The Chainlink

As a daily bike commuter on the lakefront path on and off for years, I've often felt insulted by how long serious life-threatening surface condition problems are allowed to persist.  It feels like despite tens of thousands of daily users, we're just those little cyclist people.  Meanwhile just a fence-width away on lakeshore drive such dangers would never be left to fester so.

This year in particular though the problems are so egregious and dangerous, some now months old, I felt something had to be said.

I've tried the 311 app for several problems such as a specific huge pothole, and a boulder on the path (too large for one person to move, a construction crew left it there), and gotten "the problem has been resolved" messages back a few days later, with nothing actually done.  The boulder one I even resubmitted, and got the same reply again, though it's still there.

I figured next step is contact the appropriate agency directly, but not sure who that is.

Can perhaps an Active Trans rep followup and pester the city on behalf of this lifetime members?

Views: 4950

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

They've always been good about plowing, they're better than Streets and San a lot of times.

Thanks y'all!  Glad I'm not totally off base.  Can't asphalt in winter, but it's reasonable to expect a pavement to endure, and there may be uncertainty as to who's responsible.

There is much maintenance that's well done.  But at the same time as a lifelong user I've seen major risk persist for literally years.  South of Diversey harbor bridge for example had a missing ten foot span of pavement for at least four years. Every day now I go over the patch and am grateful, but we had to wait years.

It's an especially interesting contrast, considering that at the same time millions are being spent on new path developments just miles away.

So... I'm gonna post another fresh two, and in the future maybe continue to post (so far I've barely covered a few miles) and seems like anyone may as well here as well.  And I'm going to submit mine on the 311 system (servicetracker.cityofchicago.org as Yasmeen mentioned) and report on the experience, and we can see how long repair actually takes.

Widowmaking pothole at Goethe, been here all year?  What is "ACE"?  Note the freshly perfectly paved lakeshoredrive adjacent.

"The helpful place"

This is newish, only been a month or two.

Why, the f*ck, is there a boulder blocking the ramp north of Fullerton???  I've reported this twice, the first time last fall, and been told it's resolved.  Have tried with several friends and found it utterly inert.

That thing is a monster!

Personally, I wouldn't consider that to be part of the bike path. Remember that woman who sued the city a couple years ago when she rode off the end of one of those steps? I would just accept it for what it is and move on.

That's a good point. 

My concern is not bike exclusive.  For Inline Skating some of these these are even bigger issue.

Yes, the boulder blocks the beautiful new-ish wheelchair ramp.  I've always assumed it was intentionally, but can't imagine why.  Though it's not far from some loosely fenced construction areas.

A little challenge is good for most people. If everything was smooth, and sterile, we'd get bored. Our frustrations come from within. Ride around the bumps, ride over em n have more fun, n rest assured that the bumps will get fixed or not. Either way, we still got a great path.

trunuf, but I worry about the bewbies

RSS

© 2008-2016   The Chainlink Community, L.L.C.   Powered by

Disclaimer  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service