Be extra careful on bridges today, they're icing over

Like the title says, the metal grates are much worse than normal. I went down on Dearborn and the bridge was so slick I could barely stand up and walk off.

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Permalink Reply by blair_ on January 14, 2013 at 10:54am

Agreed - I think the Kinzie plates are already being salted better than they were all last winter. Actually, the entire lane has been better this year. Salt is being distributed evenly instead of piles every 20-30 feet.

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

FWIW--So far this year the plates on Kinzie have been very well salted and there has not been an ice problem.

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Permalink Reply by Chi Lowe 12.5+ mi on January 14, 2013 at 11:15am

This makes two of us. Incorrectly assumed the grate would limit the ice. Didn't have to fall today to figure it out, but might have if I were distracted or tired.

Juan said:

I almost took a nasty spill with my fully loaded bicycle on the Dearborn bridge. It is one big sheet of icy metal, I had to carefully walk across it to the end near Wacker.

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Permalink Reply by Bill Savage on January 14, 2013 at 1:34pm

If you do the North Shore Channel Trail south of Devon, be extra careful on all of the underpasses: like bridges, they tend to be icy even when the trail on either side is clear. The spot under Foster is a death-trap: there's a drain that is open onto the path, and it's a sheet of ice.

And fun with physics: why do bridges ice over when other roadways are clear? Because they're exposed to the air above and below, and so they are colder than regular road surfaces, where only the top is open to the air.

Ride Safely!

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Permalink Reply by Stephanie Combs on January 17, 2013 at 6:20pm

So glad I found this blog, and I just signed up :) too bad I didnt read this before saturday night. I was riding down division on the metal grated bridge right before Halsted when I fishtailed, and fell...

I dragged my bike to the side as if it were a dead body and sat down. after finding blood all over my hands i looked down to find a very busted knee. I locked my bike to the bridge and took a cab to the nearest hospital where I got 10 stitches to my knee and two to my elbow.

I'm glad i walked away with just a metal grate tearing my knee, and not a bone, and also glad there was no oncoming traffic to hit me while I went down since i fishtailed to the left. Be careful out there this winter I HATE THOSE BRIDGES!!!