The Chainlink

Protected Bike Lanes Planned for Crowded Broadway Stretch

A meeting about plans to bring protected bike lanes to a stretch of Broadway in Uptown drew a mix of about 50 cyclists and motorists with one goal in mind: How to keep both sets of vehicles safe on the busy stretch of road.

Currently, North Broadway — a 70-foot-wide, four-lane street with no median and no designated bike lane accommodations — is due for a safety upgrade, according to Chicago Department of Transportation officials and the cycling community.

The meeting was held in conjunction with the office of Ald. James Cappleman (46th) and city transportation officials at Weiss Memorial Hospital.

Under a new plan to alter the roadway, North Broadway between Montrose and Foster could be a two-lane street with one turn lane, as opposed to the current four-lane configuration in which the outer two lanes share space with parking and cyclists.

"We're very confident we can do a 'road diet' out here," said Michael Amsden, a CDOT senior planner, saying that while the term "road diet" may not be ideally attractive, the benefits from such a transition could save lives.

Though the project is still in its design phase, Amsden said changes to the 1.05-mile stretch of Broadway could be made by the end of the year.

According to Amsden, the bike-centric plan will ultimately slow traffic and make the street safer to cross for the neighborhood's "most vulnerable population."

"Our budget is pretty limited," Amsden told the crowd. "But what we're trying to do now is start the process of making Broadway safer for everyone."

However, a point of future contention will likely be the projected loss of four parking spots along the strip — overall, some spots will be gained in the transition, but others, in an overall net loss, will have to go.

Other changes to the bustling street may include the prohibition of left turns at the Leland Avenue intersection, well-known to regular commuters for its low visibility where the street meets several rows of pillars at a Red Line crossing.

The width of the road, already choked with cars, cyclists, train commuters and buses, narrows to 60 feet between Wilson and Foster, according to CDOT.

While cyclists will still have to share a relatively small space with buses, according to the new plan, protected bike lanes will be included with the road revisions, Amsden said.

Along the stretch, there were 909 motor vehicle accidents between 2006 and 2010, according to CDOT. One was fatal and 23 involved a bike.

Attendees at the meeting represented nearly every major group that would be impacted by the plan, including one motorist who said she "nearly killed a cyclist the other day."

"Thank God there wasn't a car in the lane next to me," the motorist said, explaining how she and the cyclist avoided certain death.

Under the new plan, a center turn lane would eliminate the last-second passing often seen in four-lane traffic when a vehicle makes a left turn, abruptly stopping all traffic behind it.

According to Eric Hanss of Bike Uptown, the plan is a welcome change to "enliven streets, enliven business and improve safety."

"A lot of us over the years have looked at Broadway as a great opportunity," he said.

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20130801/uptown/protected-bike-lane-...

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Permalink Reply by Joe Schmoe on August 1, 2013 at 1:55pm

Yeah, that narrowing after Argyle is haaaairrry.  I ride it home every day.  Broadway during rush hour, w/all the cars headed to Hollywood to get to LSD, and the funky intersection at Bryn Mawr/Broadway/Ridge is just a mess.  Cars always block the box from the left turn lanes, when traffic jams up in the eastbound lanes.  Unfortunately Magnolia/Glenwood are only northbound options starting at Foster, because of the cemetery. 

Permalink Reply by Eli on August 1, 2013 at 2:08pm

It really is a remarkably hostile street. I understand why the street diet has to be limited to a short stretch but I wish they'd at least extend regular bike lanes--even sharrows--north of Foster. There is plenty of room and seemingly enough bike traffic to justify it. (I live directly on Broadway further north in Edgewater and see a constant stream of cyclists out my window all day long, even with the street as unpleasant to ride on as it is now.)

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on August 1, 2013 at 3:09pm
Thanks gene! I live close to there and always try to avoid Broadway.
Permalink Reply by Duppie on August 1, 2013 at 3:19pm

Yeah, Mr. GrumpyPants delivered an epic rant about those scallywag cyclists that was so comical, that even the CDOT presenter couldn't hide a laugh.

Permalink Reply by Gene Tenner on August 1, 2013 at 3:46pm

Baptism under fire: When I was first in the city - Sheridan & Buena - I signed up to volunteer for Cappleman's aldermanic campaign. My job, as it turned out, was to ride a loop up and down Broadway from almost-Addison to Foster with campaign yard signs stacked atop the back of my trike in a very chilly March and April. I had not done much city riding up until then and I quickly learned the ins and outs - harder when you have what is essentially a huge kite on your bike. Great training - kind of like being thrown into the water to learn to swim as an infant. Now I am an active participant in changing Broadway for the better; no one else should have to endure that.

 

Permalink Reply by Josh L. on August 5, 2013 at 11:18pm


I live at Leland and Beacon but bike Broadway a few times a week  What makes Wilson/Bway so tough?  And the street is wide enough I feel there is a lot of room on the right shoulder.

William Beck said:

Living at Wilson and Broadway, I can agree that it's one hairy stretch of road.  They just installed new (almost usable) bike racks along the stretch and now a designated bike lane?  Thank you Cappleman.  I'm looking forward to not white knuckling it every time a see a car ahead of me signaling for  a left turn.

 

Permalink Reply by Tom Dworzanski on August 5, 2013 at 11:40pm

I haven't driven down Broadway for a couple months but as I recall there isn't a right shoulder, just 2 car lanes each way with a third lane of parking and no room (other than a regular car lane) for bikes.

I used to drive that stretch a lot and it is a big road designed only for cars which I think makes motorists feel like they can drive aggressively. At the same time, I never found it to be *that* busy which makes it possible to go fast. This will be a welcome change.

jolondon30 said:


I live at Leland and Beacon but bike Broadway a few times a week  What makes Wilson/Bway so tough?  And the street is wide enough I feel there is a lot of room on the right shoulder.

William Beck said:

Living at Wilson and Broadway, I can agree that it's one hairy stretch of road.  They just installed new (almost usable) bike racks along the stretch and now a designated bike lane?  Thank you Cappleman.  I'm looking forward to not white knuckling it every time a see a car ahead of me signaling for  a left turn.

 

Permalink Reply by Josh L. on August 6, 2013 at 6:38am

I guess you are right but that right side,,starting across from the Target/Aldi, has lots of room.   I have no probs there and then get into the left lane to make a left on Wilson..or Leland.   We are probably talking about different areas I assume.

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