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 Steven Vance on July 16, 2011 at 8:21am

The Stony Island project was not cancelled. The Tribune misreported this. 

Stony Island cycle track still on, but conflicting reports

Elihu Blanks said:

Please don't be "glad" that a project is cancelled. I altered my way to the north side yesterday becasue I wanted to try this new route.

 

IT IS BEAUTIFUL, in that cars can park and drive along side bikes. Yes, it is a little congested for bikers and autos but the system seams to flow safely.

 

This system may encourage more people to find better ways to get around becasue it apears safe.

 

In my opinion, to be "glad" that a safe idea is cancelled is just wrong. However, to be glad that it was moved so that it may be expanded is a good thing in my mind.

 

 

...Always Forward,

Steven Vance said:

I read this only moments ago.

I'm glad that project is being cancelled. 

Permalink Reply by Elihu Blanks on July 16, 2011 at 8:44am

GREAT!

 

Man, I am soooo happy to hear this! I mean I've ridden the newly paved trail through Jackson Park to the lakefront and was hopeful that Stony would get a bike lane, till I read this blog.

 

I moved from Palmer Square, in the Logan Square neighboorhood, back home to my Southeast side of Chicago to buy my home and thus pay real taxes / investment into our system. The only thing I missed was the bicycle culture that Alderman Ray Colon supported up there. This culture helped turn me from a leasure mountain biker, who got initiated through miles of single track in Georgia and Florida while in college, to an all conditions (road / off road) year round (Spring / Summer Fall & Winter) biker here in Chicago. I can hang with some of the best of them, for miles, till those road bikers decide to stop playing wuith me and leave me.

 

So now that the bike culture may be speading south I'm more than ready to welcome it and my test run on Kinzie taught me what to expect. I'm not realy worried about the snow becasue that's what off road tires are for and maybe I'll get some that have spikes :)...

 

Now personally, Steven Vance I appologize for what may have seamed like an attack on your opinion of riding on the Southside. Although, I still don't understand what you ment by "glad" I don't think you ment for everyone not to enjoy the flexability that the Northsides offer.

 

...ALWAYS Riding FORWARD Over Adversity,

Steven Vance said:

The Stony Island project was not cancelled. The Tribune misreported this. 

Stony Island cycle track still on, but conflicting reports

Elihu Blanks said:

Please don't be "glad" that a project is cancelled. I altered my way to the north side yesterday becasue I wanted to try this new route.

 

IT IS BEAUTIFUL, in that cars can park and drive along side bikes. Yes, it is a little congested for bikers and autos but the system seams to flow safely.

 

This system may encourage more people to find better ways to get around becasue it apears safe.

 

In my opinion, to be "glad" that a safe idea is cancelled is just wrong. However, to be glad that it was moved so that it may be expanded is a good thing in my mind.

 

 

...Always Forward,

Steven Vance said:

I read this only moments ago.

I'm glad that project is being cancelled. 

Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on July 16, 2011 at 8:48am

I don't think Stony Island will have much effect on either attracting riders to bike more, attracting new people to ride bikes, or to reduce crashes in the area. I think there are other places in the same area that could better do this. 

But I could be wrong. 

Permalink Reply by Elihu Blanks on July 16, 2011 at 8:55am

Ok Steven,

 

Fair enough some people could say that the protected lane isn't enought to stop a 1 ton car from hitting me so I'm still not going to ride it. But it will at least could get people talking about biking and that energy could get more people riding on the Southside wich could grow like a new plant who is planted in fertile ground.

 

I say fertile becasue Stony does have a lot more space to put a protected lane in and it is currently dangerious. If people are forced to slow down on Kinzie then amybe the configuration will have a similar effect on Stony.

 

And when people see me moving gracefuly down Stony then everyone will want to follow.

 

:)

Steven Vance said:

I don't think Stony Island will have much effect on either attracting riders to bike more, attracting new people to ride bikes, or to reduce crashes in the area. I think there are other places in the same area that could better do this. 

But I could be wrong. 

Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on July 16, 2011 at 10:13am

I advise you to contact the alderman for that area and let them know that you support it and want more facilities like that. Our aldermen are, unfortunately, the facilitators or barriers for bicycling projects. They get the final say. 


Elihu Blanks said:

Ok Steven,

Fair enough some people could say that the protected lane isn't enought to stop a 1 ton car from hitting me so I'm still not going to ride it. But it will at least could get people talking about biking and that energy could get more people riding on the Southside wich could grow like a new plant who is planted in fertile ground.

I say fertile becasue Stony does have a lot more space to put a protected lane in and it is currently dangerious. If people are forced to slow down on Kinzie then amybe the configuration will have a similar effect on Stony.

And when people see me moving gracefuly down Stony then everyone will want to follow.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on July 17, 2011 at 4:20am
I'm hopeful that getting protected lanes on Stony Island will inspire more people to ride, because it's such a high profile location.

Elihu Blanks said:

Ok Steven,

 

Fair enough some people could say that the protected lane isn't enought to stop a 1 ton car from hitting me so I'm still not going to ride it. But it will at least could get people talking about biking and that energy could get more people riding on the Southside wich could grow like a new plant who is planted in fertile ground.

 

I say fertile becasue Stony does have a lot more space to put a protected lane in and it is currently dangerious. If people are forced to slow down on Kinzie then amybe the configuration will have a similar effect on Stony.

 

And when people see me moving gracefuly down Stony then everyone will want to follow.

 

:)

Steven Vance said:

I don't think Stony Island will have much effect on either attracting riders to bike more, attracting new people to ride bikes, or to reduce crashes in the area. I think there are other places in the same area that could better do this. 

But I could be wrong. 

Permalink Reply by Gort 12-mile Pinklegneep on July 17, 2011 at 7:43pm
I took Kinzie down to Midnight Marauders and holy crap that was some of the most nerve-wracking riding i've had in the city. Coming up on intersections with turning vehicles that can't see you because of the parked cars blocking your way, pedestrians walking side by side and taking up the full width of the lane, this has got to be some of the worst implementation of a thing I've seen in a while.
Permalink Reply by Active Transportation Alliance on July 19, 2011 at 12:24pm

Heads up, Chainlinkers, NBC5 interviewed us today about the protected bike lane, the story should air Friday on the 10pm news.

 

Thanks,

Ethan Spotts, Active Trans

Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on July 19, 2011 at 2:50pm
I saw NBC filming today at the Kinzie bridge at around 4:45. It looked like Ben Seligman was riding across the bridge in a "posed" shot. 

Active Transportation Alliance said:

Heads up, Chainlinkers, NBC5 interviewed us today about the protected bike lane, the story should air Friday on the 10pm news.

Permalink Reply by vxla on July 20, 2011 at 10:39am
Whatever happened to those plates that were supposed to cover the metal grates on the Kinzie street bridge?
Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on July 20, 2011 at 11:39am

They're to be installed THIS week.

https://twitter.com/CDOTNews/status/93027518612905985

vxla said:

Whatever happened to those plates that were supposed to cover the metal grates on the Kinzie street bridge?
Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on July 20, 2011 at 1:21pm
Looks like an accurate representation of what I see every morning on the protected bike lane-run 4 stop signs, 4 stop lights and fail to yield the right of way to cars and pedestrians. Should be a short-lived experiment in bicycle infrastructure.

Travis Kluska said:

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