Utility company street patching destroying bike routes

Has anyone else noticed the new style of rough, hard, concrete patching that is being done and apparently accepted by the City of Chicago, often obliterating existing bike routes.

Clark St. between Howard and Devon used to be a prime commuting route for me.  In spite of many lights, they were well synchronized and you could make really good time on that part of the commute.  Not so good in the evening but a great morning route.

That was until last year when some utilty tore up the street right in the bike lane and replaced it not with asphalt, but with this hard concrete.  The crew that did the patch made not the slightest attempt to smooth their work out and now Clark is basically unrideable.

Now another bike lane that was part of my commute, Pratt Blvd., has gotten the same treatment.

So while the city, to great fanfare, introduces new protected bike lanes in some part of the city, they fail to enforce basic street-paving standards and lose bike lanes that have served us well for years.

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Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on May 22, 2013 at 6:54am

Thanks Steve for the list of things we can do to report street surface problems.

I did fill out a "street cut complaint" via http://311request.cityofchicago.org while 35th Street was recently badly patched with cement. The whole street got resurfaced not long after. I didn't imagine that my complaint had anything to do with it, but it is nice to know that it is a recommended action.


Active Transportation Alliance said:

Thanks Steve and everyone for this great thread!

...

We’ll continue to raise the issue, but it’s also critically important for residents to make their voices heard by reporting inadequate street conditions to the city and their alderman – which both demonstrates public concern and generates hard data the city can use to improve its services.

Here are a few things you can do to report inadequately restored streets:

1. Report it via 311 – use the “street cut complaint” category. More complaints will help to document with real data that there is a real problem the city needs to address: http://311request.cityofchicago.org/reports/new?service_id=4ffa995a...

2. Contact your alderman about it. Find who that is here: https://webapps3.cityofchicago.org/StickerOnlineWeb/pageflows/wardL...

3. Contact CDOT at cdotbikes@cityofchicago.org

Thanks again,

Jim Merrell - Active Trans

Permalink Reply by Matt L on May 22, 2013 at 7:21am

An initial portion of Wells from Division north (northbound) has been repaved.  Wells from Chicago to Division and a portion of Wells between Division and North are still junky, though. 

Permalink Reply by Liz on May 22, 2013 at 7:48am

I wonder if this is an issue in terms of the city/utility contract agreements to pavement design.  Since the concrete strips are designed to meet the general specifications by the city, the utilities likely use them over asphalt so they don't have to worry about the grade of backfill being used and proper compaction (this is what causes so many sink holes).   The use of concrete is to cover up poor installation practices with asphalt patching.  

City specification for street repair are a disaster, I've worked in a public works department for a suburb and the standards and supervision are much higher.  Part of the problem is that the roadway repairs and CDOT are vastly underfunded, and aren't allocated the correct resources for utility work inspection.  

I wonder if CDOT requirements include the need to trowel or broom finish concrete?  If not the utilities are fulfilling their requirements with the rough surface.  If they are required to finish to surface, then they're liable to replace sections that have not been properly installed.  

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on May 22, 2013 at 9:06am

Haven't seen anything so far.  Assuming they don't just use auto-reply bots, I wouldn't necessarily expect an immediate response.  Might take a day or two.

h' 1.0 said:

Did CDOT acknowledge the communication?

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on May 22, 2013 at 10:06am

Textured like volcanic rock would be okay.  Cratered like a volcano, less so. :-)

h' 1.0 said:

I still think there may be a reason it's purposely textured like volcanic rock

Permalink Reply by Liz on May 22, 2013 at 2:02pm

My opinion on the reason is money and time.  It takes longer and is more work to broom finish.

h' 1.0 said:

I still think there may be a reason it's purposely textured like volcanic rock, and I'm gonna find out what it is next time I see a crew out there.


Permalink Reply by Steve Cohen on May 23, 2013 at 2:14am

Well, I submitted a street cut complaint.  I may call the alderman, but he's not MY alderman, I don't even live in the City so how far will that go?


I have to say, I think we're getting a little bit of the runaround here.  What I still want to know is what is POLICY on this matter?

1) Why are construction crews being paid for construction that fails to meet standards.  Would an asphalt paving job of this level of bumpiness be accepted?  Shouldn't it be POLICY that all road-construction work have a smoothness requirement?

2) If the plans are to eventually cover with asphalt, what is POLICY on lag time between the two coverings?  Is a year acceptable? Two years?  What?

I would like to see ATA make a public issue out of this, something more than telling members to call their alderman, though that is a start.

Permalink Reply by Steve Cohen on May 23, 2013 at 3:58am

What is the point of this snark?  The question is how we move forward.  Individual complaints may help but I still think we should be able to do better than that?



h' 1.0 said:

I would like ATA to offer a scoop of free mint chocolate chip ice cream at every major intersection to anyone on foot or on a bike.

Permalink Reply by Steve Cohen on May 23, 2013 at 3:58am

hear hear!

Cameron 7.5 mi said:

I'd love a scoop of ice cream, but right now I'd settle for some research into CDOT's paving standards and a FOIA request learn what utility contractors are required by to do by their agreements with CDOT.



h' 1.0 said:

I would like ATA to offer a scoop of free mint chocolate chip ice cream at every major intersection to anyone on foot or on a bike.

Permalink Reply by Steve Cohen on May 23, 2013 at 6:32am

Fair enough.

if ATA is not the organization that could do this, maybe something else needs to exist?  My frustration with their inability/unwillingness to do more on this is what caused me to search this place out and post this here.  I'm for whatever works.  How can we be more effective at advancing our concern?


h' 1.0 said:

ATA is a tiny and overstrapped organization trying to make change in a huge metropolitan area.

There's a common misperception that they have staff standing by to throw themselves into solving the next problem that the bike community faces, and as someone with a little insight into what goes on behind the scenes there, I can assure you that everyone is being strapped to the max to prepare for Bike the Drive, without which the staff they currently have couldn't be sustained. That anyone had time to read and respond to this thread is fairly noteworthy.

I am right with you on wanting these problems to be addressed, up to the point that you throw it back in Active Trans' lap.

Steve Cohen said:

What is the point of this snark?  The question is how we move forward.  Individual complaints may help but I still think we should be able to do better than that?



h' 1.0 said:

I would like ATA to offer a scoop of free mint chocolate chip ice cream at every major intersection to anyone on foot or on a bike.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on May 23, 2013 at 8:09am

An angry mob, perhaps?

Steve Cohen said:

Fair enough.

if ATA is not the organization that could do this, maybe something else needs to exist?  My frustration with their inability/unwillingness to do more on this is what caused me to search this place out and post this here.  I'm for whatever works.  How can we be more effective at advancing our concern?

Permalink Reply by WillG on May 23, 2013 at 8:38am

Based on a quick glance through those standard details in Appendix A (http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/cdot/Public%20W...), the concrete that we all love to hate is 'PC Concrete Base Course' laid down after utility or other work is performed (see details A-2-2A through A-2-2C). The expectation is that asphalt will be placed over it.



carfreecommuter said:

Does this help? 

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdot/provdrs/constructio...

http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/cdot/Public%20W...
Steve Cohen said:

Well, I submitted a street cut complaint.  I may call the alderman, but he's not MY alderman, I don't even live in the City so how far will that go?


I have to say, I think we're getting a little bit of the runaround here.  What I still want to know is what is POLICY on this matter?

1) Why are construction crews being paid for construction that fails to meet standards.  Would an asphalt paving job of this level of bumpiness be accepted?  Shouldn't it be POLICY that all road-construction work have a smoothness requirement?

2) If the plans are to eventually cover with asphalt, what is POLICY on lag time between the two coverings?  Is a year acceptable? Two years?  What?

I would like to see ATA make a public issue out of this, something more than telling members to call their alderman, though that is a start.

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