The Chainlink

I rode today. Did you?

Nice first ride in the COLD.

 

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Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on March 6, 2013 at 9:52am

I rode in this morning. Roads were mostly clear, aside from a few piles of snow in the bike lane. I took Roscoe/Broadway, Clark, Wells. Avoid Wells/Hubbard if you can, though. It's a complete mess due to construction and snow.

Dearborn, however, was another story. It was a disaster. I rode it for four blocks before cutting over on Madison.

Also, where the heck are the bridge plates?! CDOT said they'd be installed by the end of February, and I haven't heard any updates since then.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on March 6, 2013 at 10:00am

Other than that last photo which seems to be the building with the ongoing snow problem it does not look that bad.

Permalink Reply by spencewine on March 6, 2013 at 10:11am

Looks good to me. Unless you're pulling a 12 foot wide trailer, I'm not sure what you're complaining about.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

I rode in this morning. Roads were mostly clear, aside from a few piles of snow in the bike lane. I took Roscoe/Broadway, Clark, Wells. Avoid Wells/Hubbard if you can, though. It's a complete mess due to construction and snow.

Dearborn, however, was another story. It was a disaster. I rode it for four blocks before cutting over on Madison.

Also, where the heck are the bridge plates?! CDOT said they'd be installed by the end of February, and I haven't heard any updates since then.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on March 6, 2013 at 10:16am

The fact that Dearborn is now the worst part of my commute, when it's supposed to be the best is telling. All of the other streets I took today were mostly clear, even ones with buffered/door zone lanes. Dearborn is already riddled with potholes and slick manhole covers, and the snow just makes it that much worse. The two-way bikeway is just not wide enough to have 25% of it unusable due to snow. Why can't the city manage to keep their "flagship" bike lane clear?

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

Other than that last photo which seems to be the building with the ongoing snow problem it does not look that bad.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on March 6, 2013 at 10:20am

Glass half-empty/glass half-full?

Permalink Reply by Jenn_5.5 mi on March 6, 2013 at 10:20am

I put on my rose colored glasses when I ride Dearborn. I didn't have a problem at all.- I typically stay center line while riding southbound due to all the MH covers & grates, so it was just another day for me.

Lincoln was wonderful, the bike lane (& road) was clear. Wells wasn't wonderful but ride-able (and morning traffic is light so taking the lane is never a problem - be it snow or dodging cabbies). 

Overall, I was impressed with the streets. I come from the St Louis Area. Yesterdays snow totals would have stopped my small town in its tracks. The highways are the only things that get cleared down there. I would have been snowed in, but I got to enjoy it here!!

Permalink Reply by spencewine on March 6, 2013 at 10:22am

This is starting to get silly.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

The fact that Dearborn is now the worst part of my commute, when it's supposed to be the best is telling. All of the other streets I took today were mostly clear, even ones with buffered/door zone lanes. Dearborn is already riddled with potholes and slick manhole covers, and the snow just makes it that much worse. The two-way bikeway is just not wide enough to have 25% of it unusable due to snow. Why can't the city manage to keep their "flagship" bike lane clear?

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

Other than that last photo which seems to be the building with the ongoing snow problem it does not look that bad.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on March 6, 2013 at 10:27am

If by silly you mean that it's silly that the city doesn't maintain their protected bike lanes, then I agree.

spencewine said:

This is starting to get silly.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

The fact that Dearborn is now the worst part of my commute, when it's supposed to be the best is telling. All of the other streets I took today were mostly clear, even ones with buffered/door zone lanes. Dearborn is already riddled with potholes and slick manhole covers, and the snow just makes it that much worse. The two-way bikeway is just not wide enough to have 25% of it unusable due to snow. Why can't the city manage to keep their "flagship" bike lane clear?

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

Other than that last photo which seems to be the building with the ongoing snow problem it does not look that bad.

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on March 6, 2013 at 10:32am

I agree.  The first photo shows half the s/b lane clogged with snow.  The entire n/b lane is obstructed by the steel grate, which is going to be damn slippery when wet. Looks like Adam was lucky enough to ride this section when nobody was parallel parked there.  Had an evasive maneuver been necessary, he did have an out.

A friend of mine -- an experienced bike commuter -- went down on one of the bridges with exposed steel grates two or three years ago.  Broke a finger which required surgery and a fair amount of PT.  There is no excuse at this point for any of these steel grates to be exposed like this. Are there plates on the Dearborn bridge yet?

As Adam points out, this is the city's flagship bike lane. While they can't completely control cabs, delivery trucks and clueless pedestrians, you would think they'd solve the aspects of the bike lane which are under their control (potholes, cops parking in the lanes, grate covers, etc) before moving on to build other protected bike lanes around the city.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

The fact that Dearborn is now the worst part of my commute, when it's supposed to be the best is telling. All of the other streets I took today were mostly clear, even ones with buffered/door zone lanes. Dearborn is already riddled with potholes and slick manhole covers, and the snow just makes it that much worse. The two-way bikeway is just not wide enough to have 25% of it unusable due to snow. Why can't the city manage to keep their "flagship" bike lane clear?

Permalink Reply by spencewine on March 6, 2013 at 10:33am

I mean you and your constant whining about Dearborne is silly. I think you should consider taking an alternative route so as to spare us- it's getting incredibly tedious.


Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

If by silly you mean that it's silly that the city doesn't maintain their protected bike lanes, then I agree.

spencewine said:

This is starting to get silly.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

The fact that Dearborn is now the worst part of my commute, when it's supposed to be the best is telling. All of the other streets I took today were mostly clear, even ones with buffered/door zone lanes. Dearborn is already riddled with potholes and slick manhole covers, and the snow just makes it that much worse. The two-way bikeway is just not wide enough to have 25% of it unusable due to snow. Why can't the city manage to keep their "flagship" bike lane clear?

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

Other than that last photo which seems to be the building with the ongoing snow problem it does not look that bad.

Permalink Reply by grayn8 on March 6, 2013 at 10:39am
I hate to become involved in something that might decay further into philosophical half full/half empty meh or name calling...but I am curious as to the speed Adam is going compared to others and what type of ride. Dpbl are fine for me putting around at 14 with 700 x 35. Not good doing faster with skinnys on a roadie. Perhaps it's not a cup, but a brandy sifter versus a flute.
Permalink Reply by Deet 4.5mi on March 6, 2013 at 10:44am

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