Halsted, Interrupted

The bridge replacement is finally set to start next week. Halsted at approximately 1100 N will be closed to all traffic for the next year.

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/11/halsted-street-drawbridg...

While I am glad that this sorry excuse for a bridge is replaced, I am also wondering why the new bridge will be four lanes (plus bike lanes)? Halsted north or south of this bridge is two lane....

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Permalink Reply by Al Ribskis on November 24, 2010 at 1:27pm
Yes ! I am very aware . . . . . . and, the city has many signs along bike route streets which read : Shared Lane
Yield to Bikes , Now, can't say if one of these signs exists along Halsted; regardless, as I noted: when I wish to
make a driving move like this, I use my mirrors while I'm in the main traffic lane. If I see no bikes whatsoever
approaching, only then do I use the ( shared ) lane.
The key thing here, certainly, is ' shared ' . . . . . . if , if : there are no bicycles at all on a stretch of street, I can help
the greater good of everyone who is driving by helping every driver's progress [ I'm one less car sitting in a jammed up
lane of traffic; doing so does not make much sense when a completely clear, available lane exists ] ].
May I say, I bike much, much more than I drive [ heading out on my bike right now ] - and I cycle all winter.

Thanks
Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on November 27, 2010 at 6:07pm
Al: You just described how you drive in the bike lane northbound north of the bridge before Division. Please stop driving here. There is not a parking or a shared lane here but a bike lane, which you can see in this map.

Also included in this construction project is a redesign of the Halsted/Division intersection. It's not clear what the design entails - the plans I had access to have since become outdated (they showed no bike lanes at the intersection, no bike lanes on the bridge).

I agree that a bridge with 4 travel lanes and 2 bike-only travel lanes is not logical as Halsted has only 1 travel lane in each direction for most of its length up and down the city, in addition to bike-only travel lanes, or marked shared lanes (more importantly, the segments immediately north and south of the bridge have 2 travel lanes and 2 bike-only travel lanes). The number of cars traveling along this segment does not seem high enough to warrant the additional lanes. The point of congestion near this bridge is the intersection of Halsted/Division. The potholes, railroad tracks, and lack of left-turn lanes and other lane demarcation cause it to be an inefficient traffic junction.

The great thing about the new bridge is that will have a 100% concrete deck. No more open grate metal deck here!

Al Ribskis said:
Hi,

I'd offer the thought that the new bridge having 2 lanes in each direction would be logical. On the ( relatively
few ) times I drive there, when going northbound, immediately after the bridge I often make use of the curb lane. . . . . . . no parking is allowed there, it's always clear. I have a small (narrow) car and it's a pleasure to make progress in this available lane, instead of being yet another car lined up in single-lane jammed traffic.

( I hasten to add, when I do this, I am super-aware for bicyclists and I'll stay in the main traffic lane until
any/all bikes are clear)
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on November 27, 2010 at 7:42pm
Al,

There are two bridges on Halsted between Chicago and Division. From a look at GoogleMaps, I'm leaning towards you talking about the one further north which has an offshoot going to Kingsbury just north of the bridge on the east side of the street.

There actually is a marked bike lane there(first bridge south of Division). So, you shouldn't be driving there - it's not legal. And it just takes a few seconds of not being "super-aware" to make a cyclist have a really bad day.

Al Ribskis said:
Hi,

I'd offer the thought that the new bridge having 2 lanes in each direction would be logical. On the ( relatively
few ) times I drive there, when going northbound, immediately after the bridge I often make use of the curb
lane. . . . . . . no parking is allowed there, it's always clear. I have a small ( narrow ) car and it's a pleasure
to make progress in this available lane, instead of being yet another car lined up in single-lane jammed traffic.

( I hasten to add, when I do this, I am super-aware for bicyclists and I'll stay in the main traffic lane until
any/all bikes are clear )

South of the bridge/ travelling southbound it's different, as there is parking; thus it seems the new bridge/new plan
should have no parking here as well : thus making Halsted a totally-clear 4 lanes from north of Division down to almost Grand Ave. ( whoops ! I mean, a clear 4 lanes PLUS dedicated bike lanes ! )
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on November 27, 2010 at 7:55pm
But why would you exit a lane that you'll just have to merge back into further north?

It's like drivers on the Interstates who speed up to the front when there's a lane merge for construction. They're going to have merge back into the lane they should've stayed in anyway.
Al Ribskis said:
Yes ! I am very aware . . . . . . and, the city has many signs along bike route streets which read : Shared Lane
Yield to Bikes , Now, can't say if one of these signs exists along Halsted; regardless, as I noted: when I wish to
make a driving move like this, I use my mirrors while I'm in the main traffic lane. If I see no bikes whatsoever
approaching, only then do I use the ( shared ) lane.
The key thing here, certainly, is ' shared ' . . . . . . if , if : there are no bicycles at all on a stretch of street, I can help
the greater good of everyone who is driving by helping every driver's progress [ I'm one less car sitting in a jammed up
lane of traffic; doing so does not make much sense when a completely clear, available lane exists ] ].
May I say, I bike much, much more than I drive [ heading out on my bike right now ] - and I cycle all winter.

Thanks
Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on November 28, 2010 at 1:54pm
Unrelated, sorta, but they repaved a part of Halsted in Lincoln park/Boystown. Soooo smooth to ride on. :-)
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on November 28, 2010 at 2:26pm
And Broadway in Uptown, Lawrence to Montrose. :)
Mike Zumwalt said:
Unrelated, sorta, but they repaved a part of Halsted in Lincoln park/Boystown. Soooo smooth to ride on. :-)
Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on November 29, 2010 at 10:11am
If anyone rides this way today, please let us know how the detour goes.

The recommended detour for people riding bikes is to scoot east to Kingsbury to connect between Division and Chicago. Adds a half mile to the commute.
Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on November 29, 2010 at 3:16pm
Gonna have to take my chances with going north on Larrabee from Chicago and the ghetto.
Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on November 30, 2010 at 6:43pm
Chicagoist.com blogged about it here.
Permalink Reply by Laura on May 8, 2012 at 12:49am
It's open! Both bridges! You can finally ride or drive from Chicago ave to division via Halsted! This is something that I have not been able to do for the whole year and a half I have lived in my apartment!
Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on May 8, 2012 at 5:02am
Nice! I'll give it a ride on my commute home today. How is it crossing both bridges on a bike in regards to car traffic?
Permalink Reply by Duppie on May 15, 2012 at 3:20am

I tried it northbound last night. While there was a concrete layer installed on the bike lane, it was cordoned off for no apparent reason, forcing northbound riders to ride over the grated bridge. Not fun

I'm sure it will be nice once it is complete, but in the meantime I'll avoid it.

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