Going out to Elmhurst - best streets to take?

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Permalink Reply by Lee on May 17, 2013 at 3:58pm

Diversery starting at California is a great East/West Street.  I commute out to Oak Brook sometimes and feel very safe taking that out of the city.

 

Diversey west, Oak Park ave South, Lake Street West (opens up at River Forest/Harlem), Thatcher South, then figure out how to jump west on the Prairie path trail which takes you to the elmhurst metra stop.  Doesn't seem far north from there and I'm sure there are some decent streets that aren't too bad once you get that far west.

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Permalink Reply by millenial removing Bernie tattoo on May 17, 2013 at 4:05pm

I agree, Diversey is good.   If you want a queiter street then Wrightwood (starting at the end of Logan Square) is credited.

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Permalink Reply by David P. on May 17, 2013 at 6:16pm

I've ridden Diversey and Belmont as far west as Oak Park Avenue and they're both perfectly fine for getting that far west. Now that I think of it I took one of those all the way to the Des Plaines river, and it was good. I also took Armitage/Grand to the DPRT, also fine.

Coming from the lake, Diversey is pretty crowded in Lakeview; it doesn't open up a bit until about Damen. If I am on it in high-traffic times, then I am moving either with traffic or faster than it because it's backed up for blocks. Take it easy a bit, since it's not really wide.  From Damen/Clybourn to California, if you're on it in the afternoon rush hour it is 2 lanes going east, and you may be competing with car drivers on a maniacal quest to get on the freeway as quickly as possible. If it's not 2-laned for rush hour, you sort of have your own curb lane. This all ends at California, and west of California it is fine at any time. You may find getting off the lake around downtown or navy Pier to be more direct. From there you can take something like Kinzie and Milwaukee.

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