Seeking Glenview/Skokie commute advice

Hi! I'm looking for commuting advice up in the Glenview area. I've commuted via cycle in the city for the better part of the last decade, including the last four winters so I'm quite familiar with city routes. I recently accepted a new job in Skokie/Glenview off Old Orchard Road just west of the Edens. The new job is exciting, but driving to work everyday is not.

I live in the West Town area so commuting the entire way via bike is unlikely. The MD-N Metra line up to either Golf Road or Glenview seems like a good option. After driving down Golf Road I've ruled it out as a possible East-West route from the station. It seems like the best bet would be as follows:

1. MD-N to Glenview Metra Depot (1116 Depot St, Glenview, IL)

2. Make way to Glenview Road and head east.

3. Harms Road south to Old Orchard

4. Old Orchard west to to Lockwood Ave.

Does this seem like a feasible route? It appears I can jump on the North Branch Trail for some of this route, but from my searches around here the NBT is apparently not maintained (much) during the winter.

Really hoping it's possible to keep biking for at least SOME of my new commute. I'd appreciate any advice pertaining to this route, cycling in the burbs, or perhaps another route I have overlooked. Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Tayter on June 30, 2016 at 4:09am

That looks like a good idea. Seems I could get off the North Channel at Lawrence, take Manor and then pick up California taking that all the way south. I tend to make my way over to California anyway as if you stay on Kedzie too far you have to take Grand which is basically like the Indy 500 for cars between Kedzie and Western.

Thanks for the advice.

Permalink Reply by Shawn Evans on June 30, 2016 at 12:31pm

Going such a long way, there are many streets you can use.

On my commute, I have to go 12 miles northeast, so I take a street east for a bit, then when that stops or there's a light, I turn north until I get to another good street going east. That means my travel is continuous, and I only have to make a few stops, so it's faster.

You could take California part of the way, but there are other streets that go north for a few miles each (depending on the part of the city/suburb you're in) - Central Park and Kostner.Central Park Ave is cut from the street grid for a few miles on the Northwest side, but begins again at Bryn Mawr Ave and goes north. Kostner, similar case, disappears from the grid but reappears at Pratt. You can take Howard St west to Park/Lockwood.

If you want to go shopping, take the train to Edgebrook, then go north on Central Ave. Central becomes Niles Center Rd, but if that's too stressful, you can get back on Central by going thru the shopping center or take side streets north of Touhy to Howard. Secret path: Once on Howard west of Edens, pedal past Central Ave to the next street going north, Parkside. Turn north. Street appears to be a dead end...BUT...at the end of the street is a sidewalk thru the woods to a parking lot. Cut thru parking lot to Gross Point Rd (winter tip: Skokie clears this sidewalk after snowstorms). Take Gross Point to Lockwood.

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