Clarification Please...Lake Path and Road Intersections...bikes are required to stop?

Are bikes required to yield to traffic when crossing roads (i.e. Montrose, Wilson, Foster) while riding on the bike path?  I've always assumed yes, since we are not pedestrians?  

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Permalink Reply by Josh L. on August 11, 2013 at 8:20am

I don't know.  Seems to be the accepted practice.

I bike that path from Wilson to Grand most days of the week and run it 4-5 x a week and maybe in 5 years a car has failed to stop once. I have found people  uniformly courteous and given bikes/runners the right of way.

When "violations" occur it's because a biker in front of me waves the car through not realizing there is a faster biker behind them!

Others may have had different experiences. I know these crossings were a big issue at the future of LSD meetings this past week.

Permalink Reply by Michael A on August 11, 2013 at 9:29am

Where the path meets Foster and Lawerence they are both are controlled with stop signs. SO technically the path has the right of way. There used to be yield signs on the path at Wilson giving the right of way to  westbound traffic. Those signs are no longer there and there is no stop sign for westbound traffic at Wilson.

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on August 11, 2013 at 11:49am

Yes, users of LFP have the right-of-way.  Still, the number of incidents I've encountered (none involving me so far) suggest that you better make darn sure that car is going to stop before crossing.  Also, especially if you are traveling northbound, make sure cars coming off LSD see you.  They won't always signal their right turn intentions and won't necessarily be able to see you as you are behind them and well off to their right.

Permalink Reply by Jeremy on August 11, 2013 at 12:49pm
Or on busier evenings people in cars at those intersections just flat out get tired of waiting and roll through the intersection regardless of who else is there or has the right of way. If you're on the path and traveling through one of these intersections be careful-the only actions you control are your own.
Permalink Reply by Kevin K on August 11, 2013 at 2:22pm

That's a really good question Zach, I've often wondered the same thing myself.  I ride that stretch on my work commute.

Unless I'm mistaken, aren't there stop signs for the cars, and also yield signs for bikes?  Which is confusing.  Are bikers supposed to treat this like a four way stop, or not?  What exactly does 'yield' mean?  Is that a command, or just a general warning?

Those intersections can get quite nasty.  That's probably where I see the most ambulances, from crashes, although it's mostly at night and on the weekends.  Also a lot of 'confrontations' there, bikers flipping off cars, people dropping f-bombs, etc.

It's the worst when there are special events in the park, with out-of-town drivers. Maybe they're late for a game, maybe they come from a town where bikes are considered toys, but I've seen cars just blaze through and expect all the path traffic to part like the Red Sea.  You also get cyclists who barren through without regards to the reality of cars in their way.

Definitely prudent to ride defensively there.

Permalink Reply by Z Maz on August 11, 2013 at 3:29pm

Thanks for the replies.  My curiosity arose when I was reading an article on DNAinfo.com about the LSD revamp which states the following in regards to an open public meeting...

 

'Several notes accused bicyclists of assuming they have priority on the roadways and failing to yield to cars and pedestrians along various lakefront trails.'

 

Article Link Click Here 

Permalink Reply by Michael A on August 11, 2013 at 7:38pm

There are some intersections that have traffic signals. One on the trail to the west of the North av beach house, One at Queen's landing, and near navy pier. I very often see riders blow these signals so this is what they could be referring to. Also I am not convinced that bikes have the right of way where the path crosses roads, especially ones where there is only a stripped lane marking and no stop signs for the cars.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on August 12, 2013 at 6:36am

Regarding the crossing at North Avenue: I've been scolded a few times after riding thought that one. It's not entirely clear what cyclists should do at that intersection. There is a walk sign that is off to the left and hard to see; I am not normally looking for walk signs, since on a bike I obey red/green only. Plus, often the sign will be on do not walk, even when cars have a red light. My suggestion is to install a bike traffic light there and give the LFT users priority.


Michael A said:

There are some intersections that have traffic signals. One on the trail to the west of the North av beach house, One at Queen's landing, and near navy pier. I very often see riders blow these signals so this is what they could be referring to. Also I am not convinced that bikes have the right of way where the path crosses roads, especially ones where there is only a stripped lane marking and no stop signs for the cars.

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on August 12, 2013 at 6:52am



Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

My suggestion is to install a bike traffic light there...

+1.  It seems like it should be fairly easy to add a bike traffic light anywhere on LFT that auto traffic lights already exist.  That will have the added benefit of making more casual bike riders aware of bike lights so that if they venture into the less bike-friendly parts of the city they won't be taken completely by surprise.

Permalink Reply by Kevin K on August 12, 2013 at 9:55am

The crossing north of North Avenue (I think the road is technically LaSalle) is a bizarre one.  Not to mention one of the harshest crossings on the path -- gives your bike quite a shake. Sucks with an aluminum frame.

A friend of mine from work recently had an accident there.  He was trying to beat the light, and so was an on-coming car.  My friend jammed on his brakes, flipped over the bike, and literally broke both of his forearms. Luckily he had a helmet on (he normally rides without one), the helmet was broken by the ground.

The car jammed on brakes, stopped just a few feet in front of him.  Lucky again.  My friend admits he was riding too aggressively, was late getting somewhere, but still -- confusing intersection.


Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

Regarding the crossing at North Avenue: I've been scolded a few times after riding thought that one. It's not entirely clear what cyclists should do at that intersection. There is a walk sign that is off to the left and hard to see; I am not normally looking for walk signs, since on a bike I obey red/green only. Plus, often the sign will be on do not walk, even when cars have a red light. My suggestion is to install a bike traffic light there and give the LFT users priority.


Michael A said:

There are some intersections that have traffic signals. One on the trail to the west of the North av beach house, One at Queen's landing, and near navy pier. I very often see riders blow these signals so this is what they could be referring to. Also I am not convinced that bikes have the right of way where the path crosses roads, especially ones where there is only a stripped lane marking and no stop signs for the cars.

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on August 12, 2013 at 10:27am

I think the walk/don't walk sign at North isn't hard to see or understand.  The main trouble with this intersection is the fact it's not busy enough for the 'don't walk' light to be taken seriously by most path users of any type.  Plus the light for exiting the park comes on a while after the don't walk signal comes on and trail traffic that crosses against the walk signal can get caught blocking traffic trying to get out.

I don't really know how to handle this intersection.  Trail traffic's so heavy and the signal is ignored so easily by repeat users that you'd have to have gates or a couple of police officers to control it.  For the crossings around Navy Pier there's no excuse for running those lights unless there's obviously no traffic.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

Regarding the crossing at North Avenue: I've been scolded a few times after riding thought that one. It's not entirely clear what cyclists should do at that intersection. There is a walk sign that is off to the left and hard to see; I am not normally looking for walk signs, since on a bike I obey red/green only. Plus, often the sign will be on do not walk, even when cars have a red light. My suggestion is to install a bike traffic light there and give the LFT users priority.

Permalink Reply by Josh L. on August 12, 2013 at 3:45pm

Adam there is also a stoplight if I'm not mistaken. But the walk sign is very visible. I blow this stop too I admit but that sign is there. 

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

Regarding the crossing at North Avenue: I've been scolded a few times after riding thought that one. It's not entirely clear what cyclists should do at that intersection. There is a walk sign that is off to the left and hard to see; I am not normally looking for walk signs, since on a bike I obey red/green only. Plus, often the sign will be on do not walk, even when cars have a red light. My suggestion is to install a bike traffic light there and give the LFT users priority.


Michael A said:

There are some intersections that have traffic signals. One on the trail to the west of the North av beach house, One at Queen's landing, and near navy pier. I very often see riders blow these signals so this is what they could be referring to. Also I am not convinced that bikes have the right of way where the path crosses roads, especially ones where there is only a stripped lane marking and no stop signs for the cars.

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