Can the city convince 47th Ward residents that the Berteau greenway is a good idea?

At a recent community meeting about the Berteau "neighborhood greenway," a proposal to traffic calm Berteau (4200 N.) between Lincoln and Clark to create a safer, quieter, more walkable, bikeable street, neighbors expressed fears that traffic diverters will mess up their car commutes. Can the city persuade the residents that this bike boulevard will make Berteau a nicer place for everyone, not just bikes?:

http://gridchicago.com/2012/will-47th-ward-residents-learn-to-stop-...

Keep moving forward,

John Greenfield

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Permalink Reply by Duppie on March 6, 2012 at 9:48am

+1.

Also, they never heard of tailoring the message to the audience? It's one thing to tout the bike-related benefits in the bike community, but once you talk to residents you need to focus on how it positively impacts them: Increased public safety due to more people walking and biking, and quieter, safer streets.

David said:

Maybe it's just the way you describe the meeting, so maybe I'd think differently if I were there, but this article really makes CDOT look like a bunch of incompetent amateurs.  Going south on Ashland was going to be an obvious concern for the residents and apparently it was one of the first things brought up, and the best CDOT could come up with was "these treatments are preliminary"?   Especially since the issue had apparently been brought up the previous week as well?   

No wonder the residents think this is being rushed; CDOT didn't even have a response to the most obvious questions.   

I'm on CDOT's side here and I really want these developments to continue, but I can't help picturing some group walking into my office with a business proposal and then sputtering excuses like "uhh, yeah, we don't know, somebody mentioned that last week also" to the most rudimentary questions.  They'd be out the door in five minutes.    Big changes could be coming, CDOT really needs to step up their game. 

Permalink Reply by John Greenfield on March 6, 2012 at 11:07am

If you check out the recent letter to constituents from Alderman Pawar, you'll see that they have been playing up the non-bike-related benefits and talking about the bike route as being a positive side effect. After all, in most places these streets are called "bike boulevards" and instead the city is calling it a "neighborhood greenway."

Permalink Reply by jennifer james on March 6, 2012 at 1:16pm

I hesitate to comment on this thread but have a few thoughts on some of the comments so far.

I think it's important to point out that the city is initiating " neighborhood greenways" as they are already calling them.  This should have impact not only for cyclisits but for neighbors and pedestrians alike.

I think that we might benefit from interview inputs from actual residents of Berteau itself which we have not seen yet in large numbers. Someone is making the phone calls to beg for traffic slowing and it isn't commuters cutting down Berteau.

On the potential for neighborhood greenways to grow children cycling: I'm glad Cameron felt solid riding Asland as a kid but as for actually growing ridership across the board in Chicago the vast majority of families are not going to even consider this. Connections from schools to playgrounds and parks are central to growing a generation of riders in our city now and for the next decades. These young riders will eventually become adult riders and a totally different kind of driver and citizen. I think that we have heard many times that bicyclists are not going to be organized off their current routes on busy streets and I think we can move the conversation beyond this concern to how to generate change in our own communities to actually grow cycling the way we must  to to thrive as a city in these next decades.

Children do not belong on Ashland, Western, Damen or any of these high traffic area as they exist now. They don't belong on Bertau realistically if the cars are speeding dwon it to make their connection to Ashland as it seems residents who are complaining feel is the case.

Having commuted with my young sons throughout the city for the last eleven years I feel that the fringe of family riders isn't going to cut it to grow our share of daily trips. Few parents who ride throught the city with children that I know feel that the current infrastructure is adequate in any way. This isn't a conversation that is conceptual for parents who want their children to be able to be independent riders. Change needs to happen to make youth riding possible. 

Being a part of these changes in our own communities is very important. Residents of Uptown who use Berteau and these streets (or other Chainlinkers who ride there often) need to take themselves to these meetings to share their experiences and to find solidarity with the pedestrians and residents who are also wishing for this change to begin. Alderman Prewar is looking for input from those who live or work and shop in these areas to gauge how to make this change. Now is a good moment to make time to find out when ahd where these meetings are occuring and to calmly and pleasantly make ourselves present to share why pedestrians and residents need the greenways. They will belong to everyone not just one mode user. 

Grid in particular can make themselves a part of this change by making known on their widget ( on blogs who carry the network as well as Grid itself) when these meetings will occur all over the city as these changes become real in every ward. This is how they made incredible change in New York and we can do the same here. People that are already asking for changes that are not cyclists are our natural counterparts. This change is for us all.

Permalink Reply by John Greenfield on March 6, 2012 at 1:32pm

Thanks Jennifer. Actually, Steven Vance already does a good job of listing upcoming community meeting in the sidebar of Grid Chicago. That's how I heard about this meeting! I'll also try to include these in the events calendar of "Checkerboard City," Newcity magazine's sustainable transportation column. For example, don't miss the Bloomingdale Trail open house this Thursday from 5-8 pm at Yates Elementary School, 1839 N. Richmond Street. But please let us know about any upcoming community meetings that might be under our radar.

Permalink Reply by jennifer james on March 6, 2012 at 3:39pm

Hey John- I'm really thankful that the box cme to life on Grid. Two quick just small thoughts that I have on Grid, how New Yorkers accomplished rapid community driven change in New York and Streestblog as a model.

I think that if Grid/ Grid Network is our much smaller Chicago version of Streetsblog  (much discussed among many transit/ cycle freaks of course was why to go with Grid instead of the full blown Streetsblog Network) we need to look at how Streetsblog uses community meeting notices to bring cyclists to public meetings. They partner with the essentially ward organized support groups around New York to bring transit/ ped/cycle positive citizens to every single community meeting in key numbers around the city as much as they can. 

Grid positions itself as central to discussing transportation and more here in Chicago.  Doug and I carry the widget for Grid on our blog happily and also thankfully the benefit of being part of the network.

If this is our Streetsblogish  advocacy contact point how as bloggers and writers in Chicago can we bring to the fore ways for the many different cyclists and transit lovers who are our reader to bring to bear the change that Cdot and the Mayor are opening the doors to in rapid fashion.

Much like in New York opportunity is knocking. How can we study/copy the successes they have achieved as a model much because it was leadership led  and citizen supporter driven? It's up to us all to help shape the change well and get the door blown open the rest of the way in my mind. How to do this is a big question that is complicated to answer.

Permalink Reply by John Greenfield on March 6, 2012 at 3:47pm

Good idea Jennifer. We'll try to put more effort into encouraging citizens to show up for community meetings for biking, ped and transit projects, perhaps via social media and more meeting preview posts on the site.

Permalink Reply by Kevin Anderson on August 15, 2012 at 11:42am

From http://chicago47.org/events/269/berteau-greenway-meeting/:

Berteau Greenway Meeting
August 16, Thursday 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Welles Park Gym, 2333 W. Sunnyside Avenue

Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and 47th Ward staff will present final concepts for the proposed Berteau Neighborhood Greenway. The goal of this project is to improve safety on Berteau, between Lincoln and Clark, and create a roadway that is more comfortable for all modes of transportation. The concepts being presented will reflect public input gathered at previous community meetings. All are welcome to attend in the community meeting room at the Welles Park Gymnasium . There will be a short presentation beginning at 6:20 followed by an open house to review the draft plans.

More information on the project is available on our website at: http://chicago47.org/projects/neighborhood-greenways/. Contact Bill Higgins with any questions or comments at: Bill@Chicago47.org

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