Ideas About Bridges.

I don't have to ride into the loop much, but each time I do, I find the grated bridges to be the source of some anxiety, in wet and icy conditions like these in particular.  Slippery!   

Since the city does some nice things by cyclists, I think the powers that be might be receptive to a reasonable fix to make the bridges a little less treacherous.  

I'm envisioning some kind of treatment to create a bike lane that is not so slick, but I don't know what.  Any ideas?  

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Permalink Reply by Jen P on February 15, 2010 at 10:57pm
The Wells bridge is a comfortable stretch yet the silence of my stealth beneath those kathy plates can be alarming. I momentarily forget about the grip and think I'm gliding on ice or wet painted lane lines...my own thing but anyways...what i am not a fan of is that four-five foot metal grate that looms just beyond the wells/wacker light. Twixt navigating left-turners when the bike lane ends and merging with traffic through the light, the last thing I want to think about is if I have enough speed to bunnyhop it(never really do). Then...then!...if I have chosen to stay to the right I have to remember that piece of metal that is part of that divet and then a little further...the list could go on.

I don't really see too much being done in the way of making bridges safer for cyclists in Chicago, or rather, I don't see it as a priority. My suggestions would be to switch to a knobbier tire, use the sidewalks ooorrrr, which to me completely defeats one of the many reasons to cycle, plan your route before you leave.

I will use the sidewalk on occassions when it is not conjested and I don't feel like playin tight-ass over a wet/sloppy bridge.


Oh, and stay off the Lasalle bridge.
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on February 16, 2010 at 2:31am
Yep, having to cross the right turn lane at the end of the Wells St. bridge can be annoying. However, if you are crossing the bridge, remember that the light at Wacker is a short one. I'm usually making a left onto Wacker. I watch the light and try to reach the intersection after it's turned red. Then I use the crosswalk to go over to the lefthand lane and position myself to make the turn when the light turns green again.

FYI - I rarely have trouble with the grated bridges on wider tires. Skinny tires or smaller tires (20" or smaller, on folding bikes, recumbents, etc.) are more squirrelly on the grates, regardless of where you are on the bridge. Going in a straight line on the grates is less tricky than turning/changing lanes.

Chris B said:
The only problem with the Wells bridge is the R hand turn lane at the end which is annoying. Esp when you ride it every day :) But yeah it would be nice if every bridge had one or at least the bridges on streets with bike lanes.

I never thought of taking State. I take Dearborn, which has grates but so far i've been ok. I try to stay straight when I go across. I guess I could take State then go west after the bridge.

Hmm i just checked that bikeforums link out, I didn't realize people crashed on the bridges, is that by where the 2 halves connect? Is it because I have a fat tired MTB only that I never noticed a problem?
Permalink Reply by Brendan Kevenides on February 16, 2010 at 6:42am
Crossing those grates is the one thing I hate when I ride to the office. Thanks for the info regarding Wells and State St.
Permalink Reply by alewyfe on February 16, 2010 at 9:16am
I've been thinking about this a lot lately too, especially after last weeks snowfall left the sidewalks impassable (I often hop up onto the sidewalk to get around wet or icy grated bridges- I've fallen one too many times to risk it again... while I try to be considerate of any pedestrians also sharing my path, this is not an ideal solution... and doesn't work at all when there are 8" of snow on the sidewalk). The original "Kathy Plates" were the work of a letter-writing campaign by Kathy Schubert and a few other cyclists... perhaps we could once again turn up the heat? In particular, I'd like the bridges between Division and Chicago on Halsted fixed, and the ones just west of Halsted on Division... though I'm sure everyone has a least-favorite bridge that they encounter daily or frequently. There aren't any good ways that I know of to get around these particular bridges on my commute, and they add a great deal of fear and danger to my daily ride. If motorists had to deal with this, I'm sure that something would have been done by now. There are enough other things for us to worry about on our rides... my heart lurches and my pulse races every time I have to cross on of these cyclist-cheese-graters. anyone have stats on how much those textured plates cost the city to install? Wanna churn out some letters, faxes, and phone calls (both polite and angry) to streets and san or other appropriate authorities? You know what they say about the squeaky wheel... if we don't complain, nothing will be done.

Chicago Bicycle Advocate said:
Crossing those grates is the one thing I hate when I ride to the office. Thanks for the info regarding Wells and State St.
Permalink Reply by Liz on September 2, 2010 at 3:26am
Since the traffic jam in front of the train stations makes me edgy I usually turn down Kinzie to State. State street is filled in and fine, but kinzie felt really slippery. Has anyone tried Grand or know if that's open grating? Worst case next time its wet/icy I could just walk the bridge at kinzie, but figured I'd see if anyone had a better route suggestion.
Permalink Reply by Mark on September 2, 2010 at 3:53am
I use the Wabash bridge. It's all concrete - and hardly any traffic. The State bridge is also concrete, but watch out for partial grating on the south end.
Permalink Reply by heather s on September 2, 2010 at 4:21am
I know we discussed this in my bike planning class this summer, but it doesn't look like I wrote it down - so don't quote me. But I think that every time major repairs are done on a grated bridge, they are supposed to put in Kathy plates or fill in sections with concrete, like what you see on Washington St. (or Monroe? one of those). I think it's just an issue of communication between the Bike Program and the engineers working on the bridge, who aren't necessarily keeping cyclists in mind.
Permalink Reply by Liz on September 2, 2010 at 4:23am
They did major repairs to the division street bridges this year, and did not put plates in. It is especially frustrating becaust CDOT's reponse to not making North Ave bridge bike friendly was to take Division St.

heather s said:
I know we discussed this in my bike planning class this summer, but it doesn't look like I wrote it down - so don't quote me. But I think that every time major repairs are done on a grated bridge, they are supposed to put in Kathy plates or fill in sections with concrete, like what you see on Washington St. (or Monroe? one of those). I think it's just an issue of communication between the Bike Program and the engineers working on the bridge, who aren't necessarily keeping cyclists in mind.
Permalink Reply by Eric R on May 20, 2011 at 6:41am
I have a view of the Randolph St. bridge from the kitchen area in my office. It looks like metal plates have been placed on the bridge on the north side, the white/light gray strip.
Permalink Reply by Barry Niel Stuart on May 20, 2011 at 9:46am
Here in Milwaukee, several bridges over the Milwaukee River downtown have had perforated metal plates called "Slip-Not" plates installed.  These plates work very well in maintaining traction for bicyclists on the bridges whether it's dry or rainy.  You might suggest this to your aldermen there in Chicago.
Permalink Reply by jennifer james on May 21, 2011 at 3:58pm

We take many of the bridges as we go through town. We ride the plates in good weather but never with the kids on the bike in rain or snow. We did a little post on the bridges because the views from them are so beautiful. I second the Wabash bridge in the loop- it is very quiet and concrete the whole way across.

Careful of the debris on the Cortland bridge- I sidewalk that one with kids on the bike every time.

Permalink Reply by Michael Malone on May 22, 2011 at 3:38am
i like to look down at the river. if you un focus your eyes sometimes it feels like flying.

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