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Permalink Reply by Mark on August 8, 2014 at 8:38am

I ride this same section of Kinzie daily.  If you don't want to do the underground, you can make a left at the first stop sign, and a right onto Illinois? (two short blocks) There is a bike lane there, and goes all the way to navy pier. Or you can make a left at Dearborn and a right onto Illinois.  Both have bike lanes.  I ride the underground, and the road is in good condiiton.  Usually minimal traffic, and in gets you out of the elements when the weather isn't cooperating.

Simon Phearson said:

How is that underground bit on Kinzie/North Water, in terms of potholes, fallen concrete, lighting, traffic, etc.? That would seem to make a good swap for my usual route in the evening rush hour (Illinois from Dearborn to the LFP). The "underground" bit on Illinois makes me nervous these days, since I've seen a lot of hard-to-see fallen concrete all over the bike lane there lately.

If I'm not mistaken, it looks like you could take lower North Water as far as McClurg, if you wanted, which would have the added advantage of avoiding the pothole hell in the bike lane between Columbus and McClurg. Is there a reason you don't do that?

Cameron 7.5 mi said:

My favorite route is sort of hard to explain, but not to bad to figure out once you go through it. Take Clinton north to Kinzie and go east on Kinzie. Stay on Kinzie as it goes underground and becomes North Water. When North Water ends turn north on Lower St. Clair. Take Lower St. Clair to Lower Illinois (which has a bike lane). Lower Illinois will emerge from the underground near the Lake Shore Drive Bridge, where you can pick up the Lake Front Path.

 

If you want to stay more south Washington is also a decent choice, except that you have to get to Monroe at some point to get all the way to the LFP and the one way streets are working against you. I'd probably take Wabash south to Monroe and then walk the half block from Wabash to Michigan where Monroe becomes two way.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Blumenthal on August 8, 2014 at 9:18am

If it's early enough, Lake Street to cut over for lower Wacker Drive Service Lane to the River Walk Path and you're there.  Later?  Forgetaboutit.

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Permalink Reply by Elwood Gruschow on August 9, 2014 at 1:38pm

Jeff,

  Where exactly is  "cut over for lower Wacker Drive Service Lane" ?  

Then once on lower Wacker, do you enter the (not really bikable during summer tourist hours) River Walk Path from Lower Wacker on the ramps between Wabash and Michigan?  

   This an interesting discussion.  I am rethinking my common loop routes.

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