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I have to agree with many of the authors points, including a number made in a similar critique off the Chicago Ave. PBLs in Evanston.
Amen to new biking infrastructure!!!! But, it seems like a lot of trouble is being made because the designers are in denial. When you add a protected bike line, the previous two-way intersection is now a three (or four) way.
It's not easy, but we make this for all the time in other areas. Of course, that's because we can impose on motorists for other "real" users of the road.
It appears that they can certainly do a better job at placing the signals than they have. They do appear to get lost in the background. On Dearborn I've barely missed getting left hooked several times when a driver decides to make a left against the double red no left turn arrows.
I agree that the problem is that (some) users are inattentive, not that the signals are bad.
IME there are far far fewer illegal lefts off of Dearborn now than there were in 2013. I think it takes a bit of time for the driving population to fully grok the new "rules."
This is a good distinction, but I think many drivers give more heed to left turn arrows than right turn arrows. I think this will always be an issue even over time in trying to control cars making right turns. Given the longstanding right-on-red law, many drivers think any right turn is their legal right.
Good point. Drivers are "used to" turning right on red as a general rule.
I agree that the signals can be a problem. What I do not know is the solution. I think Alex Z. hit the problem in that drivers can be inattentive. I think cyclists and pedestrians as well can be inattentive. The question is how do we deal with the reality of that inattention? Frankly, the intersection is easier now because construction at 77. W. Washington, where I work, has made the bike lane almost impossible to use. The sidewalk is closed and pedestrians (ignoring many signs) walk through the bike lane. The lane cannot be safely used at much more than 5 mph. Once it is back to normal speed the problems in the article will reappear.
A crossing gate that comes down in front of the left lane traffic could do the trick.
This morning, I followed a bunch of bike cops down Washington. When I first saw them, they were riding past a truck unloading in the bike lane (right around the corner from a loading dock) and didn't say anything to the driver. At Wells, 2 vehicles were stopped in the bike lane, having blown the red light, and waiting for pedestrians to clear so they could illegally turn. Again, the bike cops didn't say anything.
Which not only fails to enforce the rules, but gives the impression that these behaviors are condoned. SMH.
Forgot to mention that:
- When I got to the portion of the "protected" bike lane next to the closed sidewalk, there were 2 officers walking side by side down the middle of the bike lane, blocking it completely.
- After I turned, I promptly got buzzed by a CPD SUV who passed me within a foot while going about 45 MPH because he wanted to beat me to a red light.
The moral is that we can't expect CPD to enforce the rules. It has to be Dept. of Revenue and other ticket writers.
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