I rode Dearborn today...anyone else?

I just missed the press conference and just hung out at lunch to see how it would all work. It seemed easy enough, so I took Dearborn as my starting route home to Roscoe Village. Normally I hit Franklin to Orleans then north to Lincoln.

I have to say, it was pretty easy and relatively safe. The ambassadors were helpful with the the auto traffic. The walkers were easy enough to avoid. I had to chuckle at two riders riding side by side in the lane.

What I didn't see was any oncoming traffic; southbound riders. I am guessing that will come in time or at other times during the day.

Way to go Mayor RE! This is really making a statement.

Who else rode the new path?

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on January 16, 2013 at 5:14am

Do you use a mirror for riding in traffic? I have them on all my bikes. If someone is following closely and I'm stopping, I loudly call out "Stopping" so the person behind can hear me and have a better chance of avoid a collision. It's something I learned from years of group riding that can be useful in an on-street lane.

I don't have a good answer for the speeding cabbie. I wish more of them would get tickets more often, and that judges wouldn't let them skate for high speed violations like that. I know police officers who love writing tickets on guys like that. Of course, for the system to work appropriately, it depends on the police officer showing up for the court date (doesn't always happen) and the judge applying an appropriate penalty (doesn't seem to happen often enough).

Sarah Lewert said:

I'm beginning to think the Dearborn PBL is actually more dangerous than just riding in the street with cars. Just on my ride this morning from Polk to Lake I got hit by a biker behind me when I slammed on my brakes for a pedestrian that jumped out in front of me, had 6 other pedestrians step out in front of me at Monroe, Madison and Washington, then turning right onto Lake almost got hit by a cab doing about 50 mph. What gives? This type of thing, at least for me, is becoming the norm.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on January 16, 2013 at 5:15am

The latest word (yesterday) was that the plates are being made now. No word on a definite installation date yet.

122782_ said:

Still no plates, right? I'd like to try it out but not until they're installed. Does anyone know when they should be?

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on January 16, 2013 at 5:26am

The city dumped about a wheelbarrow of salt at that spot on the northwest corner of Dearborn and Randolph where the puddle takes up the entire southbound lane. They also appear to have broken up the ice--I guess to have the salt actually do something. Seems to be melting the edges, at least, which will allow it to evaporate.

I think it was just stupid driver day today. They were everywhere on my route to work and they weren't just being stupid to cyclists--lots of car drivers were being annoyed by stupid car drivers.

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Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on January 16, 2013 at 6:03am

As has been stated already, CDOT is in the process if acquiring steel plates to install on the Dearborn bridge and should be installed in the next week or so.

Cameron 7.5 mi said:

Then over the weekend I crashed on the grate bridge and was done with Dearborn for good. Why CDOT routed a major bike route over such a terrible bridge I'll never understand. Every meeting I've attended grate bridges are near the top of the concerns list, but there continues to be no action.

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Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on January 16, 2013 at 6:08am

For such a major undertaking (street rework, new stop lights, etc), it remains puzzling how this one simple, yet important, safety measure couldn't be finished in time. They were able to get plates for Clark when the Wells Street bridge was closed for repairs.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

As has been stated already, CDOT is in the process if acquiring steel plates to install on the Dearborn bridge and should be installed in the next week or so.

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Permalink Reply by blair on January 16, 2013 at 6:12am

Agreed. Especially during the winter.

Skip Montanaro 12mi said:

For such a major undertaking (street rework, new stop lights, etc), it remains puzzling how this one simple, yet important, safety measure couldn't be finished in time. They were able to get plates for Clark when the Wells Street bridge was closed for repairs.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on January 16, 2013 at 6:55am

They've heavily salted some other problem locations. I noticed several salted spots between Van Buren and Adams this a.m.

perhaps it's an unannounced "stupid driving day." ;)

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

The city dumped about a wheelbarrow of salt at that spot on the northwest corner of Dearborn and Randolph where the puddle takes up the entire southbound lane. They also appear to have broken up the ice--I guess to have the salt actually do something. Seems to be melting the edges, at least, which will allow it to evaporate.

I think it was just stupid driver day today. They were everywhere on my route to work and they weren't just being stupid to cyclists--lots of car drivers were being annoyed by stupid car drivers.

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Permalink Reply by Deet 4.5mi on January 16, 2013 at 7:00am

Compared to riding for you life down wabash or state i think it is fine, slow but fine. That salt is insane though, it is like a gravel road in places.

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Permalink Reply by maryrachel on January 16, 2013 at 7:27am

I agree with Deet. My commute going north in the evening is fine. Especially when I remember traveling north on Dearborn before the DBL. That was terrifying. I still avoid traveling south. At least until the small ponds of ice disappear.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on January 16, 2013 at 8:16am

Took a walk at lunchtime today. Use extreme caution if you're southbound between Madison and Monroe. Even though a lot of salt has been used, there was a LOT of water along the curb, so now it's a mix of slush and ice. There's a much smaller patch of ice-ringed slush in the middle of the same block. From Van Buren to Washington, this is by far the worse hazard I've seen.