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| Graphic on spacing for Dearborn (via Chicago Tribune) |
Bikers rejoice -- there is a new way to navigate the busy streets of the Loop! The bike lane on Dearborn from Polk to Kinzie opens today according to a solid article in the Tribune:
Chicago's campaign to broker an orderly coexistence, if not complete harmony, among motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians will begin to face its biggest test so far Friday.
That's when two-way protected bike lanes — outfitted with traffic signals for bike riders to obey — will open in the heart of the central business district, on Dearborn Street between Kinzie and Polk streets, the Chicago Department of Transportation said.There was a lot of talk about this lane and it seemed to drag on a little, but when they finally put paint to asphalt it actually happened pretty quickly. It was just late November when they striped the road and now two weeks later it's about to be functional. Just in time for the heart of the winter!
The $450,000 project covering about 12 blocks is a high-profile component of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's plan to make Chicago one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world and to socially re-engineer how city dwellers choose to commute to work or just get around in a heavily congested urban area.
Anyway, as Dennis McClendon noted on our message board, if you want to witness the pomp and circumstance that comes with a civic improvement there is an official ceremony at 1pm today.
Happy (and hopefully safer) riding!
