Protected Bike Lane Frack-Up: Marshall Boulevard-- ??Resolved??

It looks like striping was completed yesterday for a protected lane on Marshall... at least from the south end of Douglass park to the bend towards 24th street (I personally don't have much use for a bike lane on the boulevard so can't speak to how far it extends either way...).

 

(11/20/12, 6/14/13-- subject line edited to reflect the current status)

Views: 2233

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jim Freeman on June 11, 2013 at 8:36pm
limbo period? it's been seven months... What could possibly cause a seven month hold up?
Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on June 12, 2013 at 4:01am

Government…

Jim Freeman said:

limbo period? it's been seven months... What could possibly cause a seven month hold up?
Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on June 12, 2013 at 7:08am

oh this is good! I'm adding North vs West/Southside Translator to my list of projects!

(I was gonna say "Someone should..." ).


h' 1.0 said:

7 West Side Months= 3 North Side Weeks.


Jim Freeman said:

limbo period? it's been seven months... What could possibly cause a seven month hold up?
Permalink Reply by Dan Korn on June 14, 2013 at 3:41pm

I guess that writing to Gabe Klein worked, because CDOT came out this week and replaced the signs.  They now properly say No Parking on the east side, and there are no rush hour restrictions on the west side.  The cars are mostly parking where they're supposed to.

There are still some major problems with the road surface, especially under the Metra tracks, but this is a huge improvement.  It was great riding in the actual bike lane to my house tonight!

Permalink Reply by Dan Korn on September 19, 2013 at 2:22pm

h' 1.0 said:

If you live in the area please try to make this meeting-- I don't know for sure, but suspect the majority of attendees will be there to complain about the bike lane.

Thanks for the info.

Yes, I suspect you're right that most people will be speaking against the bike lanes.  I've heard as much from folks in the neighborhood.  They think that there are not enough cyclists using the bike lanes to justify the parking that was removed.  Of course, that's a very short-sighted way to look at it, but it is true that there are not as many cyclists in Little Village as in other parts of the city.  Cycling seems to be perceived as a "white" activity.  The addition of a Divvy station at 24th and Marshall (right in front of my house) next spring should help with the numbers, though not necessarily with the perception.

Also, while there are fewer parking spaces overall on Marshall Boulevard now (there were never any on 24th Boulevard), the ones that are there are 24-hour spaces, instead of spaces with rush hour restrictions as in the old, pre-bike lane configuration.  So while there is less parking when there's an event at the Apollo's 2000 theater (which should provide parking for its customers instead of taking up free public parking), there's more parking overnight for people who live in the neighborhood.

Plus, the bike lanes have had a traffic-calming effect, forcing people to drive more slowly.  The sharp curve at the corner of 24th and Marshall used to be good for at least one bad crash a month; it seems to be better now, so far.

Admittedly, the bike lane isn't perfect.  With one lane each way, and the parking usually pretty full, there's no room for cars to even pull over and drop people off or pick them up without stopping in the bike lane.

But, the boulevard was a haven for illegal parking even before the bike lanes went in.  Every morning and afternoon, cars park illegally on the Boulevard to drop off and pick up at Saucedo.  And at least twice a week, cars park illegally in the bike lane for hours while funerals are held at the church on 24th and California.

So now, when all these people park illegally, it's no more or less illegal than it was before, but now they're blocking the bike lanes.

Permalink Reply by Dan Korn on September 19, 2013 at 2:35pm

h' 1.0 said:

Hopefully I've got next Wednesday scheduled as an earlier workday.

Is there any chance you can be there, Dan? Maybe a little scratchy throat kind of thing that morning...?

 

(also-- I have never been inside that building in all these years-- would love to see it from the inside)

I will try very hard to make it.  I'm also curious to see the inside of the building.

Permalink Reply by Mark on January 22, 2014 at 4:59am

This is another reason why I prefer buffered lanes.

Permalink Reply by Aaron Bussey on January 22, 2014 at 5:00am

Buffered Lanes for Life!

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on January 22, 2014 at 9:08am

Uggghhhh!!! Disappointing.

h' 1.0 said:

In case anyone was dying to know what the Marshall Boulevard bike lane looks like today*

*to distant future readers... this is on a weekday/ non-holiday around 5:30 PM, about 18 hours after last snowfall.

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on January 22, 2014 at 9:22am

Yes. For reference, the protected lanes on the 18th St bridge were nicely plowed and (over)salted this morning. Except for the last few feet eastbound under a viaduct just west of where the lane ceases to be barrier protected. At that point there is* giant pile of snow (ok, so perhaps only a foot tall, but tall enough when frozen to force riders out into the non-bike lane).  

On the bridge, the plowed protected bike lane provides a nice side-effect: there is plenty of room to share the lane with pedestrians who formerly had to either walk in the street or make their way over an un-shovelled sidewalk.

Dearborn was also plowed and salted pretty well this morning - at least from the southern terminus to Monroe. There was a lot of crap on the Federal Plaza block, but at least Lake Kluczynski was not yet making an appearance.  

*at least as of this morning
Anne Alt said:

Uggghhhh!!! Disappointing.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on January 23, 2014 at 7:14am

Wow, they actually plowed 18th St. this a.m.?!?  I missed seeing that because I was sitting on the east side of the train on my way into work, trying soak up a little sun. Thanks for the good news.

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on January 23, 2014 at 7:43am

If you are referring to my post, that was yesterday, but yes the protected lanes on the bridge were plowed and salted. The non-protected sections including the wall of snow immediately to the east of the east bound protected lanes were not plowed.

Anne Alt said:

Wow, they actually plowed 18th St. this a.m.?!?  I missed seeing that because I was sitting on the east side of the train on my way into work, trying soak up a little sun. Thanks for the good news.

RSS

Groups

© 2008-2016   The Chainlink Community, L.L.C.   Powered by

Disclaimer  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service