The Chainlink

Chicago will soon decide whether to install protected bike lanes on Milwaukee Avenue this spring between Elston and Kinzie, as the first stretch of safety improvements that will eventually extend all the way to Devon. By creating more order on an often chaotic and hazardous street, protected bike lanes would make Milwaukee Avenue safer for everyone, whether you are walking, biking or driving.

Consolidating some parking may be required to create a safer street, and that's worth it. However, barrier protected bike lanes could be left out of improvement plans as the city assesses how to use limited street space. Please sign the petition telling Chicago city officials to install barrier protected bike lanes on Milwaukee Avenue.

TAKE ACTION TODAY!
Sign the petition supporting protected bike lanes on Milwaukee Ave.

- Lee Crandell, Active Trans

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Replies to This Discussion

That part of Milwaukee Ave. is unlike the rest of Milwaukee Ave. It has 5 wide lanes (4 traffic + 1 turn). It is much less impacted by construction, stop signs, and pedestrian traffic that would otherwise make people drive carefully. It is a dangerous road for cyclists with unnecessarily redundant capacity for motorists. It's an obvious place to build cycling infrastructure which will help invite more cyclists to safer roads in a part of the city where cycling is less common.

Tyler Long said:

I couldn't care less about a protected lane for two reasons in addition to the 'right hook' phenomenon: there hasn't been a period in recent history where Milwaukee has been clear of construction since, well, who knows how long and it will likely be rendered moot for the sake of traffic flow.  Plus I generally end up riding in the vehicle lane after snowy days because the lanes never seem to get plowed (thus rendering them pointless).

I give a hearty 'meh' to the concept of protected lanes in general.

This stretch of Milwaukee Avenue desperately needs improvement.  I live in this area and lead rides all the time.  Most of my riders don't like to ride on Milwaukee Avenue because they do not feel safe.  Traffic moves way too fast through this area.  Pedestrians are risking their lives every time they want to cross the street.  If we want the 'Spoke Routes' to be more than just a dream on paper, we're going to have to fight to get it.  There is a lot of ignorance and hatred being spewed at the public meetings.  People who support the road diet are too afraid to speak out in front of an unruly mob.  Seriously, I was at the public meeting last week and it was ridiculous!  Please sign the petition and spread the word!

Bob,

You should start a new thread about the NW side issues with the address to the petition. Some people affected by this may not look at this older thread.

Thank you...


Bob Kastigar said:

Sign this COMPETING petition!

A petition against a road diet on Milwaukee Avenue in 45th Ward is making the rounds, with over 300 signatures.  Certainly we can do better than that.

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/make-milwaukee-avenue?source=c.em....

Even if you don't live in the 45th Ward you can still sign this petition.

I'll do it. Give me a few mins.

Tom Z said:

Bob,

You should start a new thread about the NW side issues with the address to the petition. Some people affected by this may not look at this older thread.

Thank you...


Bob Kastigar said:

Sign this COMPETING petition!

A petition against a road diet on Milwaukee Avenue in 45th Ward is making the rounds, with over 300 signatures.  Certainly we can do better than that.

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/make-milwaukee-avenue?source=c.em....

Even if you don't live in the 45th Ward you can still sign this petition.

Are they going to use the existing lanes as a guide or is this an opportunity to petition moving the PBLs to the center of the road?

Too be honest, I would rather the bike lines be on the traffic side rather than the curb. I think it makes you (cyclist) more visible. As for center bike lanes, there maybe too many left turns on that stretch to make that practical.



BootsyC said:

Are they going to use the existing lanes as a guide or is this an opportunity to petition moving the PBLs to the center of the road?

Everyone, this thread is about the south section of Milwaukee from Kinzie to Elston.  The bike lane here has already been installed.  There's nothing to debate anymore and no need to support the old petition.

It is NOT about Milwaukee in the 45th Ward.

ActiveTrans (or one of the Admins), would you please close this thread to avoid confusion with current design initiatives?

For current info on the northwest section of Milwaukee, see this thread:

http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/northwest-side-cycling-adv...

Great to see so many folks mobilizing around the Jefferson Park Complete Street project!  

Per Bruce's suggestion, we're closing this thread to avoid confusion between this project and last year's project further south on Milwaukee.

Check out this great thread for up to date info on the 2014 Milwaukee Ave project in Jefferson Park/Gladstone Park area: http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/northwest-side-cycling-adv...

Jim Merrell - Active Trans

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