Our team at the MBAC meeting just let us know that Elston (Division to North) and 18th (Clinton to Clark) will be the next protected bike lanes by the end of this year!
Thanks, CDOT!
Ethan Spotts, Active Trans
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The Division to North stretch of Elston isn't very far. It's going to be a tiny island of extra safety. I can only hope this is the first step to make a larger section of that street protected. As others have mentioned, ideally Elston would be protected all the way from its origin point to Belmont.
CDOT said a bike-friendly bridge deck will NOT happen when the protected bike lane is constructed in 2011. This is because of a "manufacturing delay."
Dubi Kaufmann said:
Awesome. The bridge on 18th needs those bike friendly panels.
CDOT said a bike-friendly bridge deck will NOT happen when the protected bike lane is constructed in 2011. This is because of a "manufacturing delay."
Dubi Kaufmann said:Awesome. The bridge on 18th needs those bike friendly panels.
Elston? Really? It is wide, rarely any parked cars, and a straight shot. There are sooooo many bad areas, why pick a stretch that is low risk for biking? How about any one of the major east-west streets north of Armitage: Fullerton, Diversy, Belmont, Irving Park? Because of the river that runs through it, there are no side street alternatives. Or how about doing something about the Logan Square monument traffic circle? It's very scary.
- Sharon
To Sharon, I've posted my thoughts about Elston on Grid Chicago. In essence, I like this stretch because of the Y intersection at Magnolia Avenue.
Highlights from MBAC, and room for improvement
I've also made a map of all the existing and proposed protected bike lanes.
I'd kill to see bike lanes on Belmont or Diversey, but I'd also point out that while large stretches of Elston are super-bike friendly, the nasty intersections aren't really much better than any other street. Specifically, I've almost been flattened into roadkill going north across Ashland more times than I'd care to count.
It really is these "pinch points" that by-and-large are in my experience the bane of urban biking.
chiearthrider said:
Elston? Really? It is wide, rarely any parked cars, and a straight shot. There are sooooo many bad areas, why pick a stretch that is low risk for biking? How about any one of the major east-west streets north of Armitage: Fullerton, Diversy, Belmont, Irving Park? Because of the river that runs through it, there are no side street alternatives. Or how about doing something about the Logan Square monument traffic circle? It's very scary.
- Sharon
Ashland/Armitage/Elston is awful. When riding through it, you are fowl in Nintendo's "Duck Hunt" for 300 feet.
"Biking in Chicago: Good luck!"
Cameron -- Elston is currently on CDOT's list for this spring: http://www.chicagobikes.org/public/2012BikewaysProjects.php
- Lee Crandell, Active Trans
No kidding! They should have at least repainted the bike lanes for the meantime. It's been months since they re-surfaced Elston. I'm tired of cars buzzing me when I ride where the painted bike lane used to be. I've noticed a lot of drivers "reclaiming" that lane.
Cameron Puetz said:
Has anyone heard any news on when the Elston lane will be built?
I think this is great. I have used Elston to get downtown for over a year now. I think this will really be helpful to downtown commuters from the Northside
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