The Chainlink

Because I'm involved in planning a bike event with a route that goes through Oak Park, I just found out about a change that will affect cycling in Oak Park.  Oak Park has introduced a new ordinance creating a pedestrian mall zone around Lake and Marion - attached. This does not say when the mall designation takes effect. From the info I've got, it will apparently be in effect by late summer.  
Bike%20traffic.pdf

I created a Google map to figure out the exact impact.


View
Oak Park pedestrian mall in a larger map

Have any of you who live or regularly ride in Oak Park been informed of this change? The last time I was in Oak Park (about 4-6 weeks ago), this wasn't yet in place.

If any Oak Parkers would like to comment, I'd be curious to get more insights into this change.   I'm betting that many other folks would like to know more, too. 

Views: 446

Replies are closed for this discussion.

Replies to This Discussion

Well that's interesting because the strip of Marion between Lake and North Blvd used to be a pedestrian mall until two or three years ago when they tore it up and turned it into a through-street.

It's a cool development and would work pretty well down there I should think but at the same time I'm wary given how caught on flight of fancy this town gets and the probability that if this ever does get finished it'll just get undone shortly thereafter.

Yes, it seems rather ironic to me that they're doing yet another makeover on Marion in such a short time.  It also seems odd that they're banning bikes in this zone, which includes the Lake Theater, Book Table, several favorite restaurants, Starbucks and other popular destinations. Trader Joe's is on the periphery, so it doesn't appear that bike access there is affected.

I wonder how they're planning to address the issue of bike parking in this area.

Yeah it's funny how they consistently come right up to the edge of multi-use streets and then go all screwy. It'll be a bit of a pain to get my groceries if that whole area is no-bikes.

Maybe that's how drivers feel but there's a lot less sense to banning mixed pedestrian and bike traffic.

Anne - when I first read this I was surprised that I hadn't heard about it because it would be a big change.  When I look at the Oak Park village code document, I think it dates back to long ago when in fact Lake Street was closed to cars.  It reopened to cars in 1988.    Marion, south of Lake, was remade and reopened to cars last year or in 2010.  I'd be curious to know who your source is. 

I, like Bill, am doubtful that is still in effect. It still is in the village code, but is probably just a holdover. I get around Oak Park by bike and actually avoid that area when traveling to WF and TJ's because the car traffic on lake between Forest and Harlem is usually pretty bad. They do close Marion when they have a festival on it, but I've never seen that whole area closed - OP loves its cars.

There are some good biking streets, I have explored most of them. Usually the second and third level streets that have lights and some four way stops are what I like traveling on. And any tour would not want to miss at least going by some of the Frank houses.

It's already so nice with the pavers there. Every time I ride my bike west through Oak Park I have to stop and sit on the patio of that little french patisserie and people watch. 

As for the pavers...they are smooth.  For some rougher ones, head across Harlem ave to Forest Park for some not so smooth ones...   I was thinking on the ride home tonight Forest Park should try having a mini race on some of those cobbled streets...

This came from a municipal employee of Oak Park this week.  

It still is in the village code, but is probably just a holdover.

Given the source and timing, it's even more puzzling.

Marion St. south of Lake was under construction all of last year (or at least it seemed like it lasted that long).  I agree with Bill's assessment about those pavers being pretty smooth, much smoother than most of the cobbled streets I've ever encountered in various places around the Chicago area.


Bill Watson said:

Anne - when I first read this I was surprised that I hadn't heard about it because it would be a big change.  When I look at the Oak Park village code document, I think it dates back to long ago when in fact Lake Street was closed to cars.  It reopened to cars in 1988.    Marion, south of Lake, was remade and reopened to cars last year or in 2010.  I'd be curious to know who your source is. 

When I first moved near the City 10yrs ago, I lived in Oak Park. I remember that pedestrian mall area (their was a mexican place, and some boutiques) and thought it was very "European". I thought it was pretty cool. Is that what became Marion street? Thats super weird to take it away only to bring it back. Maybe they have a bunch of mony that they need to "get rid of."

 

This is an old, obsolete ordinance from when there was a "pedestrian mall" in downtown Oak Park.  The pedestrian mall is no more, and the ordinance is not enforced. You can bike on downtown streets, and I do it all the time.  We've let the village know they should delete the ordinance.

Ron Burke, Active Transportation Alliance and Oak Parker

 

Ron - Thank you very much for your assistance in clarifying this muddy situation and asking them to delete the ordinance.  Much appreciated.

RSS

© 2008-2016   The Chainlink Community, L.L.C.   Powered by

Disclaimer  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service