Dedicated bike lanes, and snow plows

Any Chainlinkers out there have any contacts in Streets and San, the city guys who drive the snowplows.  Riding up Elston yesterday in the rain, it occurred to me that unless the city has some mini-snowplows hidden up their sleeves, the dedicated bike lanes will not be plowed when it snows.  And when the streets do get plowed, those plastic "protectors" will be mowed under like toothpicks.  Any ideas what will happen come winter?

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Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on August 14, 2012 at 10:16am

Advil donated a snow plow for the protected bike lane on Jackson. 

They brought in Richard Dent to do the ribbon cutting and gave out a ton of Citizen Gotham Folding Bikes

Pictured below are Richard Dent, Derrick Young from CBS, and a couple of us doing a photo opt.

Permalink Reply by GabeW (not the other Gabe) on August 14, 2012 at 10:17am

There are sidewalk width snow sweepers.

Save questions like these for the 100+ days, though.  It was 58 this morning and only 74 right now, and yesterday's rain felt delightful.  No need to daydream about snow right this second :)

Permalink Reply by Logan on August 14, 2012 at 10:33am

At least they also handed out 50 Gothams, though I have yet to see one on my Milwaukee ave commutes...

Permalink Reply by Jamais716 on August 14, 2012 at 11:00am

What about street sweepers for bike lanes?  Trash and debris tends to gather by grates on the side of the road, especially on Lake street where it dips under the railroad.

Permalink Reply by Bill Savage on August 28, 2012 at 6:06am

True.  Hadn't thought of that: and such detritus accumulating means more flat tires too.  Another reason to avoid these routes.

Jamais716 said:

What about street sweepers for bike lanes?  Trash and debris tends to gather by grates on the side of the road, especially on Lake street where it dips under the railroad.

Permalink Reply by Michael J Blane on August 28, 2012 at 6:22am

I'm picturing winter ...

Plows pushing snow/slush from the street into the protected bike lanes.

Neighbors shoveling the sidewalks push snow into the protected bike lanes.

Permalink Reply by Kevin on August 28, 2012 at 6:45am

Wait, you mean Super Bowl XX MVP Richard Dent?

 

Just wanted to clarify :)

Julie Hochstadter said:

Advil donated a snow plow for the protected bike lane on Jackson. 

They brought in Richard Dent to do the ribbon cutting and gave out a ton of Citizen Gotham Folding Bikes

 

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 28, 2012 at 6:50am

Super Bowl XXMMVP is that some sort of breakfast cereal?

Permalink Reply by Derek on August 28, 2012 at 7:08am

If it's like last season the Kinzie protected lanes were always the slushiest / snowiest places of my commute.

Permalink Reply by Sarah D. on August 28, 2012 at 7:30am

In my ward there's a Streets and San dude riding up and down the Lincoln Ave. business district sidewalk on a sidewalk-sized motorized snowplow as soon as the snow stops. I'd think they can use those in the bike lanes, no? Up to each ward S&S person or SSA? 

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on August 28, 2012 at 10:27am

Amen!  The protected lanes on Franklin Blvd. (near Garfield Park) are in TERRIBLE condition.  Lanes should not have been installed there until the pavement issues were solved.

h' said:

How about asphalt for the protected lanes? A few of the ones I've happened through lately are missing a significant amount and you have to divert to the car lane in places.

Permalink Reply by Justin B Newman on August 28, 2012 at 11:39am

Please tell me you've called 311 4 times, and called the Alderman at least once? Please?

-jbn

Clint H said:

My puncture count on Elston since the lane opened up is up to four, and that's with four weeks spent out of town. There are points where you can barely see the pavement under all the trash.

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