The Loop Gets Its First Bike Lane!

Anyone ride it this morning???

 

The Madison Street bike lane, Chicago's first bike lane in the Loop, was installed last night! Bike lane markings through intersections and an increase in bike symbols will help alert all roadway users of the presence of the bike lane. - courtesy of 's Chicago Bicycle Programs's facebook page.

 

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 29, 2011 at 9:35am

+1

 

I hate it when a bike lane just disappears right when you need it MOST.

 

Now all we need is a constantly up-to-date online resource of all the city bike lanes/sharrows/routes graded with respect to safety, width, type and pavement quality.  That would be an awesome resource rather than riding around blindly trying to find better routes as they appear.  It's a big city.  Threads like this help but they are hardly ideal as an overview of where it is best to ride and planning routes. 

Ash L. said:

It looks great. I would like all future and restriping projects to include cyclists guides through the intersections. It seems like approaching and proceeding through intersections is where cars tend to try to crowd me out the most.
Permalink Reply by Carter O'Brien on August 30, 2011 at 3:07am

There is a fine line between being comfortable and just being oblivious - riding a bike in the Loop while talking on a cell phone puts you in the latter category.



Juan said:

The rider looks comfortable like as if he is in Holland.


Michelle said:

I've written a short review of the bike lane, with pictures, here.

 

Definitely better than nothing, but it's not ideal. Lots of crisscrossing and drifting of vehicles from both sides.

 

 

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 30, 2011 at 4:45am

What do you call a pilot when he's on approach and talking to the tower on his radio? Oblivious?

 

Talking on a radio or phone doesn't necessarily mean you are oblivious.  Oblivious people do talk on phones and the phones can be a distraction to them.  But not everyone communicating while doing another task is equally distracted.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 30, 2011 at 5:35am

To get back on the Madison bike lane subject:

 

Where does the new lane start and stop?  Does it go all the way to Millenium Park/Michegan on the East?  How far West does it go?  

 

It is nice to have a safer connecting link going East/West that connects to Wells/Dearborn going North & South and eventually to the new Kinzie St. lane and further to Milwaukee/Hipster Highway route 66.

 

What is next?

Permalink Reply by ad on August 30, 2011 at 6:13am
It starts right off of Michigan (Madison dead-ends at Michigan going east) and stops (if I remember correctly) at Wells.  Hopefully they will expand the lane further west towards Halsted when the Wacker Dr construction is completed in the area, but for now they brough it almost as far west as they could considering the Madison/Wacker intersection and the bridge are closed to all types of traffic right now.     

James BlackHeron said:

To get back on the Madison bike lane subject:

 

Where does the new lane start and stop?  Does it go all the way to Millenium Park/Michegan on the East?  How far West does it go?  

 

It is nice to have a safer connecting link going East/West that connects to Wells/Dearborn going North & South and eventually to the new Kinzie St. lane and further to Milwaukee/Hipster Highway route 66.

 

What is next?

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 30, 2011 at 6:25am

Thanks ad.  

 

That is interesting.  I never ride through Millennium Park.  It's not very easy is it?   It seems to me that the next North Loop area bike lane might be to better link the LSP with Milwaukee.  The last time I tried doing this I got pretty messed up, turned around, and ended up on streets that I wished I wasn't on until I got back on a safer route.   There should be a clearly marked route from the LSP to Milwaukee.  It needn't necessarily be Kinzie since it doesn't really connect through -but it should be obvious, 8-80 safe, and simple to navigate in both directions.  

 

Of course this is one of many concerns for bike routing in the city in general but it is of greater concern for me as that is where I live and do most of my biking.

 

I wish the city were a little more open and forthcoming about the plans so we could follow along with what is going on instead of learning about it when the paint hit the pavement.  Or maybe that is the way they want it so we don't get in their hair and disrupt their "planning" with ideas from the people who are actually going to use this infrastructure.  

Permalink Reply by Carter O'Brien on August 30, 2011 at 6:41am

Are you serious?  Sorry dude - being in traffic and talking on a phone is not only stupid, it's an insult to the rest of us with some common sense.  You can't focus on the road, bike path, whatever while doing so. 

 

Or let me bring it back on topic - I'll take riding my bike in regular old traffic without any bike lane whatsoever before I want to be sharing some fancy-pants bike lane with people demonstrating an utter lack of respect for those around them.


James BlackHeron said:

What do you call a pilot when he's on approach and talking to the tower on his radio? Oblivious?

 

Talking on a radio or phone doesn't necessarily mean you are oblivious.  Oblivious people do talk on phones and the phones can be a distraction to them.  But not everyone communicating while doing another task is equally distracted.

Permalink Reply by Michelle S on August 30, 2011 at 7:22am

I hesitated a long time before using this picture for that very reason: I'm not in favor of people moving around distractedly no matter what mode of transport, including driving, cycling and even walking. However, it was really hard to get a photo of someone looking at all at ease in the new bike lane. So I was hoping no one could tell he was on a phone, and instead assume that he was just scratching his cheek. Next time I'll Photoshop out his right forearm.



Carter O'Brien said:

There is a fine line between being comfortable and just being oblivious - riding a bike in the Loop while talking on a cell phone puts you in the latter category.



Juan said:

The rider looks comfortable like as if he is in Holland.


Michelle said:

I've written a short review of the bike lane, with pictures, here.

 

Definitely better than nothing, but it's not ideal. Lots of crisscrossing and drifting of vehicles from both sides.

 

 

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 30, 2011 at 7:25am
Maybe he is brushing his teeth?
Permalink Reply by Charlie Short 2.9 on August 30, 2011 at 9:19am

You can use the Grand/Illinois Bike lanes to get from the LFT to Kinzie via Dearborn of Clark depending on your direction.

 

If you would like to find out about what the city is planning bike-lane-wise, come to the Bicycle Advisory Council Meeting on September 14 at City Hall room 1103 3pm-4:30.

 

If you can't make it, check out the meeting online here: http://bike2015plan.org/mbac/


James BlackHeron said:

Thanks ad.  

 

That is interesting.  I never ride through Millennium Park.  It's not very easy is it?   It seems to me that the next North Loop area bike lane might be to better link the LSP with Milwaukee.  The last time I tried doing this I got pretty messed up, turned around, and ended up on streets that I wished I wasn't on until I got back on a safer route.   There should be a clearly marked route from the LSP to Milwaukee.  It needn't necessarily be Kinzie since it doesn't really connect through -but it should be obvious, 8-80 safe, and simple to navigate in both directions.  

 

Of course this is one of many concerns for bike routing in the city in general but it is of greater concern for me as that is where I live and do most of my biking.

 

I wish the city were a little more open and forthcoming about the plans so we could follow along with what is going on instead of learning about it when the paint hit the pavement.  Or maybe that is the way they want it so we don't get in their hair and disrupt their "planning" with ideas from the people who are actually going to use this infrastructure.  

Permalink Reply by Carter O'Brien on August 30, 2011 at 9:56am
Fully agreed on connecting the LFP to Milwaukee, although I will give credit where it's due and say that striping Grand with bike lanes last year (?) has made a substantial improvement going west - where it's still somewhat dicey is the trek east due to that funky twist that Illinois takes. 

James BlackHeron said:

Thanks ad.  

 

That is interesting.  I never ride through Millennium Park.  It's not very easy is it?   It seems to me that the next North Loop area bike lane might be to better link the LSP with Milwaukee.  The last time I tried doing this I got pretty messed up, turned around, and ended up on streets that I wished I wasn't on until I got back on a safer route.   There should be a clearly marked route from the LSP to Milwaukee.  It needn't necessarily be Kinzie since it doesn't really connect through -but it should be obvious, 8-80 safe, and simple to navigate in both directions.  

 

Of course this is one of many concerns for bike routing in the city in general but it is of greater concern for me as that is where I live and do most of my biking.

 

I wish the city were a little more open and forthcoming about the plans so we could follow along with what is going on instead of learning about it when the paint hit the pavement.  Or maybe that is the way they want it so we don't get in their hair and disrupt their "planning" with ideas from the people who are actually going to use this infrastructure.  

Permalink Reply by Charlie Short 2.9 on August 31, 2011 at 6:36am
The MBAC meeting was moved to a more work-friendly time twice, and we didn't get a higger attendance (I know it would have taken longer for people to realize it was happening, but a lot of folks who said they would participate didn't).  I know it's frustrating if you can't make it, but we do try to make all of the information public on the website so folks can stay in the loop.

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