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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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 11, 2012 at 8:06am

Yep, that's a problem.

Meanwhile, I noticed signage and stoplight crews out working during my lunchtime walk - seen at Monroe and at Adams.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on December 11, 2012 at 8:52am

Did not see any wiring going on but signs are being put up at Madison and at Randolph.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 11, 2012 at 9:07am

From what I saw a few weeks ago when stoplights were being installed and what I've heard since, I believe that they're programming the stoplights now, not wiring them.

I watched a guy installing a "watch for bikes" sign (for peds) at Adams. Yeah progress!

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Permalink Reply by Cheryl on December 11, 2012 at 10:32am

Apparently they are installing sensors: http://on.fb.me/UfTHmt

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on December 11, 2012 at 10:47am

I was wondering how they were going to do that. It would drive drivers crazy if they had to wait for those lights to cycle every time even when there was no cyclist at the light. (Are there puns in there?)

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 11, 2012 at 11:20am

Would that be considered a form of recycling? ;) Sorry, couldn't resist.

Lisa Curcio said:

I was wondering how they were going to do that. It would drive drivers crazy if they had to wait for those lights to cycle every time even when there was no cyclist at the light. (Are there puns in there?)

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Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on December 11, 2012 at 12:10pm

Once they get this up and running, I can already predict posts on chainlink about safety stings and cyclists being reprimanded, maybe even ticketed.

I did get that wonderful Kinzie cycletrack feeling the first time I rode Dearborn's partially open path the other day.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on December 12, 2012 at 8:26am

I posted photos on my page--trying to get them into a post was too trying for my brain. Sorry for the quality, but I used my decidedly low tech camera. Whoever thought the lanes would be up and running today might be right, but they were still working at Dearborn and Washington at about 1:00 and the barricades are still up.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 12, 2012 at 9:10am

At Madison

At Monroe

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Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on December 12, 2012 at 9:18am

Do the bike traffic signals have turning lights? How does one turn right while heading northbound (or left while heading southbound)? This would necessitate crossing into the car lanes.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on December 12, 2012 at 9:21am

No right turn signals. I would think there are two choices--get all the way over to the right lane of traffic in the block before you want to turn right or turn right on red after stopping at the red bicycle signal. Northbound cars will also have a red signal so those continuing straight should be stopped. You will potentially have to worry about cars in the far right lane also turning right on red.