Fullerton Parkway bridge project disappointing for walking and biking

The south sidewalk/mixed use trail along Fullerton from Cannon Drive to the Lake Front Trail will be permanently eliminated in order to increase the number of car traffic lanes from four to five, and specifically to replace the south sidewalk/mixed use trail with a new, second, right turn lane for cars headed onto southbound Lake Shore Drive. My post on the topic on the blog Bike Walk Lincoln Park here. Your thoughts?

"Fewer points of conflict with pedestrians" will be achieved by simply eliminating the presence of pedestrians on this side of Fullerton Parkway over the lagoon and under Lake Shore Drive. (Photo: Bike Walk Lincoln Park)

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Permalink Reply by Michelle S on October 18, 2012 at 7:41am

True, if the planners want to make the eastbound motorists swerve to the right for a few yards just before making the left turn onto the northbound LSD ramp. Doesn't seem like it would be optimal for driving safety, though. Anyway, I'm not sure that 20 feet of width under LSD would be very useable, given that it's bordered by crosswalks that are maybe 8 feet wide, which create pinch points.

 

Tim S said:

So, if they are going to take the sidewalk out on the S side of the bridge why would they leave it in under LSD... that right there will offer the additional 7+ ft for the N side sidewalk, non?

Just thinking out loud here.
Permalink Reply by Tim S on October 18, 2012 at 4:58pm

Michelle have you looked at the plans, rhetorical of course as you went to the meeting and provided us with the images I am about to use.

I just looked at the image at the start of the thread and it looks like they are planning on doing just what I suggested and  it will not require a swerve o the right, am I missing something? Seems clear to me, in the photo, that the entire 4 lane's of Fullerton will be shifted south and the N sidewalk will be widened as they said. Plus an tidied up underpass for ped/bike traffic along the west side of the lagoon negating the need to cross Fullerton at all.

Re the crosswalk issue... would they not widen the crosswalks a bit, add to that when folks are using the crosswalk across the LSD entrance ramp they are going slowly anyway. Not seeing the issue there. Bigger issue for me would be trying to cross the southern side when cars are not subject to a traffic signal like they are on the northern side.

Meh what do I know. I ride on the street and have never used the sidewalk around there if I am on Fullerton wait w cars for the left turn light and hang a right to the LFT.

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