You should LIKE Bikes on the Ike - Let's get a dedicated bike path on the redevelopment of I290

Please LIKE Bikes on the Ike. http://on.fb.me/iWODGl 

 

As many of you may know (or not know), the Eisenhower Expressway is getting a complete makeover.  The planning commission is looking for ideas to better the congestion.  One leading suggestion is to just add another lane.  Really?  Another lane?  And they think that will help ease congestion.  We think it will just add more cars.


Let's all band together to try and get a dedicated bike lane in and out of the City on the Eisenhower (1-290).  Once these improvements are made, so be Chicago for the next 100 years or so.  Let's be the progressive, forward-thinking, sustainable City we know we can be.  Let's be a model City for the entire country. 

 

Join the cause, call and email your local officials, Rahm Emanuel, the Dept of Transportation.  You can find out specific names and addresses on the Facebook Fan Page. 

 

Please LIKE Bikes on the Ike.  Do so at http://on.fb.me/iWODGl and please spread the word.

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Permalink Reply by Gin on May 19, 2011 at 9:01am

I highly encourage people to comment on this project. Getting some kind of dedicated bicycle facility out of this project (trail and/or better on street facilities parallel to the project) is not far fetched. It helps to think of this as a corridor.

Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on May 19, 2011 at 3:12pm

I must agree with Kelvin about this.

 

Why?  Well, would you feel OK with a lane of Lake Shore Drive being turned into a dedicated bike lane?  If your answer is 'No.", then my question is "Why not?  The speed limit is what?  40MPH?  What's an extra few miles per hour whizzing by you?" 

 

Oh, and there are ways of offing yourself without sacrificing a bicycle in the process.


Bobby's Bike Hike- Chicago Tours said:

Why do you think so?  They are completely restructuring the Eisenhower, why not create a dedicated bike lane along the entire route for riders to have options on their commute in/out of the City? 

Curious to know what you would propose they do to reduce congestion on the Ike?  The best (or worst) solution I've heard them discussing so far is another car lane.  That won't work either.

Permalink Reply by milesperhour on May 19, 2011 at 3:13pm
A big part of the problem with the traffic congestion is that it goes from 4 to 3 lanes.  When I used to commute, I would spend 15 minutes just getting from Austin to Harlem outbound.  Entrance/exit lanes on the interior and exterior also don't help.  Cars and trucks (especially) going from the far right/middle to the far left in order to exit really messes up the flow. I agree that public transportation needs to be extended and would love to see a bike path.  It would have been great if I could have biked to work and was able to avoid bad neighborhoods.  However, adding another lane where there's only 3 and building all ramps on the exterior WOULD probably help dramatically.
Permalink Reply by magomawe on May 20, 2011 at 2:16am
I like the idea of having a bike lane on the Ike and all major expressways for that matter if they could be separated from the traffic.  It would probably not be something I would want to take all the time, but it would be a good alternative for long distance bikers.  I've often done long rides where I'm stopping all the time to find what street I need to get on or I am backtracking to get around the expressway, river, or major obstacle.  It would be nice to have that thoroughfare if need be.
Permalink Reply by Davo on May 20, 2011 at 4:07am

"TRR" +1

I think bike lanes down/around/neer I190 wound be a great Idea. There are talks for a section of LSD to have something like this. Whats the difference? The idea would be for long commuter lanes so people riding in from the burbs or far west of town would streight trhoughfare and not have to navagate side roads.  IMO it is a "Field of Dreams" scenario: If you build it, cyclists will use it.

Permalink Reply by Joel on May 20, 2011 at 4:14am
A bike path following I-290 would be great, but it can't be too close to the freeway itself.  The noise and pollution would be absolutely terrible.  Go wait for the Blue Line on one of the platforms in the middle of freeway -- it can be deafening.
Permalink Reply by Duppie on May 20, 2011 at 4:45am

It's an interesting assumption, people commuting long distance by bike. I also think it is highly unrealistic that this would attract enough riders to make it worth the investment.

 

The commute from let's say Elmhurst to downtown is 17-18 miles. Realistically that would take a experienced commuter a minimum of 1.5 hours (including changing clothes), more likely 2 hours. You can travel that distance on Metra in half the time or less. I doubt that there are more than a few people willing to make that trek by bike on a daily basis.


I'm all for improving bicycling infrastructure, but let's be real about where we can make improvements: people commuting shorter distances (3-7 miles?) and people running errands in their neighborhood or the next neighborhood over. That is where we can make big gains in changing the mode share. Not in long distance commuting.


Davo said:

"TRR" +1

I think bike lanes down/around/neer I190 wound be a great Idea. There are talks for a section of LSD to have something like this. Whats the difference? The idea would be for long commuter lanes so people riding in from the burbs or far west of town would streight trhoughfare and not have to navagate side roads.  IMO it is a "Field of Dreams" scenario: If you build it, cyclists will use it.

Permalink Reply by Joe Willis on May 20, 2011 at 5:24am
Hell I would be happy if there was a SAFE way around the airport! I work in Elk Grove and there is no good way to get there by bike!
Permalink Reply by Bobby's Bike Hike- Chicago Tours on May 20, 2011 at 5:30am

I don't think anyone is assuming anything regarding distances.  they could create on/off ramps through the entire corridor, so people could get on at the United Center, Oak Park, or any of the other western suburbs.  They wouldn't have to design something for people to get on at one point and not be let out until you get downtown. this could be used for short distances as well.  I envision another bicycle center once riders arrive in downtown, maybe at Union Station.

 

Minneapolis and Portland have successfully implemented rails-to-trails and their program has proven commuters will choose to ride long distances as long as it's set up properly. 


Regarding riding next to traffic...the entire Lakefront Bike path is next to Lake Shore Drive and no one seems too bothered by that.

 

We just want to see bikes as part of the discussion. 

 

Please LIKE Bikes on the Ike.  Do so at http://on.fb.me/iWODGl and please spread the word.

 


Duppie said:

It's an interesting assumption, people commuting long distance by bike. I also think it is highly unrealistic that this would attract enough riders to make it worth the investment.

 

The commute from let's say Elmhurst to downtown is 17-18 miles. Realistically that would take a experienced commuter a minimum of 1.5 hours (including changing clothes), more likely 2 hours. You can travel that distance on Metra in half the time or less. I doubt that there are more than a few people willing to make that trek by bike on a daily basis.


I'm all for improving bicycling infrastructure, but let's be real about where we can make improvements: people commuting shorter distances (3-7 miles?) and people running errands in their neighborhood or the next neighborhood over. That is where we can make big gains in changing the mode share. Not in long distance commuting.


Davo said:

"TRR" +1

I think bike lanes down/around/neer I190 wound be a great Idea. There are talks for a section of LSD to have something like this. Whats the difference? The idea would be for long commuter lanes so people riding in from the burbs or far west of town would streight trhoughfare and not have to navagate side roads.  IMO it is a "Field of Dreams" scenario: If you build it, cyclists will use it.

Permalink Reply by Gort 12-mile Pinklegneep on May 20, 2011 at 5:32am

What's funny is lane addition to alleviate congestion is something they've been trying since expressways were invented and it never, ever works. Then they start reaching peak lanes and the fluid dynamics of cars having to move across so many lanes starts making traffic worse all by itself.

 

I don't think anyone needs to be so literal-minded as to assume this means the lane is necessarily on the expressway itself with no barrier between car and bike, don't be silly. This could be excellent.

Permalink Reply by Bobby's Bike Hike- Chicago Tours on May 20, 2011 at 5:54am

Exactly Peenworm Grubologist!  We should be united in figuring this out, not battling each other over logistics before it even has a chance to happen.

Please LIKE Bikes on the Ike.  Do so at http://on.fb.me/iWODGl and please spread the word.


Peenworm Grubologist said:

What's funny is lane addition to alleviate congestion is something they've been trying since expressways were invented and it never, ever works. Then they start reaching peak lanes and the fluid dynamics of cars having to move across so many lanes starts making traffic worse all by itself.

 

I don't think anyone needs to be so literal-minded as to assume this means the lane is necessarily on the expressway itself with no barrier between car and bike, don't be silly. This could be excellent.

Permalink Reply by Bobby's Bike Hike- Chicago Tours on May 20, 2011 at 6:23am

Hilarious!  LOVE IT!



H3N3 said:

I disagree.  Adding lanes has been shown to alleviate congestion on major arteries.  

Sometimes the benefit even lasts well beyond the first week after reopening, into the second.

Peenworm Grubologist said:

What's funny is lane addition to alleviate congestion is something they've been trying since expressways were invented and it never, ever works. Then they start reaching peak lanes and the fluid dynamics of cars having to move across so many lanes starts making traffic worse all by itself.

 

I don't think anyone needs to be so literal-minded as to assume this means the lane is necessarily on the expressway itself with no barrier between car and bike, don't be silly. This could be excellent.

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