pleasant treat - Lakeshore East Park, a real beauty.

Liz said:
While I agree that following Lower Randolph is extremely direct, it is one of the most danergous and stressful sections for a cyclist. I have tried that route on a few occasions, and stopped using it in favor of the lakefront east area cut through when I commuted from the North side. In the morning I noticed that traffic on lower does not yield to cyclists. There are many speeding vehicles that do not give adequate passing room to cyclists. Even though there are 3 traffic lanes on much of this road and little other traffic vehicles on lower or covered areas are less accommodating to cyclists in my experience. I do not think that most drivers understand how vulnerable we are in areas where there may be a tunnel or wall next to us and that we required 3 ft on either side of a bike to ensure safe handling around pot holes (which are less visible in the dark conditions). While a think that cyclists have great access to put us close to downtown, there are a lot of "last mile" gaps in the routes. Once you leave the lakefront path or come to the end of milwaukee there are very few safe options to navigate the loop.



Active Transportation Alliance said:
After checking with CDOT and the Park District, it is definitely private property.

We did find out that their is an official CDOT recommended route from the Lakefront Trail to Upper Randolph that appears on the 2010 Chicago Bike Map

The official route follows the Riverwalk under LSD to the north end of Field Blvd. at Lower, Lower Wacker where there is an opening in the fence to transition between the trail and road. You can then follow the road up through Lakeshore East Park to Upper Randolph.

Also, just following Lower Randolph straight up from the LFT to Michigan is also an extremely direct and relatively easy route for many cyclists.

We'll continue to look into this.

Thanks,
Ethan, with Active Trans
Permalink Reply by nom de plume on October 7, 2010 at 6:36pm
Good news for all! I spoke with Ald. Brendan Reilly's office today and they confirmed that there will be a gap in the under-construction fence with NO gate or other restriction to access by bikes or pedestrians. The fence is apparently being built under a 2001 agreement between the City and the Park District to permit for (and apparently demarcate the area for) boat storage in the area under LSD and not to restrict access to bikes and pedestrians. Whew! This nice little "secret" route from the Lakefront Path to Upper Randolph survives. Thanks to Ethan from Active Trans for jumping all over this issue as well!
Permalink Reply by Active Transportation Alliance on October 8, 2010 at 1:53pm
Local advocacy in action, great news! Active Trans was happy to get involved, of course...it's our job.

Enjoy the short-cut, Chainlinkers and thanks to Dave and others for putting in calls and making this happen.

Ethan, with Active Trans

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