We love that the Sloop continues to become more bike friendly. In our opinion it makes our neighborhood and city feel more international. Most importantly it offers alternative modes of transportation and makes people less reliant on their cars.
One of the biggest developments on this front was the announcement that Dearborn would become a two-way bike street. Some have even gone on to say this is a "game changer" for biking in the city of Chicago. While we could see why they would feel this way, we will take a more cautious view. Regardless, it's good for bike enthusiasts.
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| New Bike Stop Lights Being Installed on Dearborn (Photo from GRID Chicago) |
The blog GRID Chicago recently had a post providing some updates on the project (including pictures of the new bike stop lights that are being installed). The most interesting piece in the post was a relatively vague update on the timing of the project:
I talked to one worker and asked about the construction timeline. He said, “Rumorville says ASAP. First the striping needs to be done, and that has to wait for several 50 degree days”. He also explained that the signal programming is still be designed. This being fall, there aren’t many of those days left before the end of the year, before which Mayor Emanuel said the cycle track would be complete. The 5-day forecast shows all 50+ degree days, including a high of 61 on Friday.So what we read from this is that it's extremely unlikely that this will be finishing up in 2012. But that's fine as long as progress continues to happen.
While some people ride their bikes in the winter...most of us do not and can happily wait until the spring!
24 comments:
I was not moving in traffic and a biker side swiped my vehicle, lost their balance, kept going, hit the curb, fell off and broke their wrist. 2 years later they had a bunch of Allstates money. While biking is great, they need to follow some rules of the road. We talk about jaywalking, these bikers thinking they own the road is a much bigger problem. In cook county no matter what the motor vehicle is at fault for any accident with a biker, ridiculous.
i hate people that ride bikes in the street. If i get the chance I purposely lay on the horn when one of those hipster fruitbags are clogging the roads.
ROADS ARE FOR CARS.......
Jesus rahm, worry about the murder rate and chill on the bike lanes you liberal jag
Anonymous, you obviously don't understand Illinois (or most state's) driving laws since bicycles have the same rights and responsibilities on the road as cars. If there is not enough room on the road to safely ride to the right of the lane, it is appropriate, and safer for everyone, for the bicycle to take the lane. It is NOT legal to ride on the sidewalk.
I don't agree with bicyclists who ride between lanes of cars, weave in and out of traffic, run stop lights and signs, etc. They are irresponsible and make folks like you hate anyone on a bike. Why is it not better to have room for folks to ride in that does not compete with cars? That way you don't need to worry about them, let alone hate them.
Mark
Typical non-biker rant:
Banish bicycles to the sidewalk! ROADS ARE FOR CARS!!!
The other day a cyclist slowed me down by about five seconds. Luckily I was able to lay on my horn, stomp on the gas and swerve around him before quickly having to slam on my brakes at a red light. Oh, and a messenger almost hit me six years ago, so all cyclists are sociopathic, suicidal maniacs. Whenever I see a story of a cyclist dying, I feel a strong urge to share with others my belief that the victim probably deserved it.
Spend a day on a bicycle in the city, follow the rules, and see how often your life is threatened by a car or truck. You will gain more understanding why bicycles need more protection.
our Alderman is clueless when it comes to biking around the sloop. He won't even put up bike racks at new locations. Look at the block on State from 8th to 9th. 2 busy gym amnd 2 big resturants and 1 bike rack. Trader Joe's opens and not 1 bike rack. The guy is a shakedown artist. Always has been.
Roads are not for cars actually. They are for people to get places, whether that be in a car, on a bike, motorcycle, scooter, etc. Cyclists pay just as many taxes are drivers do and have just as much right to use the roads.
There's a bike rack behind TJ's now. I just noticed it when I was there yesterday. Probably paid for by TJs.
actually roads are for cars so umm....yeah your wrong. Those yellow and white lines, yep those are for vehicle traffic, not bike traffic.....you biker wierdos get the little pee wee lane on the side.
Doesnt matter anyway, 95% of bike riders DO NOT stop at intersections, DO NOT signal for turns, and overall just weave in and out causing traffic accidents. Only a dotard would stick up for the bike riders
there is plenty of space on Wabash infront of TJ for racks. Our guy won't get them because there is nothing in it for him
Trader Joe's has a deficient bike rack near the dumpster in far view from the street or store entrance. I don't blame those who hadn't noticed it as this is a bad design that should never have been approved by the zoning bureau.
Anyone can request that the city install a bike rack on the sidewalk. Call 311 and give the address.
this link will help car-addicts to better understand:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7228/7399658942_267b1ba9fc_b.jpg
I'm sorry i just dont understand why anyone who lives in the south loop needs to drive a car. (or at least why they need to complain about alt forms of transportation on the road) there are plenty of places in city/state/country that favor cars as the only form of transportation. if you want that kind of life you can have it...in the suburbs of any american city. the south loop is downtown living. quit whining and start taking advantage of the one of most walkable neighborhoods in Chicago. The one that has EVERY CTA train line going through it. the one that is a five minute bike ride away from museum campus and millennium park. Heck almost anything in the sloop is five minutes away on a bike.
half the reason there is traffic in this city is because a bunch of people that dont need cars ( ahem south loop drivers) still drive everywhere they go. that car that made you cool back home in the 'burbs is a pain the ass in the city. leave it in the 'burbs and quit being so afraid of the world and go on a walk. or ride a bike. or take the big bad el train every once in a while and save the world some trouble already.
oh look...another liberal with a shady link to "prove" how right they always are.
Thanks but no thanks, I dont rely on Asian banks for what my two eyes already have seen..
Bottom line, the city has more pressing needs than to cater to the needs of the hipster fruits and cycle nazi's. Roads are for cars, if you dont believe me, perhaps you should go play in on and see what hits you first....i schwinn or a chevy.
I am sick and tired of having to explain everything to columbia dropouts with nothing better to do than troll on blogs....
Anon @ 4:49
no one wants to take the EL except poor people and columbia losers trying to "prove it". Its a cespool of crime ( or did the shootings, theft and stabbings give that away already )
Most south loopers have cars because they have jobs that are too far to walk to. Not everybody "blogs" for a living,
some of us have actual jobs that we need to be at around 8 a.m.
Sorry that the south loop doesnt latch onto your vision, perhaps a neighborhood more suitable for you such as Andersonville would be a better fit....
Kinda hope you wipe out bad on your bike
what exactly have your two eyes seen?
Except the bikes and the pedestrians and the scooters arent going away. no matter how much you complain and honk. there will always be more. thats life in the big city. you dont have to believe me. just wait and watch.
Sorry that the south loop doesn't latch onto your vision
@ brendan why does someone who wants to drive everywhere and doesn't work downtown live downtown? honest question.
Sarah- What are you talking about cyclists pay just as many taxes as drivers? Do you know what a city sticker is? Do you know what a registration sticker which needs to be renewed every year is? Tickets given to drivers for parking, speeding etc...That money certainly has nothing to do with providing roads for cyclists to use.......There is nothing wrong with cyclists using the roads IF they follow the rules of the road which most do not. The reality is most of them dont even know the rules, how to signal turns etc..Im all for bike lanes to restrict their ability to create accidents.
:) Oh Brendan, your hateful and arrogant posts never seize to entertain me. Please keep enjoying Chicago from the inside of your condo and your air-conditioned car; that behavior is exactly what creates a vibrant and interesting neighborhood.
And since when is using a bike considered to be a "liberal" thing? I guess the next step is to call people who likes nice parks and outdoor seating at restaurants "socialist" as this is more commonplace in European cities.
ANON @ 523
Are you seriously going to say that people who work outside of the loop need to live in the burbs? Thats obtuse
@anon 5:23
best of both worlds, obviously.
you are all wrong, segways for the win! See you slow walkers in my seg-dust!
oh look...another neo-con unable to open a link to look at facts... because facts are meaningless.
Ok -- this comment thread has run is course and is now CLOSED!
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