The Chainlink

i love how certain bike lanes in certain neighborhoods are the first casualty of winter

Sarcasm of course.

The other day i was riding down Warren Street between kedzie and western and half the cars are parked in the bike lane which i guess is more convenient than trying to park closer to the curb with all the snow piles. The bike lane also act as storage for snow. So im pushed into the street while cars fly past me inches away and honk at me like im inconveniencing them.

By contrast the bike lane on dearborn street downtown has been nicely maintained.

What are some other bike lanes that are honored in winter? What bike lanes are the first casualty?

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I also slipped and fell off my bike on that recent black ice day. My bike basket broke but i was fortunately ok. Hope you feel better soon Brian.

I absolutely agree. Slapping paint on the road is worthless without a year-round commitment to keep the bike lane cleared and passable, whether it be from vehicles or weather. 

More on topic, the Elston bike lanes are very spotty. Lots of snow/car occupancy up north, and some unplowed lengths south of Division.


Brian said:

Until the city figures out how to properly maintain the closed off bike lanes in the winter, I think adding more of these are a poor idea and negatively impact winter bike commuters. I wish there was a way to add removable plastic barriers that could be taken out in the winter so the bike lanes could be plowed and salted properly with the trucks that do an adequate job. What they do now in the protected lanes is a joke. 

I am quickly becoming an opponent of bike lanes, especially the separated lanes. The city has no ability to maintain them in winter. I would rather just have sharrows and ride with traffic.

Bicycles should be a part of traffic and not seperated. Even in the warmer seasons, I'd prefer to ride with traffic...sharing the road and riding responcibly.

Washington Blvd from Ogden to Morgan. After big snow it was plowed only to the outside edge of car parallel parking line, cars occupying the entire bike lane. This may still be the case -- I ride on Monroe to get downtown.

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