Going postal again: CDOT replaces some of the bollards on Kinzie

Now you see 'em, now you don't, now you see 'em again!

After removing most of the bollards along the Kinzie Street protected lanes after complaints about their appearance from nearby residents, last week CDOT replaced some of the posts because of complaints about cars parking in the bike lane:

http://gridchicago.com/2012/going-postal-again-cdot-replaces-bollar...

Keep moving forward,
John Greenfield

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on June 25, 2012 at 10:20am

On a related note, I was passing through Garfield Park on Jackson on Saturday afternoon and noticed dozens of cars parked in the protected bike lanes on both sides of the street - and NO bikes at all. With the lanes obstructed, conditions are even worse than before the introduction of the lanes, because there's not much room for bikes to avoid passing traffic and doors while staying clear of the bollards.

I sent a photo to CDOT to give them a heads up. They've responded, saying that they'd contact the appropriate police district and request enforcement.

Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on June 25, 2012 at 10:23am

Place bollards in the entry ways and exits of the protected bike lanes, so that only bikes are skinny enough to pass through. Then attach plastic chain (or rope) between each side bollard, so cars can't cross the line from the parking lane into the bike lane, without breaking the chain. It would be impossible for a motorist to not know they shouldn't cross into the bike lane, that way. Easy peasy.

It needn't be this robust, but concrete chained bollards with a raised curb sure would be nice!

John Greenfield said:

It seems to me that, even after some of the posts were replaced, it's still too easy for cars to drive between the posts to pull up to the curb or park in the bike lane. Before any of the posts were removed, they were generally too close together for cars to easily drive through them to park, so it was mostly just USPS and UPS trucks who were intentionally driving the length of the bike lane to get to access deliveries. Grid Chicago is looking to this issue and should have another report in the near future.

Permalink Reply by bryan on June 25, 2012 at 10:54am

I see people walking in the bike lane (south side of Kinzie, going east), because they think its a sidewalk for some reason. There is a sidewalk for you on the other side of the street! Go use it! What is wrong with you!? So many people complain about bikes and then they go and walk in the bike lanes. *tardface*

Nothing bollards can do about that :(

Permalink Reply by Cameron 7.5 mi on June 25, 2012 at 11:07am

That's really a result of poor road design, there's been an unmeant demand for a pedestrian path there the for as long as I've been commuting on Kenzie. Before the protected lane was installed, there were people walking next to the Merchandise Mart retaining wall. Look at it in Google Streetview and you'll see a couple pedestrians struggling to find a place in the pre bike lane configuration. Where else on the near north side is there a street without sidewalk on both sides? Ideally, the door buffer area could be reconfigured to give pedestrians a safer place.

bryan said:

I see people walking in the bike lane (south side of Kinzie, going east), because they think its a sidewalk for some reason. There is a sidewalk for you on the other side of the street! Go use it! What is wrong with you!? So many people complain about bikes and then they go and walk in the bike lanes. *tardface*

Nothing bollards can do about that :(

Permalink Reply by Cameron 7.5 mi on June 25, 2012 at 11:17am

At every streets for cycling plan meeting I've been to, CDOT has stressed that this is not an enforcement plan. However I'm afraid that without an enforcement plan, many of the protected lanes will actually make things worse. In a standard bike lane, it's not too hard to merge into traffic and pass an illegally parked car, but in a protected lane you're hemmed in and don't have anywhere to go.

Anne Alt said:

On a related note, I was passing through Garfield Park on Jackson on Saturday afternoon and noticed dozens of cars parked in the protected bike lanes on both sides of the street - and NO bikes at all. With the lanes obstructed, conditions are even worse than before the introduction of the lanes, because there's not much room for bikes to avoid passing traffic and doors while staying clear of the bollards.

I sent a photo to CDOT to give them a heads up. They've responded, saying that they'd contact the appropriate police district and request enforcement.

Permalink Reply by John Greenfield on June 25, 2012 at 11:18am

Bryan,

I agree, we can't get too angry with peds for walking in our bike lane if there should be a sidewalk here but isn't. Perhaps in the future this lane can be redesigned to include a sidewalk.

Also, let's avoid using terms that equate having a mental disability with acting stupid.

John Greenfield

Permalink Reply by bryan on June 25, 2012 at 11:43am

Well, my opinion is that if there is no sidewalk, don't walk there. Especially when there is no reason to be walking there. Nothing there but a concrete wall...Maybe I am the oddball for expecting people to...not walk...there....

Sorry about tardface, I'll retract that comment and replace with *moronface*...or...I don't know how else to describe this behavior. invent your own image of a stupid person in your mind that is non-offensive. :)

John Greenfield said:

Bryan,

I agree, we can't get too angry with peds for walking in our bike lane if there should be a sidewalk here but isn't. Perhaps in the future this lane can be redesigned to include a sidewalk.

Also, let's avoid using terms that equate having a mental disability with acting stupid.

John Greenfield

Permalink Reply by Julie Hochstadter on June 25, 2012 at 11:48am

maybe they don't know?

bryan said:

I see people walking in the bike lane (south side of Kinzie, going east), because they think its a sidewalk for some reason. There is a sidewalk for you on the other side of the street! Go use it! What is wrong with you!? So many people complain about bikes and then they go and walk in the bike lanes. *tardface*

Nothing bollards can do about that :(

Permalink Reply by bryan on June 25, 2012 at 12:03pm

they don't know they are walking in the bike lane?

Permalink Reply by James BlackHeron on June 25, 2012 at 12:14pm

Retard: : to slow up especially by preventing or hindering advance or accomplishment : impede

English MF-ers. Speak it! Words mean things.

Political-correctness is nothing more than a form of censorship.

Permalink Reply by Cameron 7.5 mi on June 25, 2012 at 12:16pm

The same logic could be applied to cyclists on a street with no bike lane. It's a poorly designed stretch of road where pedestrians where overlooked. While a group walking 2 or more abreast annoys me, a single pedestrian I recognize as someone stuck between a rock and hard place.

bryan said:

Well, my opinion is that if there is no sidewalk, don't walk there. Especially when there is no reason to be walking there. Nothing there but a concrete wall...Maybe I am the oddball for expecting people to...not walk...there....

Sorry about tardface, I'll retract that comment and replace with *moronface*...or...I don't know how else to describe this behavior. invent your own image of a stupid person in your mind that is non-offensive. :)