Transportation Committee talks bike lanes...Your input desired

The City of Chicago wants our input.  Check out the link.

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Posted 3 days, 22 hours ago on Apr. 15th 2011

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has looked at more than 50 ideas to make Chicago’s transportation network safer, easier, and more convenient and fun for all residents. One idea that appeals to all of us is improving Chicago's cycling network. Making it easier for Chicagoans to get around by cycling would reduce congestion, promote a cleaner environment, create healthier communities, and improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods.

A major reason people say they avoid biking is dangerous traffic. By building protected bike lanes – which are physically separated from motor vehicle travel lanes, parking lanes, and sidewalks – Chicago can make urban cycling safer. Protected bike lanes exist in cities across the country, including New York, Portland, Ore., Indianapolis, Ind., and Washington, D.C. Seville, Spain, built a 70-mile network of protected bike lanes in four years and increased the share of bicyclers on its roads from .04% to more than 6% of all trips.

We are confident that creating a safe space to bike will get more people pedaling. Our idea is to pilot a two-mile protected bikeway along a major corridor, and we need your ideas on where to start.

Do you jump on your bike to commute to work, go shopping, or attend social events? Tell us about your experiences, good and bad. What streets do you prefer or avoid, and why?

Do you avoid riding your bike because you are concerned about safety?

What street or corridor would better serve the bicycling public if a bike lane sheltered from moving traffic were added? Why?

Have you biked on a protected lane in another city? If so, what should we replicate or change?

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Permalink Reply by Amy Y on April 22, 2011 at 11:46am
do you know why they are not approving some comments (I added my 2 days ago and haven't seen it published yet)? I mentioned about lack of good bike routes going through the loop - don't think I said anything wrong?
Permalink Reply by April on April 22, 2011 at 11:55am
My first comment was not approved so I used FB to log in for the second comment and it worked that time--right away.
Permalink Reply by Duppie on April 22, 2011 at 12:56pm
True, I used my Disqus account, and it was visible right away. I can see that if you log in as a guest, they might check it first.

April said:
My first comment was not approved so I used FB to log in for the second comment and it worked that time--right away.
Permalink Reply by Gin on April 22, 2011 at 4:14pm

While I take Milwaukee plenty, I do not agree that it is *just fine* as is for cycling. There are sections when you really do feel like you are threading a needle. My dream of something special for Milwaukee is creating a lot more space for cyclists, even if it means taking out car travel and/or parking lanes. Cars and trucks have highways, why can't bikes?

Protected bicycles lanes are one type of treatment. In the next few years, how do we get many more miles of streets to serve many types of cyclists and destinations?  The street network *is* the bicycle network. I would like to see a mix of bicycle highways, boulevards, lanes, protected lanes, etc.

 

That said, I throw my support behind east/west corridors as a priority.

Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on April 22, 2011 at 8:58pm

I think #1 is due to the presence of left-turn lanes that narrow the road width available to bike lanes. I agree - at intersections (both near and far sides) are exactly where lanes are needed.

 

I added Damen Avenue to my list.

I also added my comments on Milwaukee Avenue. Basically that because of it's constantly changing street width, lane configuration, and presence of the highest bike-crash prone intersections, it's a "special beast" requiring a very special review. 

A single bikeway type will not suffice for Milwaukee Avenue.


Bike Bloke said:

  1. Why do bike lanes fizzle out 30 or 40 yards before intersections? Example: Logan Blvd eastbound at Diversey and westbound at Western. That's exactly where lanes are needed.
Permalink Reply by shuichi.kobayashi on April 23, 2011 at 1:32am

Hello, I would like to leave a comment. First, I am going to leave my comment without viewing other's comments for your entry. Anyway, I think your thought is right. 

I have heard that many people feel scary if they ride bicycles in the US. To tell the truth, many Japanese people usually ride bicycles for daily transportations naturally. I can't imagine many people hesitate to ride bicycles because of traffic dangers in Japan. I can't explain why they are much safer than American easily though.

By the way, I also heard that cars usually pay little attention to cyclists or pedestrians in the US. So I simply agree with your thought. The more sidewalks or protected bike lanes increase the safely people feel if they ride bicycle.

See you. I would like to view other's comments for your entry later.  

Permalink Reply by April on April 26, 2011 at 10:08am
I thought of another good connector.  Grand Ave East from Milwaukee to the lake.  The bike lane quits for a while here.  If this section was made safe for cyclists it would provide entry to both Downtown and the Lake Front Path via Milwaukee.

April said:

I did a count of all the nominations so far:


Nominations of Streets for Protected Bike Lanes

Clark  2

Milwaukee 10

Damen 2 (2 Requests for road repairs)

Dearborn 2

Congress 1

Division 1

Halsted 1

Elston 2

Chicago 2

Wells 2

Sheffield

Southport (1 request for road repairs)

Western  (Several people requested traffic calming measures)

Ashland (Several people requested traffic calming measures)

Grand 1

Hubbard 1

Fulton 1

 

 

Repeated Requests

More East to West options

Connector lanes/paths/routes to bridge gaps in the network. (e.g. Milwuakee into the loop)

Road resurfacing and repair in bike lanes and on streets recommended for bikes, (e.g. Damen from Armitage to North Ave.)

 

 Connector paths

Halsted to Lake Front Path

Elston to the boulevard system at Logan and Kennedy Expressway

Roosevelt to Lake Front Path

 

(I added in my own votes for Elston and Wells) 

 

Permalink Reply by ChristopherMCA on April 26, 2011 at 2:55pm
I can see everyone's reasons why milwaukee should have a protected bike lane. I honestly don't feel threatened by the traffic on milwaukee as much as the potential of being doored from parked cars, especially near six corners. They should just remove the parking lane and use the space to expand the bike lanes.


Also after looking at "The Chicago Bike Crash Map" I think that at least one these roads (Division, North, and Chicago) should have protected bike lanes.
Permalink Reply by Mark on April 27, 2011 at 2:52am
The reality is that there is no way the City is going to remove complete blocks of parking along Milwaukee Avenue.  There would be an uproar from the merchants saying it hurts business and the aldermen won't approve it.
Permalink Reply by April on April 27, 2011 at 3:21am
I thought the idea of a protected bike lane wasn't to get rid of parking, just move it between cyclists and traffic.
Permalink Reply by April on April 27, 2011 at 3:30am
It doesn't seem like Milwaukee is wide enough for that kind of configuration.  

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