I rode today. Did you?

Nice first ride in the COLD.

 

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Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on March 6, 2013 at 5:27am

If by silly you mean that it's silly that the city doesn't maintain their protected bike lanes, then I agree.

spencewine said:

This is starting to get silly.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

The fact that Dearborn is now the worst part of my commute, when it's supposed to be the best is telling. All of the other streets I took today were mostly clear, even ones with buffered/door zone lanes. Dearborn is already riddled with potholes and slick manhole covers, and the snow just makes it that much worse. The two-way bikeway is just not wide enough to have 25% of it unusable due to snow. Why can't the city manage to keep their "flagship" bike lane clear?

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

Other than that last photo which seems to be the building with the ongoing snow problem it does not look that bad.

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on March 6, 2013 at 5:32am

I agree.  The first photo shows half the s/b lane clogged with snow.  The entire n/b lane is obstructed by the steel grate, which is going to be damn slippery when wet. Looks like Adam was lucky enough to ride this section when nobody was parallel parked there.  Had an evasive maneuver been necessary, he did have an out.

A friend of mine -- an experienced bike commuter -- went down on one of the bridges with exposed steel grates two or three years ago.  Broke a finger which required surgery and a fair amount of PT.  There is no excuse at this point for any of these steel grates to be exposed like this. Are there plates on the Dearborn bridge yet?

As Adam points out, this is the city's flagship bike lane. While they can't completely control cabs, delivery trucks and clueless pedestrians, you would think they'd solve the aspects of the bike lane which are under their control (potholes, cops parking in the lanes, grate covers, etc) before moving on to build other protected bike lanes around the city.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

The fact that Dearborn is now the worst part of my commute, when it's supposed to be the best is telling. All of the other streets I took today were mostly clear, even ones with buffered/door zone lanes. Dearborn is already riddled with potholes and slick manhole covers, and the snow just makes it that much worse. The two-way bikeway is just not wide enough to have 25% of it unusable due to snow. Why can't the city manage to keep their "flagship" bike lane clear?

Permalink Reply by spencewine on March 6, 2013 at 5:33am

I mean you and your constant whining about Dearborne is silly. I think you should consider taking an alternative route so as to spare us- it's getting incredibly tedious.


Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

If by silly you mean that it's silly that the city doesn't maintain their protected bike lanes, then I agree.

spencewine said:

This is starting to get silly.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

The fact that Dearborn is now the worst part of my commute, when it's supposed to be the best is telling. All of the other streets I took today were mostly clear, even ones with buffered/door zone lanes. Dearborn is already riddled with potholes and slick manhole covers, and the snow just makes it that much worse. The two-way bikeway is just not wide enough to have 25% of it unusable due to snow. Why can't the city manage to keep their "flagship" bike lane clear?

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

Other than that last photo which seems to be the building with the ongoing snow problem it does not look that bad.

Permalink Reply by grayn8 on March 6, 2013 at 5:39am
I hate to become involved in something that might decay further into philosophical half full/half empty meh or name calling...but I am curious as to the speed Adam is going compared to others and what type of ride. Dpbl are fine for me putting around at 14 with 700 x 35. Not good doing faster with skinnys on a roadie. Perhaps it's not a cup, but a brandy sifter versus a flute.
Permalink Reply by Deet 4.5mi on March 6, 2013 at 5:44am

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on March 6, 2013 at 5:50am

Skip Montanaro 12mi said:

There is no excuse at this point for any of these steel grates to be exposed like this. Are there plates on the Dearborn bridge yet?

The plates on the Dearborn bridge have not been installed. CDOT promised they'd be there by the end of February.

grayn8 (5.3 - 36) said:

I hate to become involved in something that might decay further into philosophical half full/half empty meh or name calling...but I am curious as to the speed Adam is going compared to others and what type of ride. Dpbl are fine for me putting around at 14 with 700 x 35. Not good doing faster with skinnys on a roadie. Perhaps it's not a cup, but a brandy sifter versus a flute.
I typically ride slowly, especially on Dearborn. I average about 10-12 MPH, and go even slower on Dearborn – typically slow enough to hit nearly every red light. I ride a hybrid with 700x32 slick tires.
Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on March 6, 2013 at 5:53am

That should help on Wells where old trolley car tracks are exposed!

Deet 4.5mi said:

Permalink Reply by blair on March 6, 2013 at 5:59am

Re: plates on Dearborn...

I comment/message the Chicago Bicycle Program and CDOT Facebook pages every week or so to check in on these.  Haven't heard anything.  I want to try it out, but not until plates are installed.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on March 6, 2013 at 6:05am

I have been walking my bike over the bridge – especially on wet mornings like today's. I have rarely had an issue with other cyclists trying to get around me.

122782_ said:

Re: plates on Dearborn...

I comment/message the Chicago Bicycle Program and CDOT Facebook pages every week or so to check in on these.  Haven't heard anything.  I want to try it out, but not until plates are installed.

Permalink Reply by Deet 4.5mi on March 6, 2013 at 6:18am

Personally i know they have a way to go , but i do enjoy being able to ride to work thru the loop and not have to sprint to keep up with traffic or fear that a car is going to whip past me at 40 mph when the roads are less than ideal. Is it perfect no, but it is better than the other option. Give it time it will get there. 

I do agree the plates would make it much better.

Permalink Reply by Crazy David 84 Furlongs on March 6, 2013 at 6:22am

All these comments about those bridges bring back memories of Bike Commuting into the loop.   I hated those bridges on my narrow tires.   That being said, my commute (out toward the airport) has a different, and in my view far greater (or grater to use the pun...) problem.  The City still has a number of those grates with the 1.5 inch wide slots running parallel to the direction of travel stuck right into the area where Bikes ride.   These are really really dangerous.  (The most obvious are at the Lawrence Avenue crossing over the Edens...)   Go ahead and fix the plates, but first fix the (ahem) Grater Hazard....

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on March 6, 2013 at 6:26am

Yes, but the fact that there is a high-profile protected bike lane over a bridge with no plates and the fact that CDOT did state that they'd be installed by now, makes this more infuriating than usual.

Cameron 7.5 mi said:

Grate brides have long been a problem with lots of talk and little action. I believe CDOT's official stance is to address cyclist safety whenever a bridge is rehabbed, but this policy doesn't seem to translate to action (Division St being one of the biggest missed opportunities). No there are not plates on Dearborn yet. The fact that CDOT will direct cyclists over one of the more dangerous bridge decks in the city shows how little CDOT cares about the bridge issue. 

Skip Montanaro 12mi said:

A friend of mine -- an experienced bike commuter -- went down on one of the bridges with exposed steel grates two or three years ago.  Broke a finger which required surgery and a fair amount of PT.  There is no excuse at this point for any of these steel grates to be exposed like this. Are there plates on the Dearborn bridge yet?

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