The Chainlink

I rode Dearborn today...anyone else?

I just missed the press conference and just hung out at lunch to see how it would all work. It seemed easy enough, so I took Dearborn as my starting route home to Roscoe Village. Normally I hit Franklin to Orleans then north to Lincoln.

I have to say, it was pretty easy and relatively safe. The ambassadors were helpful with the the auto traffic. The walkers were easy enough to avoid. I had to chuckle at two riders riding side by side in the lane.

What I didn't see was any oncoming traffic; southbound riders. I am guessing that will come in time or at other times during the day.

Way to go Mayor RE! This is really making a statement.

Who else rode the new path?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on April 24, 2013 at 9:35am

Implementing a green wave would be a nice project for this year. :-)

Anne Alt said:

On most Loop streets, it's difficult to go more than one or two blocks without hitting a red light.  This isn't unique to Dearborn.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on April 24, 2013 at 11:19am

CDOT tried for a green wave but found that, given the tight spacing of intersections and the need for left turn arrows at westbound streets, it wasn't possible.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

Implementing a green wave would be a nice project for this year. :-)

Anne Alt said:

On most Loop streets, it's difficult to go more than one or two blocks without hitting a red light.  This isn't unique to Dearborn.

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on April 24, 2013 at 4:15pm

Normally I can do two blocks at a time northbound.  Which is pretty close to the average I make in the morning coming down State Street the other way dealing with all sorts of extra dangers.

Permalink Reply by Ben R. on April 26, 2013 at 11:42am

That's a big 'IF', not a little 'if' for sure. When was the last time you rolled a stop sign or red light,  on a bike? (or even stopped at a red light, and started again when it was all clear but the signal was still red)

I know pedestrians downtown are even more inclined to disobey/stretch their signals than cyclists.

Hopefully cars follow theirs... but in Chicago... even that is a crap shoot.


Alex Z said:

How does it not reduce bike/MV intersection conflicts? If everyone follows the traffic lights, there should be zero conflict. I realize that's a big "if," but do you just mean that we cannot reasonably expect people to follow the traffic signals?

Kevin C said:

It's another bad PBL design/implementation in Chicago. It not only fails to reduce bike/MV conflict at intersections, it actually makes the existing intersections worse

Permalink Reply by Alex Z on April 26, 2013 at 12:03pm

I always obey the traffic signals on Dearborn.

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on April 26, 2013 at 12:21pm

I make an effort to do so also. But in one case (that I know of) the Walk signal lights up several seconds before the bike green does - northbound at Harrison (I think). I totally get why peds should get a head start vs cars, but vs bikes? 

Alex Z said:

I always obey the traffic signals on Dearborn.

Permalink Reply by Ben R. on April 26, 2013 at 12:23pm

I would too if I rode dearborn.

The last time I posted on this forum that I obeyed all my traffic signals everywhere I was told to 'get off my high horse' (perhaps for other errors in tone in my post, but also partly for that) so I would expect that there are many cyclists who do not obey their signals.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on April 26, 2013 at 12:23pm

Yeah, I just start pedaling when the walk sign turns on. I do the same at other intersections with leading walk signals.

Tony Adams 6.6 mi said:

I make an effort to do so also. But in one case (that I know of) the Walk signal lights up several seconds before the bike green does - northbound at Harrison (I think). I totally get why peds should get a head start vs cars, but vs bikes? 

Alex Z said:

I always obey the traffic signals on Dearborn.

Permalink Reply by NYC (7.0 mi) on April 26, 2013 at 1:19pm

I'm with you.  This is the one road that I wish we would all be willing to obey the signals.  It is the prime example that most non-cyclists have of bike infrastructure in Chicago.  We lose the ability to call others out for stepping into the lane, turning against the red arrow, standing obliviously in the lane, etc. if we are jumping lights, waiting in the crosswalk, etc.  Why would anyone have to respect the lane if the cyclists don't?

 

I roll nearly all reds EXCEPT in the DBL.


Alex Z said:

I always obey the traffic signals on Dearborn.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on April 26, 2013 at 1:41pm

Exactly. Bike traffic in the Dearborn lane is SO visible to thousands of people every day. If some cyclists blow red lights there, they are BEGGING for the disrespect of other road users. Is disrespect what we really want?

NYC (7.0 mi) said:

I'm with you.  This is the one road that I wish we would all be willing to obey the signals.  It is the prime example that most non-cyclists have of bike infrastructure in Chicago.  We lose the ability to call others out for stepping into the lane, turning against the red arrow, standing obliviously in the lane, etc. if we are jumping lights, waiting in the crosswalk, etc.  Why would anyone have to respect the lane if the cyclists don't?

 

I roll nearly all reds EXCEPT in the DBL.


Alex Z said:

I always obey the traffic signals on Dearborn.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on April 26, 2013 at 1:43pm

While I agree with you, opponents of bike infrastructure will always come up with some BS excuse why they hate cyclists, whether it's true or not.

Anne Alt said:

Exactly. Bike traffic in the Dearborn lane is SO visible to thousands of people every day. If some cyclists blow red lights there, they are BEGGING for the disrespect of other road users. Is disrespect what we really want?

NYC (7.0 mi) said:

I'm with you.  This is the one road that I wish we would all be willing to obey the signals.  It is the prime example that most non-cyclists have of bike infrastructure in Chicago.  We lose the ability to call others out for stepping into the lane, turning against the red arrow, standing obliviously in the lane, etc. if we are jumping lights, waiting in the crosswalk, etc.  Why would anyone have to respect the lane if the cyclists don't?

 

I roll nearly all reds EXCEPT in the DBL.


Alex Z said:

I always obey the traffic signals on Dearborn.

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on April 26, 2013 at 1:55pm

Those people may be a lost cause, but I'd reckon that your average driver or pedestrian on Dearborn is not (yet) an opponent or a proponent of bike infrastructure. We'll never know what it could take to could push them in either direction.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

While I agree with you, opponents of bike infrastructure will always come up with some BS excuse why they hate cyclists, whether it's true or not.

Anne Alt said:

Exactly. Bike traffic in the Dearborn lane is SO visible to thousands of people every day. If some cyclists blow red lights there, they are BEGGING for the disrespect of other road users. Is disrespect what we really want?

NYC (7.0 mi) said:

I'm with you.  This is the one road that I wish we would all be willing to obey the signals.  It is the prime example that most non-cyclists have of bike infrastructure in Chicago.  We lose the ability to call others out for stepping into the lane, turning against the red arrow, standing obliviously in the lane, etc. if we are jumping lights, waiting in the crosswalk, etc.  Why would anyone have to respect the lane if the cyclists don't?

 

I roll nearly all reds EXCEPT in the DBL.


Alex Z said:

I always obey the traffic signals on Dearborn.

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