The Chainlink

Kinzie. It's what's next.

Hopefully you've heard by now that CDOT will begin construction this week on the city's first protected bike lane: Kinzie Street from Milwaukee Avenue/Desplaines Street to Wells Street. 

 

Full story on Steven Can Plan. 

 

I want to know what you think about this.

  • What do you feel will need special attention?
  • Is this the right or wrong location for such a facility? Why?
  • Are you going to thank/congratulate Rahm, Gabe, and the CDOT Bicycle Program?
  • Will you use it?

 

Cycle track and protected bike lane naysayers, this isn't the post for you. But if you've ridden in protected bike lanes before, then I welcome your constructive comments and criticism based on your actual experiences. 

Big intersection

The new beginning. Looking southeast at the intersection of Kinzie/Milwaukee/Desplaines. 

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Permalink Reply by Michelle S on June 24, 2011 at 8:39am
I'd like to also plead all bicyclists stop at stop signs when cars are present, always, but especially on Kinzie, which will be closely watched as Chicago's experimental protected bike lane. Motorists are understandably pissed off when they see a stream of cyclists blow through as if they have an invisible green light that only they can see. There's going to be so much public backlash against protected lanes as it is; let's not give them more fuel for the fire.
Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on June 24, 2011 at 9:00am

I was in a line of bikes, got to the stop after people on bikes stopped then watched as cars just kept turning left and right sometimes with the rear hanging in the lane so I rode in between a cab where he proclaimed he was turning or something like that I thought, "yeah just like all the other cars", you stop and follow the rules on a bike they just muscle in anyway then had to continue forward swing out into traffic to get around a vehicle parked in the lane.

 

 

 

Whew!

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on June 24, 2011 at 9:18am

The people who say that Kinzie's changes are not good for cars are not paying attention.  The road went from 2 to 4 lanes haphazardly and this did NOT help traffic flow at every merge back to two.  

 

As for stopping and starting again, I'll continue to Idaho stop.  There are some stops on Kinzie where the protected bike lane should just say "Bikes no stop" because there is NO REASON to need to stop there as the bike lane is protected and there is nothing to stop FOR. 

 

Laws are meant to serve people, not the other way around. 

Permalink Reply by Duppie on June 24, 2011 at 9:19am
Bingo!

Michelle said:
[...]
Motorists are understandably pissed off when they see a stream of cyclists blow through as if they have an invisible green light that only they can see. There's going to be so much public backlash against protected lanes as it is; let's not give them more fuel for the fire.
Permalink Reply by Duppie on June 24, 2011 at 9:25am

When I used the word 'blow' I used it as defined by you.

http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/why-cant-cyclists-follow-t...

I agree that rolling through a stop sign when no other traffic is around is OK, but forcing the truck to stop after he has entered the intersection is just moronic.

James Baum said:

The people who say that Kinzie's changes are not good for cars are not paying attention.  The road went from 2 to 4 lanes haphazardly and this did NOT help traffic flow at every merge back to two.  

 

As for stopping and starting again, I'll continue to Idaho stop.  There are some stops on Kinzie where the protected bike lane should just say "Bikes no stop" because there is NO REASON to need to stop there as the bike lane is protected and there is nothing to stop FOR. 

 

Laws are meant to serve people, not the other way around. 

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on June 24, 2011 at 9:55am

Most people, in my experience, use the word "blow" when refering to anyone who does not stop, regardless of yielding the right of way or other traffic or not.

 

Idaho stop, by definition, does not ignore the stop sign but instead turns it into a true YIELD.   Yielding to other traffic that has stopped and has the right of way is implicit in the very concept of Idaho stop as it was envisioned in the original Idaho bill and later in the Oregon Law. 

 

I believe that most people who see someone going through a stop sign without stopping (yielding or not) thinks the bicyclist is "blowing" it because s/he is "breaking the Law" and not coming to a complete and full stop at the magic red octagon sign. 

 

IMHO, failing to yield the right of way is categorically WRONG regardless of the different details of the traffic markings or the letter of the Law.  

 

When I screw up and FAIL to yield in any circumstance where it is my responsiblity and others have the right of way  I am quite capable of fully castigating my own darn self for my stupidity, putting myself  and others in danger, and putting someone off who has to make an emergency adrenaline-filled  maneuver to avoid my idiocy and foolish selfishness.  

 

I don't need an internet nanny to scold me for it on an internet forum.   But when I safely yield the right of way and "blow" through a stop sign and conserve the momentum my 250+ lbs of moving mass while ignoring an innane law I get annoyed by those that slavishly follow authority without thinking of the real reasons behind the traffic codes.  

 

Laws are meant to serve people, not the other way around. 

 



Duppie said:

When I used the word 'blow' I used it as defined by you.

http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/why-cant-cyclists-follow-t...

I agree that rolling through a stop sign when no other traffic is around is OK, but forcing the truck to stop after he has entered the intersection is just moronic.


Permalink Reply by in it to win it 8.0 mi on June 28, 2011 at 8:12am

So I checked out the ever-popular Kinzie Cycle Track this morning.  Took a small detour Westward at Wells/Kinzie.  Nice set-up.  I see some of the points earlier posts bring up; especially winter maintenance.  It was nice to see city employees with leaf blowers clearing debris off the path!  However, I wonder what this apparatus is; how long has it been there?  It's right in the middle of the path with the city "orange netting" wrapped around it.  I hate to think the city or buildings will be using the path as temporary storage for "stuff"?

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on June 28, 2011 at 8:22am

I have never been keen on this style of bike lane and have now used them twice.

 

Both times it was clogged with pedestrians.  Pedestrians who made no effort to move when I dinged my bell at them and, in one case, gave me an angry look when I shouted 'Bike Lane! Sidewalks on the north side!'

 

One of the times I was trapped behind a pair of cyclists setting a side by side pace that could best be described as glacial; this was after waving to put in much effort to pass a wobbler moving only slightly faster.

 

I am still not convinced this is the future.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on June 28, 2011 at 8:44am

That is extremely strange.  It is sitting over one of the manholes in the street which seems to be open somewhat.  The thing is very hard to see -do you have a better picture of it close up or can you zoom in on the original and crop it?

 

I almost want to say it is an electrical transformer as it is the right color and about the correct shape and size for a 75KVA unit.  -but I can't imagine them leaving such a thing right there even if there was a need for it. I wonder if it is still there and what exactly it is.  

 



in it to win it said:

So I checked out the ever-popular Kinzie Cycle Track this morning.  Took a small detour Westward at Wells/Kinzie.  Nice set-up.  I see some of the points earlier posts bring up; especially winter maintenance.  It was nice to see city employees with leaf blowers clearing debris off the path!  However, I wonder what this apparatus is; how long has it been there?  It's right in the middle of the path with the city "orange netting" wrapped around it.  I hate to think the city or buildings will be using the path as temporary storage for "stuff"?

Permalink Reply by in it to win it 8.0 mi on June 28, 2011 at 8:54am


James Baum said:

That is extremely strange.  It is sitting over one of the manholes in the street which seems to be open somewhat.  The thing is very hard to see -do you have a better picture of it close up or can you zoom in on the original and crop it?

 

I almost want to say it is an electrical transformer as it is the right color and about the correct shape and size for a 75KVA unit.  -but I can't imagine them leaving such a thing right there even if there was a need for it. I wonder if it is still there and what exactly it is.  

 



in it to win it said:

So I checked out the ever-popular Kinzie Cycle Track this morning.  Took a small detour Westward at Wells/Kinzie.  Nice set-up.  I see some of the points earlier posts bring up; especially winter maintenance.  It was nice to see city employees with leaf blowers clearing debris off the path!  However, I wonder what this apparatus is; how long has it been there?  It's right in the middle of the path with the city "orange netting" wrapped around it.  I hate to think the city or buildings will be using the path as temporary storage for "stuff"?

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on June 28, 2011 at 9:06am

Definetly sitting over a partially-opened manhole so that is why it is there.  Looks to be a Dry Transformer with structural reinforcement support built around it   These things are HEAVY* inside with coils of copper while the outside "box" is quite lightweight and not up to being moved multiple times.  If this is a temporary transformer for field use I would imagine that such a structure built around it would not be unusual.

 

Was there some sort of construction going on elsewhere where they needed a lot of power? Like something going on just off the street or some sort of street or sidewalk faire? It would have been nearby.  Or maybe they are doing work just under the street in one of the tunnels and needed 120/240v power and had to transform down a higher voltage feeder line in order to  get it there.   Maybe they needed to temporarily re-feed a dewatering pump or something in the area for some reason.  It is right next to the bridge. 

 

I don't imagine it will be there very long.  Days at the most.  If it were something that would take a few weeks or months they would have shot a line to the side underground and put it on the curbside with a more permanent installation and painted it yellow or something where nobody would have noticed it. 

 

This is all speculation from someone who does this kind of work...

 

*Heavy as in upwards of 1200lbs.  It's not GOING anywhere.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on June 28, 2011 at 9:16am
Barely visible to the left (on the Merchandise Mart's property) is some sewer replacement project going on. My guess it is related to that.

in it to win it said:

So I checked out the ever-popular Kinzie Cycle Track this morning.  Took a small detour Westward at Wells/Kinzie.  Nice set-up.  I see some of the points earlier posts bring up; especially winter maintenance.  It was nice to see city employees with leaf blowers clearing debris off the path!  However, I wonder what this apparatus is; how long has it been there?  It's right in the middle of the path with the city "orange netting" wrapped around it.  I hate to think the city or buildings will be using the path as temporary storage for "stuff"?

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