Who cares for the LFT???

As a daily bike commuter on the lakefront path on and off for years, I've often felt insulted by how long serious life-threatening surface condition problems are allowed to persist.  It feels like despite tens of thousands of daily users, we're just those little cyclist people.  Meanwhile just a fence-width away on lakeshore drive such dangers would never be left to fester so.

This year in particular though the problems are so egregious and dangerous, some now months old, I felt something had to be said.

I've tried the 311 app for several problems such as a specific huge pothole, and a boulder on the path (too large for one person to move, a construction crew left it there), and gotten "the problem has been resolved" messages back a few days later, with nothing actually done.  The boulder one I even resubmitted, and got the same reply again, though it's still there.

I figured next step is contact the appropriate agency directly, but not sure who that is.

Can perhaps an Active Trans rep followup and pester the city on behalf of this lifetime members?

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Permalink Reply by S on March 22, 2016 at 6:01am

They've always been good about plowing, they're better than Streets and San a lot of times.

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on March 21, 2016 at 2:49pm

Thanks y'all!  Glad I'm not totally off base.  Can't asphalt in winter, but it's reasonable to expect a pavement to endure, and there may be uncertainty as to who's responsible.

There is much maintenance that's well done.  But at the same time as a lifelong user I've seen major risk persist for literally years.  South of Diversey harbor bridge for example had a missing ten foot span of pavement for at least four years. Every day now I go over the patch and am grateful, but we had to wait years.

It's an especially interesting contrast, considering that at the same time millions are being spent on new path developments just miles away.

So... I'm gonna post another fresh two, and in the future maybe continue to post (so far I've barely covered a few miles) and seems like anyone may as well here as well.  And I'm going to submit mine on the 311 system (servicetracker.cityofchicago.org as Yasmeen mentioned) and report on the experience, and we can see how long repair actually takes.

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on March 21, 2016 at 2:57pm

Widowmaking pothole at Goethe, been here all year?  What is "ACE"?  Note the freshly perfectly paved lakeshoredrive adjacent.

Permalink Reply by Andrew St. Paul on March 21, 2016 at 5:17pm

"The helpful place"

Permalink Reply by S on March 22, 2016 at 6:01am

This is newish, only been a month or two.

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on March 21, 2016 at 2:59pm

Why, the f*ck, is there a boulder blocking the ramp north of Fullerton???  I've reported this twice, the first time last fall, and been told it's resolved.  Have tried with several friends and found it utterly inert.

Permalink Reply by Andrew St. Paul on March 21, 2016 at 5:19pm

That thing is a monster!

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on March 22, 2016 at 11:12pm

Personally, I wouldn't consider that to be part of the bike path. Remember that woman who sued the city a couple years ago when she rode off the end of one of those steps? I would just accept it for what it is and move on.

Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on March 23, 2016 at 3:56am

That's a good point. 

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on March 23, 2016 at 4:31am

My concern is not bike exclusive.  For Inline Skating some of these these are even bigger issue.

Yes, the boulder blocks the beautiful new-ish wheelchair ramp.  I've always assumed it was intentionally, but can't imagine why.  Though it's not far from some loosely fenced construction areas.

Permalink Reply by Dave Norton on March 21, 2016 at 4:03pm
A little challenge is good for most people. If everything was smooth, and sterile, we'd get bored. Our frustrations come from within. Ride around the bumps, ride over em n have more fun, n rest assured that the bumps will get fixed or not. Either way, we still got a great path.
Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on March 21, 2016 at 4:35pm

trunuf, but I worry about the bewbies

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