Kinzie. It's what's next.

Hopefully you've heard by now that CDOT will begin construction this week on the city's first protected bike lane: Kinzie Street from Milwaukee Avenue/Desplaines Street to Wells Street.

Full story on Steven Can Plan.

I want to know what you think about this.

What do you feel will need special attention?
Is this the right or wrong location for such a facility? Why?
Are you going to thank/congratulate Rahm, Gabe, and the CDOT Bicycle Program?
Will you use it?

Cycle track and protected bike lane naysayers, this isn't the post for you. But if you've ridden in protected bike lanes before, then I welcome your constructive comments and criticism based on your actual experiences.

The new beginning. Looking southeast at the intersection of Kinzie/Milwaukee/Desplaines.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mark Kenseth on June 9, 2011 at 8:34pm

Ok, ok. I should have said, "It's not fully operational." Jeez.

Steven Vance said:

It's not working properly because it's not done.

There are no bike symbols on the pavement.

There're no bollards

There's no signage

No one knows it's a bike lane except us.

It will be completed before Bike To Work Day on June 17th.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on June 9, 2011 at 10:36pm

Yeah but still like the drivers don't notice? But I give them too much credit after watching numerous cars try to continue through the closed part of the Wacker reconstruction.

Mark Kenseth said:

Ok, ok. I should have said, "It's not fully operational." Jeez.

Steven Vance said:

It's not working properly because it's not done.

There are no bike symbols on the pavement.

There're no bollards

There's no signage

No one knows it's a bike lane except us.

It will be completed before Bike To Work Day on June 17th.

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Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on June 9, 2011 at 11:28pm

This is not a schematic of Kinzie Street but an excerpt from the NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide, which you can view in full and in color on NACTO's website.

H3N3 said:

I just received this updated schematic from a source inside CDOT (click to view full size):

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Permalink Reply by Julie Hochstadter on June 10, 2011 at 12:13am

Cartlin Thomas from CDOT sent me these attachments on cycle tracks and bike boulevards.

H3N3 said:

Can you post the pdfs (or zip file) here (to this discussion) as an attachment?

See "add attachment" link just below the reply field.

Thanks!

Attachments:

Cycle Track.pdf, 334 KB
Bike Boulevard.pdf, 37 KB

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Permalink Reply by h' 1.0 on June 10, 2011 at 5:06am

I think those are in the file Ash posted.

Julie Hochstadter said:

Cartlin Thomas from CDOT sent me these attachments on cycle tracks and bike boulevards.

H3N3 said:
Can you post the pdfs (or zip file) here (to this discussion) as an attachment?

See "add attachment" link just below the reply field.

Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by h' 1.0 on June 10, 2011 at 5:08am

Oh my god, I used a slightly inaccurate descriptor in order to post a funny. Please forgive me!!!

Steven Vance said:

This is not a schematic of Kinzie Street but an excerpt from the NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide, which you can view in full and in color on NACTO's website.

H3N3 said:

I just received this updated schematic from a source inside CDOT (click to view full size):

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Permalink Reply by Mark Kenseth on June 10, 2011 at 8:30am

No loosely goosiness allowed.

H3N3 said:

Oh my god, I used a slightly inaccurate descriptor in order to post a funny. Please forgive me!!!y Design Guide, which you can view in full and in color on NACTO's website.

Steven Vance said:
This is not a schematic of Kinzie Street but an excerpt from the NACTO Urban Bikewa
H3N3 said:

I just received this updated schematic from a source inside CDOT

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Permalink Reply by Mark Kenseth on June 10, 2011 at 8:39am

Is it true that Emanuel would like to have 100 miles of these buffered bike lanes in his first 4 years? If so, at this rate having completed 0.5 miles by June 17, his first month in office, we're looking at 6 miles complete in the first year and 24 miles in 4 years. I'm not harping on this rate of progress. I'm actually thrilled to know that the next buffered bike lane may be a couple miles in order to accomplish Emanuel's 100 mile plan. The 0.5 mile Kinzie route felt great (albeit going around cars). And it's a great connecter route to people heading to the train stations (Olgilvie and Union). I can't wait to ride a longer buffered bike lane.

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Permalink Reply by Duppie 13.5185km on June 10, 2011 at 8:47am

See page 37 of how Emanuel envisions creating a world class bicycle network.

http://www.chicago2011.org/transition-report.pdf

A lot of the other parts are worth reading as well, btw.

Mark Kenseth said:

Is it true that Emanuel would like to have 100 miles of these buffered bike lanes in his first 4 years? If so, at this rate having completed 0.5 miles by June 17, his first month in office, we're looking at 6 miles complete in the first year and 24 miles in 4 years. I'm not harping on this rate of progress. I'm actually thrilled to know that the next buffered bike lane may be a couple miles in order to accomplish Emanuel's 100 mile plan. The 0.5 mile Kinzie route felt great (albeit going around cars). And it's a great connecter route to people heading to the train stations (Olgilvie and Union). I can't wait to ride a longer buffered bike lane.

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Permalink Reply by Joel on June 10, 2011 at 9:02am

I have to imagine that the first few miles will be the slowest. It takes a while to get any new project up and going.

Mark Kenseth said:

Is it true that Emanuel would like to have 100 miles of these buffered bike lanes in his first 4 years? If so, at this rate having completed 0.5 miles by June 17, his first month in office, we're looking at 6 miles complete in the first year and 24 miles in 4 years.

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Permalink Reply by Michael J Blane on June 10, 2011 at 9:18am

I haven't read "all" the comments in this thread so sorry if I duplicate. Here's a CLTV interview with Gabe Klein, Chicago's new CDOT Commissioner:

http://www.cltv.com/wgntv-new-man-at-the-top-of-cdot-who-is-gabe-kl...

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Permalink Reply by Cameron 7.5 mi on June 10, 2011 at 9:38am

I worked in road construction for a few years. Never underestimate the ability of driver to miss that road is closed. The number of times I've seen drivers go around barricades and then start screaming when they get stuck in the mud boggles the mind. The winner was a lady of drove into a work site and rear ended a D8R claiming that she just didn’t see it.

Mike Zumwalt said:

Yeah but still like the drivers don't notice? But I give them too much credit after watching numerous cars try to continue through the closed part of the Wacker reconstruction.