When will the Trail Separation project be completed?
So my girlfriend just informed me that she was in a bike-on-bike accident on the Lakefront Trail at Belmont. It's an area where separation has occurred and lines have been painted. But the old lines still exist and there is no transition from old to new lines, nor direction for pedestrians and bikers on which lanes to choose.
This area has bugged the crap out of me for a long while now. A couple of weeks ago, I honestly seriously considered creating my own stencils and bringing some paint out there and doing it myself.
So, anybody know when it's going to be finished? Or is this going to need to be a DIY project?
Views: 2354
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Ernesto Lube on
-
They need to tidy up. Sorry for the shaky footage. Trying on helmet cam. Looks calm this morning after cyclist rush hour. But later today, after work, I am sure it will be a different experience.
-
Permalink Reply by Tricolor on
-
All those barrels in the walking path don't help. You just have to slow down in the afternoons.
-
Permalink Reply by Velo Celt on
-
While the original post was about the poorly stripped section at Belmont, I'd have to add my .02 cents and say I think the entire path separation was almost entirely a waste of money. I say "almost entirely" because the only benefit I see to the project was that you now have more path for walkers, joggers, and cyclists to spread out over. It might slightly reduce collisions over time, but the fact that every time I ride it I see pedestrians in the cycle section and vice versa tells me that there's still opportunity for collisions, especially in the cycle sections which are far too narrow. Narrow cycle section + cyclists who think they can ride much faster now that they have "their own lane" + jogger in cycle section (for some reason? why not on the pedestrian section which is much wider and even has shoulders?) = recipe for collision. Short of issuing fines for not using the correct path for your choice of conveyance or mandating that everyone wear a full-body bubblewrap suit I see no way that this will ever eliminate altercations between different trail users. At best it will lessen them somewhat, but since the separation is not enforceable I'm going to call it mostly a failure. As a cyclist user of the trail I'd also like say I pretty annoyed that they chose to route the cycle portion so close to LSD on the southern end of the trail. I dislike having to ride so close to high speed traffic, and in at least one portion of the path (near the newest pedestrian overpass), the path runs so close to LSD that I always detour around the that section onto the pedestrian section. Of course when I do so I'm cognizant of disobeying the trail markings myself, but you can be sure I give ever courtesy to other trail users as I navigate that area. In fact I've always gone out of my way to pass safely and try to ride with courtesy and caution around other trail users whether they were runners or cyclists, but I realize that's not always common behavior among the hundreds of thousands of people who use the trail every year.
-
Permalink Reply by DerferMark on
-
As last few commenters noted, the narrower bike trail requires even more awareness and potential for injury. And what are some of these orange barrels for?! Yesterday they caused a serious injury as riders in front of me attempted to pass other cyclists. One rider had to perform evasive maneuvers and went off into grass. He would have been just fine but 1 of 3 orange barrels got in the way and he went over the bars. This was southbound just north of Fullerton. We could see no reason for these 3 barrels to be there! Chicago Park District, clean up and remove all obstacles near the trails!! Metal posts for snow fences or for roping off new grass come to mind too. Accidents don't have to be inevitable!
-
Permalink Reply by bobweiser on
-
hear, hear!
jogger in cycle section (not other cyclists) = ingredient in recipe for above collision.
and jogger good samaritans stopped to offer support (and CPR if needed) while we wanted for an ambulance.
please wish our fellow cyclist a speedy recovery.
-
Permalink Reply by curt(is) locke on
-
Sounds like some clumsy attempt at passing if these barrels were in play. Sorry to hear that rider was injured.
-
-
curt(is), i hope you never need to leave a ride in an ambulance, and if you do, no one calls you clumsy.
is it possible the barrels are intended to keep us from riding into the trees? if so, they still could be closer to the trees.
-
Permalink Reply by John Durham on
-
The barrels had nothing to do with this crash. They are well off the path.
This was caused by a cyclist riding beyond his ability and he crashed. It WAS clumsy.
I too am sorry the cyclist was injured, but it was brought on by their own poor riding. A plastic barrel a foot off the path did not, in any way, cause this crash.
-
-
john, i admire your self-confidence. i could never be so sure if i weren't even there.
i also hope you never need to leave a ride in an ambulance, and if you do, no one calls you clumsy.
-
-
Agree bobweiser! John, the barrels had nothing to do with the rider going off the path but they had everything to do with the accident and it would not have happened without the barrels there. But I'm just an eye witness and was directly behind the rider so what do I know?
-
-
Yesterday morning - of all days I didn't carry the camera with me on the bike...
Runner turns on opposite side of path without looking. Rider tried hard to avoid her. Rider almost pummels on to me. Runner looks embarrassed. Rider made up colorful language. I almost got hit head on by carelessness.
Groups
-
Chicagoland Beer Explora…
203 members
-
Wednesday Night for Mort…
1 member
-
Great Lakes Ultra Cycling
270 members
-
Major Taylor Internation…
1 member
-
Critical Mass discussion
261 members
© 2008-2016 The Chainlink Community, L.L.C.
Powered by
