Into and out of Evanston...

Anybody know of a safe way to cross between Chicago and Evanston? Only ways I know of are Sheridan and Clark Street/Chicago Ave.

Sheridan is pretty dangerous on a bike where that big curve is. Sure, I can get off my bike and use the sidewalk, which is easy enough to do going into Evanston, but coming back, I don't believe there's a sidewalk on the Chicago-bound side.

And of course, the bike lanes on Clark Street and Chicago Avenue disappear in the parts where you need 'em the most.

What do you folks do?

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Permalink Reply by Fran Kondorf on February 9, 2017 at 5:35pm

I head west on Howard over to Custer (RT) north. Lots less traffic.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on February 10, 2017 at 8:07am

When I lived in Rogers Park, I used this route a LOT.

Permalink Reply by Mark on February 9, 2017 at 7:29pm
California/Dodge. Except I hate the PBLs on Dodge.
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on February 10, 2017 at 8:07am

I've used this one a lot over the years.

Permalink Reply by Jared on February 10, 2017 at 3:46am

California/Dodge, but I live in Lincoln Square.

Permalink Reply by Jeremy Bloyd-Peshkin on February 10, 2017 at 4:08am

Depending on how far West I am..

The best way is Emerson West to the North Shore Channel Trail, then that south. If you're further East, Dodge/California is good. Further East still, Asbury/Western is usually surprisingly not terrible. And then if you go even more East, you end up with Clark and Sheridan. So... go West!

Permalink Reply by David P. on February 10, 2017 at 5:17am

There are plenty of options. I don't find Clark/Chicago particularly bad, but if you don't like that you can take the route through Rogers Park on Juneway Terrace, etc. that puts you out between the CTA yard and the cematary, or you can cross on Damen, or California, or the NSCT, etc. 

Permalink Reply by David Barish on February 10, 2017 at 9:58am

Between Jeremy and  David P.  you have lots of options. There is no reason to  ride Sheridan around the curve.  I just discovered the route by the CTA yard and  Juneway this past fall  and it works. Otherwise, Clark is a bit narrow but fine, Custer into Rogers Park is  fine.  Asbury is great but Western  sub optimial unless you are  going at very off hours. For example I  lead a group down  Western  from the Dunkin' Donuts at Howard and Western  every year at 5 am to the  Winter  Solstice Percussion Concert.  We have about 6 or 7 bikes and we outnumber all the cars at that  hour.  Dodge/California is my go to route  and the Channel path works fine.  

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on February 10, 2017 at 10:07am
Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on February 11, 2017 at 6:18am
Permalink Reply by Lisa Gordon on February 16, 2017 at 6:46am

I live at Howard and Damen/Custer, so here are my routes:  Going south, I take Damen to Lunt and then over to Ravenswood.  Lots of choices on that route.  On weekends or off hours, I might go to Ridge to go south.  (Of course, you can't ride Ridge in S. Evanston.)  Going north, Custer is the best bike street.  My best route to get to downtown Evanston/Northwestern is north on Custer to Madison, west one block to Sherman.  I cross Main at the light at Sherman and then go north a couple more blocks to one of the streets that takes me one more block west to Elmwood.  It's easy to cross Dempster at the light at Elmwood and Dempster.  Once north of Dempster, I take one of the streets (Greenwood, Lake, whatever) one block east back to Sherman, and from there into downtown. 

I don't care for Asbury, since the drivers there seem to find bikes an imposition.  California/Dodge is an excellent route, except for the darned PBLs. 

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