New protected bike lanes announced - Elston, 18th

Our team at the MBAC meeting just let us know that Elston (Division to North) and 18th (Clinton to Clark) will be the next protected bike lanes by the end of this year!

 

Thanks, CDOT!

 

Ethan Spotts, Active Trans

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Permalink Reply by Matt Wolfe on September 16, 2011 at 2:00am
YES - that stretch of 18th is really useful, but also really scary.  That is the worst bridge in the city IMO and the speeding cars don't help.  Lately we've taken to riding the sidewalk over that bridge, but then you can't even get back on to the road without dismounting because there isn't a ramp.  This will be a huge improvement.  

Anne Alt said:
I think the improvements to 18th will help a lot of people.  This route may not see the volume of commute traffic that Milwaukee and Kinzie get, but it's important to many cyclists at all hours throughout the week.

Dubi Kaufmann said:
Awesome. The bridge on 18th needs those bike friendly panels.
Permalink Reply by Betsy M on September 16, 2011 at 3:48am
WOAH! Awesome news. :-) I actually do like Elston to bike on.
Permalink Reply by Ashley on September 16, 2011 at 3:48am

CDOT is working on a new configuration of Damen Elston Fullerton.  My company worked on the Phase I design for this project.  See more information here - http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdot/supp_info/damen-els...

 

As a cyclist and engineer this is pretty exciting to see all of the bike friendly improvements happening across the city.

Permalink Reply by Scott on September 16, 2011 at 4:17am
Agree with the comments above re Elston.  I use the Cortland area to Logan Blvd, and it is a disaster.
Permalink Reply by Sebastian Baptiste on September 16, 2011 at 5:22am
Completely agree with Duppie, and many others. A protected lane on Elston from Courtland to Western (ATA—have you tried that stretch going south on a Saturday lately??) is needed. ATA, you are way too easy to please.
Permalink Reply by Kristin Komorowski on September 16, 2011 at 5:32am

I'm excited about any added safety to my regular route & one that joins the lake front to western city folk but the proposed bike lane to be added on 18th is a cushion between 2 biking hazard areas (under freeway & at lake shore path) due to the absence of any form of traffic control at the lakefront's converging point and the freeway-thinking cars entering and exiting as the protected lane ends.

Another concern about bringing more bikers onto 18th st is the disappearing bike lanes - cars easily forget about the bikers because the whole street does not have a bike lane. I say just paint out (I have some paint & will do this myself if budget or time prevent the powers that be) a bike lane all the way from halstead (an economic hub for the area) to calumet (the recreational entrance). I almost think it's worse for a street to have partial bike lanes and then they just disappear leaving bikers, cars, and peds to duke it out for space on the road.

Not addressing the end of 18th where cars, bikes, and peds converge causes daily issues for all 3 types of travelers. We're going to see more accidents as 18th becomes more traveled with the new section of lane that may entice recreational bikers who are not as experienced navigating free for all roads/sidewalks (even road warriors can be caught biking on the sidewalk at 18th/calumet).

Since the bike lanes disappear at Indiana and 18th, though not a heavily trafficked stretch, the roads and sidewalks become a free for all as bikes and peds cross the street and use the sidewalk to get onto the lake shore path. peds cross before, at and after the curve, while bikers ride on the sidewalk to get to the path since there is no curb-cut.

On the greatful side,  it will be nice to safely travel to the new section of tom-ping park at the 18th st bridge. Yay more protected bike routes!

Permalink Reply by Chuckchuck on September 16, 2011 at 7:33am

Also, it will get more drivers used to the protected lanes and create awareness.  The east side of Elston is mostly free of intersections.  It's a good move because it creates inevitability of the PBL.

 

My favorite would be a creating Ravenswood Corridor creating PBL's on the track side in each direction. The footings are even there for a couple of flyovers at the busy intersections.  Get bikes off Clark and Damen/Lincoln and onto Ravenswood from Evanston to almost Belmont...

Duppie said:

I'll go out on a limb and say that the location of these bike lanes has to do with feasibility more than need.

Of the four bike lanes announced three are on streets that have relatively few residents and or retail businesses, so there is no one around to complain. Smart moves by the respective aldermen that carries little political risk

 

I still want to see them put a bike lane on Milwaukee/Clark/Wells/Lincoln/Southport/Name-any-other-street-in-a-gentrified-neighborhood-with-lots-of-retail.

Permalink Reply by Madopal (16.5 mi) on September 16, 2011 at 7:54am
Is there any word on whether the lanes will use the pylons a la Kinzie or whether they'll actually do separated curbing?
Permalink Reply by Becca on September 16, 2011 at 8:16am

The Division to North stretch of Elston isn't very far.  It's going to be a tiny island of extra safety.  I can only hope this is the first step to make a larger section of that street protected.  As others have mentioned, ideally Elston would be protected all the way from its origin point to Belmont.

Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on September 16, 2011 at 9:32am

CDOT said a bike-friendly bridge deck will NOT happen when the protected bike lane is constructed in 2011. This is because of a "manufacturing delay."


Dubi Kaufmann said:

Awesome. The bridge on 18th needs those bike friendly panels.
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on September 16, 2011 at 9:36am
If I remember correctly, they did say they planned to add the panels early next year.

Steven Vance said:

CDOT said a bike-friendly bridge deck will NOT happen when the protected bike lane is constructed in 2011. This is because of a "manufacturing delay."


Dubi Kaufmann said:

Awesome. The bridge on 18th needs those bike friendly panels.
Permalink Reply by K. on September 16, 2011 at 11:47am
Rock and ROLLLLLLL!

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