Oh Dearborn! A virtual tour of Chicago's first 2-way protected bike lane

Did you blink yesterday? If so you missed CDOT painting the "game-changing" new 2-way protected bike lane on Dearborn Street from Polk Street to the Chicago River. The striping is already complete, although the lane won't be ready to ride until the flexible posts, signs and bike-specific traffic signals are done. Here's a virtual tour of the new facility so far:

http://gridchicago.com/2012/oh-my-dearborn-the-2-way-protected-bike...


Keep moving forward,

John Greenfield

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on December 5, 2012 at 6:40am

Really, what do they expect to gain from interviewing people? News flash: bikers will like the protected lane and drivers will hate it.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 5, 2012 at 6:40am

My message to NBC 5 (email address tips at nbcchicago dot com - sorry, link function for email address failed):

What constructive purpose is served by a garbage "news" piece like the
one you ran this morning regarding the new Dearborn bike lanes?

Is there room for wider streets and more cars in our city?  No.  It's
time to get our heads out of the sand and find better ways to move
people with fewer cars on the road.  Better bike accommodations and
improved transit are good ways to achieve that goal.

Perhaps you might contact Gabe Klein of CDOT, and folks at the Active
Transportation Alliance so that you can learn more about this
innovative approach to green transportation.  An educational and
informative piece about this change and the introduction of other
protected and buffered bike lanes across the city would be much more
useful than one based in ignorance like the piece run this morning.

I hope you will offer us some quality journalism on this subject soon.

Anne Alt
community volunteer - Streets for Cycling 2020 Plan

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on December 5, 2012 at 7:05am

This is why I've lost most respect for newspaper journalists. All they seem to care about nowadays is driving traffic to their site by going after low hanging fruit and creating controversy – not actual journalistic integrity.

Cameron Puetz said:

They expected to gain some video that was easy to produce, filled some airtime, and drove people to their website. We're talking about it and it probably wasn't hard to film (they usually have a truck sort of milling about around there most mornings), so it sounds like they got what they were looking for.

Adam Herstein said:

Really, what do they expect to gain from interviewing people? News flash: bikers will like the protected lane and drivers will hate it.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 5, 2012 at 8:29am

And TV "journalism" like the Channel 5 piece is often worse than the print pieces.

Adam Herstein said:

This is why I've lost most respect for newspaper journalists. All they seem to care about nowadays is driving traffic to their site by going after low hanging fruit and creating controversy – not actual journalistic integrity.

Cameron Puetz said:

They expected to gain some video that was easy to produce, filled some airtime, and drove people to their website. We're talking about it and it probably wasn't hard to film (they usually have a truck sort of milling about around there most mornings), so it sounds like they got what they were looking for.

Adam Herstein said:

Really, what do they expect to gain from interviewing people? News flash: bikers will like the protected lane and drivers will hate it.

Permalink Reply by Grace Van Moer 8.25 mi on December 5, 2012 at 8:30am

I work at the corner of Dearborn & Madison and just want to give a heads up to bikers who will be using the Dearborn PBL when it's open.

1. Midblock between Monroe & Madison there was a cab stand.  This morning someone had moved the construction horse onto the sidewalk and there were two cabs doing drop off/pick up at that location in the bike lane.  Hopefully that will be rectified when the posts go in, but please be aware that's where people are used to picking up cabs - they probably won't be looking for a southbound biker when they step off the curb to hail a cab.

2.  Midblock between Madison & Washington - drop off & pick up for the childcare center in the 69 W. Washington building.  Parents + small children + strollers + diaper bags = CAUTION until everyone gets with the new program.  Some people use the alley, others just park on the street.  Again hopefully the posts will help with this, but I've seen kids get away from parents on a pretty regular basis at that location.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on December 5, 2012 at 8:39am

A sign has been put up on a lamp post on the northwest corner of Randolph and Dearborn that says "No Skateboarding"!

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on December 5, 2012 at 8:42am

The cabs that typically line up at the hotel just north of the river before Kinzie have already moved to the outside of the bike lane.  Usually those cabs are going into the hotel rather than picking up people from the sidewalk, but that will also be a problem in addition to the left turning cabs and the cars coming out of the hotel driveway onto Dearborn.
 
Grace Van Moer said:

* * * * *

1. Midblock between Monroe & Madison there was a cab stand.  This morning someone had moved the construction horse onto the sidewalk and there were two cabs doing drop off/pick up at that location in the bike lane.  Hopefully that will be rectified when the posts go in, but please be aware that's where people are used to picking up cabs - they probably won't be looking for a southbound biker when they step off the curb to hail a cab.

* * * * *

Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on December 5, 2012 at 9:35am

Some nice press from Streetsblog:

 

Chicago Bike Lane Envy Sweeps the Nation

Posted By Angie Schmitt On December 5, 2012 @ 11:22 am In Network Roundup | 18 Comments

Who would have thunk it just two years ago: Portland, Seattle — even some New York City residents — jealous of Chicago’s cutting-edge bike infrastructure.

[1]

Admit it: Chicago's new Dearborn bike lane makes you a wee bit jealous. Photo: Active Transportation Alliance [2]

But here we sit, roughly a year and a half into Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s first term, and the city of Chicago has a protected, bi-directional bike lane [3] running directly through the heart of its downtown. Bike advocates from major cities are taking notice.

Here’s what Jonathan Maus at Bike Portland [4] had to say:

That’s a segment of over one mile on a high-profile downtown street in one of America’s largest cities.

“That’s huge and symbolic,” tweeted Portland Mercury News Editor Denis Theriault upon hearing the news, “[Would] Be like putting one here on Washington or Everett.”

Yeah. If only.

While excited by what’s happening in Chicago (and D.C., and San Francisco, and so on), I can’t help but think how great it would be if Portland could muster something this big.

Tom Fucoloro at Seattle Bike Blog [5] just came out and said he’s “envious” in a recent post:

Seattle can’t wait longer. We’re suddenly in a place where we’re envious of Chicago’s bike lanes. That’s crazy. We are falling behind because we are not making bold and smart investments in cycling infrastructure where we need it most. There won’t be a huge increase in the number of people cycling until we make significant improvements to the streets people need to use the most.

Even New York City residents have been impressed by Chicago’s determination [6] to reallocate space from cars to bikes.

I think Chicago’s burgeoning reputation for bold street redesigns was exactly what Rahm Emanuel had in mind when he got elected and picked Gabe Klein to lead his transportation department. Looks like he’s living up to his reputation as a guy who can get stuff done.

Elsewhere on the Network today: Beyond DC [7] reports that some major Amtrak upgrades are in store for Virginia. WalkBikeJersey [8] says that Atlantic City is making much-needed efforts to improve bike-friendliness. And WABA [9] celebrates the official opening of the L Street protected bike lane in Washington, D.C.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on December 5, 2012 at 9:36am

Motorists just got Lower Wacker back; let us have a lane on Dearborn.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 5, 2012 at 9:37am

Thanks for the warning on these locations.  I've seen several cabs (morning and lunchtime) standing in the parking lane by Chase.  Hopefully more of them will get the word quickly.

The day care situation may be more challenging - good reason to go slow there at morning or evening rush hour.

Grace Van Moer said:

I work at the corner of Dearborn & Madison and just want to give a heads up to bikers who will be using the Dearborn PBL when it's open.

1. Midblock between Monroe & Madison there was a cab stand.  This morning someone had moved the construction horse onto the sidewalk and there were two cabs doing drop off/pick up at that location in the bike lane.  Hopefully that will be rectified when the posts go in, but please be aware that's where people are used to picking up cabs - they probably won't be looking for a southbound biker when they step off the curb to hail a cab.

2.  Midblock between Madison & Washington - drop off & pick up for the childcare center in the 69 W. Washington building.  Parents + small children + strollers + diaper bags = CAUTION until everyone gets with the new program.  Some people use the alley, others just park on the street.  Again hopefully the posts will help with this, but I've seen kids get away from parents on a pretty regular basis at that location.

Permalink Reply by NYC (7.0 mi) on December 5, 2012 at 9:42am

3. Watch out for the people lining up at the food trucks by Chase. Some strategic line splitting was in order today.

Permalink Reply by Cheryl on December 6, 2012 at 8:09am

Unfortunately, parked cars have taken over. I work one building over and last night as well as right now, there are parked cars in that lane... hopefully not developing a habit.

Lisa Curcio said:

The cabs that typically line up at the hotel just north of the river before Kinzie have already moved to the outside of the bike lane.  Usually those cabs are going into the hotel rather than picking up people from the sidewalk, but that will also be a problem in addition to the left turning cabs and the cars coming out of the hotel driveway onto Dearborn.
 
Grace Van Moer said:

* * * * *

1. Midblock between Monroe & Madison there was a cab stand.  This morning someone had moved the construction horse onto the sidewalk and there were two cabs doing drop off/pick up at that location in the bike lane.  Hopefully that will be rectified when the posts go in, but please be aware that's where people are used to picking up cabs - they probably won't be looking for a southbound biker when they step off the curb to hail a cab.

* * * * *

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