Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on April 11, 2014 at 8:01am

I'm still of the opinion that bikes should choose other routes. Broadway will require a huge amount of "traffic calming" to reduce auto speed enough to make Broadway remotely "safe", even with so-called protected bike lanes. I think Glenwood to the west and Kenmore/Winthrop to the east are better alternatives.

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Permalink Reply by Gene Tenner on April 12, 2014 at 3:26am

I was the lead on redesigning the Broadway-Sheridan-Montrose intersection which will come to be by mid-June. To make change set an appointment with your Alderman to explain your idea. Contact Active Transportation Alliance to see what is already planned and how they can help you. 

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Permalink Reply by Lizzy M. on April 12, 2014 at 3:43am

I'm still of the opinion that bikes should choose other routes. Broadway will require a huge amount of "traffic calming" to reduce auto speed enough to make Broadway remotely "safe", even with so-called protected bike lanes.

I live off Broadway and every time we're out (walking to the store or sitting in a restaurant), I am always shocked by how many cyclists I see on Broadway, as I almost always avoid it for this reason.

Broadway is horribly unpleasant, no matter how you experience it. The sidewalks are too narrow, but you can nonetheless usually walk faster than you can drive it. Drivers barely slow down for the marked, but not signalized, crossings. Ugh.

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Permalink Reply by Lee Crandell on April 12, 2014 at 4:54am

I agree, and appreciate your efforts, Gene! It's one thing to talk about our ideas with like-minded people. But if we really want to get things done, we need to get better at nagging decision-makers and influencers who may not share our perspective. Even one person taking the time to meet with your alderman or reaching out a Chamber of Commerce, neighborhood association or block club to share your concerns and ideas can go a long way toward advancing these kinds of projects. For that stretch of Broadway, Tunney is the alderman, and civic groups include Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce, Lake View Citizens' Council and South East Lakeview Neighbors.

Gene Tenner said:

I was the lead on redesigning the Broadway-Sheridan-Montrose intersection which will come to be by mid-June. To make change set an appointment with your Alderman to explain your idea. Contact Active Transportation Alliance to see what is already planned and how they can help you. 

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Permalink Reply by Eli on April 13, 2014 at 10:41am

FWIW, further north there are plans to build bike lanes on Broadway between Montrose and Foster (protected from Montrose to Wilson, buffered from Wilson to Foster). Streetsblog did an article about it. I believe that the bike lane along this section is basically a done deal; they were actually supposed to install it last fall, but the weather got cold too fast. So it should be going in very soon.

There is also a much more tentative proposal to extend the Broadway bike lane north to Thorndale. This is part of a 48th Ward plan that is still very much up-in-the-air and I don't have a strong sense of how likely it is to actually happen, or how long it will take if it does.

Glenwood is only useful going north, as large stretches of it are one-way in that direction. (And there is no parallel southbound street nearby for much of its length). And it only goes as far south as Argyle.

Kenmore and Winthrop are extremely narrow and suffer from chronic double-parking--even in the sections where a so-called bike lane is painted on the street, it is so narrow that it is possible to be entirely within the bike lane and still have larger cars unable to pass you at a safe distance. And when people are double-parked (which is most of the time) it can be even more hazardous to try to "thread the needle." Furthermore, they have multiple speedbumps per block for basically their entire length. And, once again, this isn't a great southbound route because Winthrop (which is one-way southbound) dead-ends at Foster. It's a five-block detour onto Sheridan (itself not particularly bike-friendly) and back on Winona to pick up Winthrop again one block south. (Kenmore is one-way northbound.)

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Permalink Reply by Kris Hendry on April 13, 2014 at 3:01pm

I find biking Broadway near Argle to be very dangerous with speeding cars.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on April 13, 2014 at 3:04pm

Your instincts are sound. Try Kenmore northbound or Winthrop southbound.

Kris Hendry said:

I find biking Broadway near Argle to be very dangerous with speeding cars.

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Permalink Reply by David P. on April 14, 2014 at 5:39am

FYI, Glenwood is only one-way NB between Foster and Ridge, and to go south on that stretch you can jog one block east to Wayne. I find Glenwood to be a pleasant way to get from Andersonville through Rogers Park on my way to and from Evanston.

Eli said:

FWIW, further north there are plans to build bike lanes on Broadway between Montrose and Foster (protected from Montrose to Wilson, buffered from Wilson to Foster). Streetsblog did an article about it. I believe that the bike lane along this section is basically a done deal; they were actually supposed to install it last fall, but the weather got cold too fast. So it should be going in very soon.

There is also a much more tentative proposal to extend the Broadway bike lane north to Thorndale. This is part of a 48th Ward plan that is still very much up-in-the-air and I don't have a strong sense of how likely it is to actually happen, or how long it will take if it does.

Glenwood is only useful going north, as large stretches of it are one-way in that direction. (And there is no parallel southbound street nearby for much of its length). And it only goes as far south as Argyle.

Kenmore and Winthrop are extremely narrow and suffer from chronic double-parking--even in the sections where a so-called bike lane is painted on the street, it is so narrow that it is possible to be entirely within the bike lane and still have larger cars unable to pass you at a safe distance. And when people are double-parked (which is most of the time) it can be even more hazardous to try to "thread the needle." Furthermore, they have multiple speedbumps per block for basically their entire length. And, once again, this isn't a great southbound route because Winthrop (which is one-way southbound) dead-ends at Foster. It's a five-block detour onto Sheridan (itself not particularly bike-friendly) and back on Winona to pick up Winthrop again one block south. (Kenmore is one-way northbound.)

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