The Chainlink

18th Street Express Lane?

I was headed eastbound in the 18th Street divided bike lane just after 6p this evening.  Friday after-work car traffic was backed up from Clark Street almost to mid-span of the bridge over the river.  Several cars decided that they didnt need to wait, cut between the bollards and drove the remainder of the bridge in the bike lane in order to pass the stopped traffic.  Most turned right on Wentworth but at least one jammed its way to Clark.  Quite a spectacle.  I hadnt witnessed this before but Im usually there later in the day.

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Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on March 19, 2012 at 10:45am

I commute over the 18th St bridge and have not seen any motor vehicles parked or driving in the protected lane. But reports of such are not surprising given how wide the lane is and how far apart the bollards are.

Another problem on 18th is the fabric privacy screen attached to the chain link fence on the SW corner of Wentworth and 18th. Northbound Wentworth traffic can't see the bike lane until they are almost in the protected lane. The blind spot causes cars to edge out into the lane as they prepare to turn. Bikes are often moving pretty fast at that point as it is the bottom of a large (for Chicago) incline.

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on March 26, 2012 at 1:23am

I was there tonight. The entire bridge was closed to Westbound traffic. Eastbound traffic was routed into the westbound lane.  As you approach the start of the lane closing eastbound, it's not clear what to do and I could see the likelihood cars ending up in the eastbound bike lane out of confusion (although they'd get about halfway up the bridge and be stuck.)

What a giant mess.

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on March 26, 2012 at 10:15am

Yes - it seems pretty clear what eastbound cars should do as there are tons of signs with arrows diverting them to the westbound lane. But it is completely unclear what bikes should do, as the eastbound protected bike like is wide open and unsigned. One can take it, but at least as of this morning one had to walk over a joint that is getting repaired. 

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on March 26, 2012 at 12:01pm

That was my impression-- they left it such that a cyclist would just ride into the open, inviting mouth of the eastbound bike lane and ultimately get trapped.

Tony Adams said:

Yes - it seems pretty clear what eastbound cars should do as there are tons of signs with arrows diverting them to the westbound lane. But it is completely unclear what bikes should do, as the eastbound protected bike like is wide open and unsigned. One can take it, but at least as of this morning one had to walk over a joint that is getting repaired. 

Permalink Reply by Mark on March 26, 2012 at 2:47pm

Sounds like the they should've waited until the bridge construction was completed before installing the bike lanes.

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