Infrequent rider (lately) loves the new and improved King Drive

I no longer work downtown and so have almost no occasion to use King Drive now that it has been thoughtfully improved by reducing car lanes from four to three (or from three to two, depending on the stretch) and widening the bike lane, which is not the "technical term". I enjoyed riding this a couple of weeks ago, and almost felt safer, until some joe tried to make a right turn in front of me from the adjacent lane to my left (WHAT are People THINKING). 

Wherever possible, it would be nice to see the wider bike lane instead of the protected lanes where bikers are next to the curb. In my super humble opinion, it's just more natural and doesn't make us seem like such a special population. Go ahead, bring it on....I know I'll be in the minority here. Anyway, it's not possible in most locations, but the South Side has excessively wide streets, so it was easy peasy on King Dr. 

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Permalink Reply by Gail Garcia on April 13, 2013 at 2:17am

If I recall from a community meeting last year where it was discussed, it should be the whole of it within the fourth ward boundary at minimum, which may not land you as far south as the lower 50's, but I rode from 45th to right before McCormick (I turn off where Mercy is, forget the street) and it was wide. Either way, further south it is still a designated bike route to Washington Park, so you'd still have a lane, however wide. 

I'd love to hear about your ride, your experience, especially if you don't often use the routes here in Kenwood and Hyde Park. Since moving here I don't bike quite as often; it's a little more hectic for me and I have gotten a bit wimpy.

Good luck!

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on April 13, 2013 at 4:47am

I haven't tried it since it was reconfigured. Might go that way tomorrow.

Permalink Reply by Mark on April 13, 2013 at 9:35am

Gail,

You are not alone.  Lots of us think the wider buffered lanes are safer than the PBL's which are along the curb.  Cyclists are more visible and have more control getting through intersections when they are next to traffic and not penned in against the curb.

Permalink Reply by Gail Garcia on April 13, 2013 at 10:44am

Thanks Mark.

I just went out to 35th from Garfield, and I realize that I was off in my description. It's not buffered until past 35th. So, south of 35th what they did was paint an extra stripe a half foot from the first. I'm sure there's a technical name for that. North of 35th, there is space on either side of the bike lane, painted, so that you really have a nice ride. But as I mentioned, north of 35th up til McCormick it's crazy wide, and there just was not the car traffic to merit such "lane-age". So it's been reduced for cars and increased for bikes.

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