Biking from Logan Square to Lombard: is it safe?

A friend is having a bbq/pool party out in the suburbs this Saturday, and if the weather co-operates, I'm thinking about biking to it, rather than driving.

My concern is safety. This is the general route I'm thinking about taking: http://goo.gl/bsG7i

I'm a bit afraid that, since I'm returning after dark, my trip through Austin etc won't be safe.  I'm not too worried.  I may be a woman, but as a 6' woman who's generally pretty good at having an air of, "you don't want to fuck with me, mate" when necessary, I've never had any issue of walking/biking in darkness beyond the normal catcalls/shouting.

Plus, I ride a hybrid, with a rather upright posture.  When I combine that with a safety vest and my terrifyingly bright front light, I've had many people comment that they thought I was the police.

Does anybody have any advice?  (apart from putting on plenty of sunblock!)  Or encouragement of, "yeah, do it girl!"  I've never traveled out to the suburbs by bike before.

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Permalink Reply by Tim Heckman on June 20, 2013 at 1:18pm
I ride the Prairie Path daily through Maywood and Bellwoid to commute, and have been doing so for the past year. In over 500 rides, I have suffered verbal harassment twice, and that is the extent of any issues. I am, however, a big guy on an inexpensive bike, and only have ridden after dark during the winter.. That being said, I would probably use Washington or Madison on my way back, and the northern route through Austin.
Permalink Reply by John C. Wilson on June 20, 2013 at 2:04pm

Streets have traffic, residents, potential witnesses, sight lines, police patrol, lights. IPP has none of those. If you feel safe after dark based on very local knowledge good for you.

peter moormann said:

An interesting strong opinion John. 

Can you please tell us of  the events that lead to your conclusion regarding the differing levels of unsafeness.

I'm curious as I live in Forest Park and ride IPP often and have not heard of any incidents.

thanks

petem

John C. Wilson said:

IPP is Illinois Prairie Path. After dark it is less safe than a Chicago park after closing time.  There are old railroad frontage streets along most all of the IPP route and those are better than the path anywhere east of I-294. In the daytime.  After dark don't be on the path. Having lights just makes you an easier target.

Permalink Reply by Mike Keating on June 20, 2013 at 3:57pm

I've done the ride from Loop to Glen Ellyn (just west of Lombard) where I grew up many times. Riding through Austin and West Garfield Park is a very tense situation. So is Maywood and Bellwood at the start of the Prairie Path but to a much smaller degree. In the daylight I'd say Maywood and Bellwood should be ok.

I've had a bottle thrown at me once and generally hassled most times I've ridden on the West Side but nothing worse than that.

I'm bigger than you, generally don't shy from conflict, and also have street smarts. I work with a church in Garfield Park and the employees there, who live in the neighborhood, try to get home before dark if they are walking. I always was on edge in Austin and Garfield Park at times. I would urge you to consider this very carefully. It's doable, but I agree that its a daytime ride for sure. It's very unfortunate what the gangs have done to parts of this city.

Also remember that if you miss a Metra you can get the Blue Line at Forest Park which is just east of the head of the IPP at First Ave.

Permalink Reply by Mike Keating on June 20, 2013 at 4:00pm

Sorry, tried to edit on my phone and did duplicate post by accident. Ride Safe.

Permalink Reply by El Dorado on June 20, 2013 at 4:19pm

Austin is statistically one of the most dangerous & violent neighborhoods in Chicago which is saying a lot. It is not "sketchy" or "gentrifying" as some would say. A single women riding a bike at night with lights is extremely dangerous. Perhaps, strike up a conversation at a coffee spot and speak to a Chicago cop if your still considering the route?

Permalink Reply by Drewbacca on June 20, 2013 at 6:33pm

IPP is actually a nice ride in Lombard/Villa Park/ Elmhurst at night and is reasonably well lit through those towns. For the most part, a light is more necessary to be seen than to see. I haven't taken it east, past Elmhurst, at night and can't comment on that portion. 

Kudos for riding out here... but I agree with the others who have suggested just taking the Metra back (or Blue Line). The benefits simply don't negate the risks.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on June 21, 2013 at 5:07am

Take the Blue Line to Forest Park. It's a block from the IPP trailhead.

Permalink Reply by Christine (5.0) on June 21, 2013 at 5:08am

Thanks again for all the advice, I'll definitely be using it in the future!

Alas, one of my friends convinced me to drive.  There's a bunch of people who need to get out there from the suburbs, and my car holds 5 :/

Another day.

Sigh.  I was looking forward to this adventure.

Permalink Reply by J2O on June 21, 2013 at 5:39am

I ride down Augusta about 200 days a year.  The worst thing that's happened to me is during the hottest day of the year last Summer, some dude dumped a bucket of water on me.  Some people may try to chat you up, but mostly it's kids trying to make a dime on a street corner.  They don't want the police involved with their lives.

This is a pretty safe route.  The transfer up 5th to Washington can be interesting, but is no worse than riding through Lincoln Park.

However, if you're freaked-out about riding Augusta, then take Oak Park Avenue to Grand, then Grand to Armitage.

I used to ride the Prarie Path twice a week from Downers' Grove to Chicago.  It's pretty fine.  The Eastern part is a little depressing, but the vast majority of users are friendly.

Oh, and don't try the Prarie Path without a light.  That's more dangerous than riding through any neighborhood in the city.

Permalink Reply by Mike Keating on June 21, 2013 at 6:05am

I've been thinking about this ride all morning. The more I thought about it the more I agree with Adam above and what I originally said that what would make the most sense is the Blue Line to Forest Park. You would just need to ride down to the Blue Line on the Ike south from Logan Square and take the Blue Line west to Forest Park. Hit the IPP at First Avenue in Maywood (just the other side from the cemetary) and ride west to Lombard.

Like you said, "next time." Good luck.

Christine (5.0) said:

Thanks again for all the advice, I'll definitely be using it in the future!

Alas, one of my friends convinced me to drive.  There's a bunch of people who need to get out there from the suburbs, and my car holds 5 :/

Another day.

Sigh.  I was looking forward to this adventure.

Permalink Reply by Jeff Markus on June 21, 2013 at 6:37am

The IPP-Illinois Prarie Path- is pretty much a backyard play area thru some depressed suburbs especially on the east end. As more of a vehicular cyclist and liking having access to facilities (DD's, 7/11, lighted gas stations to do tire changes and regular police patrols as well as the social safety of more people around) I prefer the usually higher speed on street routes to do distances. 15-18MPH on a trail is asking for an 'oops' moment where as that speed on road makes you more visible and (yes) respected.

The North Ave corridor is wide enuf that road conditions, traffic and the like are much easier to deal with especially when as well lighted as you describe. Also the 'muggles' usually stay out of the street where they can be all over the place on a trail.

I admit I am not familiar with this route recntly but at night with lights and reflectors a wide street is a big difference than a dark potentially crowded (weekend drunks and ne'erdo wells) unpoliced trail.

Use the advantages of urban life to your advantage and avoid the pitfalls.

Jeff

Permalink Reply by Dirke on June 21, 2013 at 9:25am

Adding my 2¢...

  I ride out to St. Charles about 4 times a year from the north side, going through Lombard, which is where one has options to continue on IPP or transfer to the Great Western Trail, going NW to Sycamore and beyond.  For the past several years, I've basically honed this route, which was informed via Google bicycle directions.  For the record, I am a skinny white male, 155Lb, 5'10" and I usually head there during daylight (like you for friends/relative suburban BBQs) and arrive back well after dark, a few times in the 2-3 am timeframe when I missed the last Geneva train.

  In over 10 years of doing this, only once, about 3 years ago, did I experience any incident.  This sole situation was while riding south on 25th Ave. (Friday afternoon), a little north of the IPP.  A group of teenagers were throwing rocks and pieces of asphalt at me from the opposite sidewalk, across 4 lanes of traffic!  It was certainly potentially deadly and certainly unnerving as I didn't realize they were actually throwing anything until I heard one whiz just past my ear, but that's unfortunately just how a lot of young men at that age get their kicks, and can happen anywhere.  Other than that though, nothing.

Google bicycle directions are pretty spot on in my experience and will try to keep you off of roads like 25th ave.  In fact, their directions do divert you just east of 25th, but through a maze of blocks where some of those teenagers and/or their parents and siblings live and I have tried that route too, but deemed it potentially more hazardous and now pretty much stick to 25th, timing my progression with the waves of traffic which are regulated by the lights.  One caveat:  25th ave has 2 freight train crossings and once, I was actually stopped for close to an hour by a train that crawled for about a half hour and then stopped.  I'm not sure how one can predetermine freight train traffic, but maybe there's an app for that.

I would also add that when I've done it on weekends, probably summertime, I've almost always seen a CPD SUV on the path in the Maywood area displaying a presence.  I have never seen any group hanging out or blocking the path either, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen to some.  Once you're west of Maywood, I don't think there is much to worry about at all, the surrounding affluence seeming to increase with each town heading west to the fox river.

I prefer to ride (on a mostly deserted suburban path) with my headlight off, as I prefer for my vision to adjust to the dark and be able to see greater distances than a headlight allows.  There is wisdom also that this makes you less visible if you are coming up on a group intent on confronting a path rider.  Prudence would dictate taking a flat kit and/or spare tube and the confidence to use them, a chain tool, rain slick of some kind, $20, and your smart phone and charger as minimum, and then add according to your desires and hauling capacity.  The Chicagoland bike map has been rendered less necessary with smart phones, but I don't have to rationalize that a map is a good thing to have too. 

I have my entire route posted on a private google page and can send a link to anyone truly interested but in the vein of paranoia, I'm just pasting a screen grab of the relevance.  It is a good ride, especially all the way to the Fox River.  Lombard is usually about 2 hours at a 16 mph average.  Try it!

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