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 Andrew Bedno on May 2, 2016 at 1:53pm

Updating: Oak Street bend turned into a whole big thing.  Today crews started some surgical cuts, as if to remove a whole large section presumably for replacement in whole.  The other stretch of LFT missing pavement north of Huron I should report, but I know they've got a lot on their plate with the flyover.  I'm truly stunned that all these weeks later the weather hasn't been better for road maintenance.  And in retrospect since starting this thread I think that for the most part the north path is pretty good.  As someone else mentioned there are some significant patches on the south path that are nearly impassible in comparison.  The boulder, I should report again, but now I want to see if I can move it myself with a bunch of friends and lever and winches.

The pothole that so pissed me off because they put a cone in it and marked the task done, now has both sexes of goodies spray painted on it (I'm so proud of you Chicago).  But there's also some cuts that look like maybe actual work has started so I'm not gonna report it again, and I should hope someone else(s) already have.

Permalink Reply by curt(is) locke on May 4, 2016 at 4:37am

"Significant patches on the south path that are nearly impassible in comparison"?? I think not. Yes, it IS sometimes gravel-spewed south of McCormick Place around 2400-2500 S., crumbly around 5000 S. Lake Shore, and sand traps wax and wane at the southern edge of 57th Street Beach, but NEARLY IMPASSIBLE?! Please.

FWIW, I ride the entire length of the LFT/Burnham Greenway year-round (from Wolf Lake to Hollywood) on 23 or 25c tires on a variety of road bikes. Yes, there are certainly days when I use my native intelligence and hop up on the Inner Drive between Ohio and Oak. However, I think it's whiny and wildly unrealistic to demand/expect the city to instantly re-mediate the Oak Street curve.

I DO find that the lurker at Goethe is potentially lethal for a unwitting cyclist after dark/before dawn. It's rather inexcusable that some short-term bandaid/patch has yet to be applied. And then there is that smaller pot hole just south of Buena that has been "highlighted" with yellow caution spray paint that has been just lying in waiting for months now to take down the unaware with a face plant. Again, this could certainly at least be temporarily remedied with a few shovels of asphalt at minimal cost in materials and labor. Why it is allowed to fester completely escapes me. 

Permalink Reply by Waymond Smith on May 3, 2016 at 10:31am

Annual repairs being done on Oak Street!

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on May 3, 2016 at 10:32am

Thanx for the pic!  Saw that this AM but couldn't stop to take one.

Permalink Reply by Mike Schwab on May 4, 2016 at 3:29am
Permalink Reply by Tricolor on May 5, 2016 at 5:56am

Oak Street's asphalt has completely trashed by the surf these last few days, which is hitting the retaining wall of Lake Shore Drive.

Not as bad as it has been in the past, though the curve didn't tear apart that time, either:

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on May 17, 2016 at 4:38am

Giving credit where due, the last few weeks city workers have been all over most of the items that started this thread.  The pothole at Goethe is getting a comically large response (like two trucks for two weeks) and is still not fixed, but I'm hoping it may be.

Oak Street Bend has been under HEAVY construction, and the new work has added a mid-slope ridge (see pic) that I'd presume has a wave-breaking function.  I'm overjoyed, and choose to believe it's because of us.

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on May 17, 2016 at 6:10am

Thanks for posting that picture. Is the slope from the LSD wall to that curb flatter (than it used to be or than the rest of the slope down to the lake) as well?

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on May 17, 2016 at 6:28am

Maybe a little, but not sure that's a significant design element.  The LSD adjacent road has been excavated back to the prior generation pavement, presumably awaiting a new top.  That new curb in the middle has rebar roots going down a foot.  I watched the framing last week.  I could see that clipping some newbies, but hoping it helps the rest of us.

Permalink Reply by Waymond Smith on May 17, 2016 at 6:55am

Hopefully they will highlight that curb! It can become a hazard for all!

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on May 17, 2016 at 8:40am

That little lip is going to cause a lot of trips and wrecks.

Permalink Reply by Mark on May 17, 2016 at 10:30am

Water was pooled all the way to the top of the lip on Sunday afternoon.  It was gone by Monday morning.  Hopefully there is some drainage mechanism designed into this or it will create more hazards when it freezes.

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