South/Southwest suburbs: Status of Flossmoor Road from Ridgeland Ave to Cicero Ave.

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Permalink Reply by Larry Mysz on April 21, 2014 at 3:26pm

My wife and I ride Flossmoor Rd from Ridgeland all the way to Dixie Highway a couple times a month. The section from Ridgeland to Cicero is excellent for cycling. 

There is a little more traffic on the section from Cicero and Kedzie, but it is still, IMO,  very bike friendly.  [edit:  45 mph, 2 lane road, not a lot of traffic most times of day]

All in all, Flossmoor Rd is a good way to get to Flossmoor Station from the west.

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Permalink Reply by Duppie on April 21, 2014 at 6:17pm

Thanks Larry, for your feedback. 

Here's what I have in mind. I put a premium on residential roads over direct routes. (it does have an error in the route early on)

I will preride the entire rout again this weekend.

Serge Lubomudrov said:

Larry, I'm not sure about the route Frank is planning, but here's what I thought I'd do. What do you think?

Larry Mysz said:

My wife and I ride Flossmoor Rd from Ridgeland all the way to Dixie Highway a couple times a month. The section from Ridgeland to Cicero is excellent for cycling. 

There is a little more traffic on the section from Cicero and Kedzie, but it is still, IMO,  very bike friendly.  All in all, Flossmoor Rd is a good way to get to Flossmoor Station from the west.

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Permalink Reply by Larry Mysz on April 22, 2014 at 1:35pm

Hi Serge,

Maybe if I had to commute, but 183rd east from Harlem to Ridgeland would not be my first choice for a recreational ride after a few beers, nor for a cyclist who is uncomfortable with fast, close passes.  

 

The 4 lane sections of 183rd west of Harlem are reasonable.  The intersection of 183rd and Harlem is a huge with 2 RTO, 2 straight thru and 2 LTO lanes going east.

 

But 183rd is one narrow lane in each direction for the mile from Harlem east to Ridgeland.  There is a lot of 45 mph traffic in both directions in that narrow part, and the cars tend to crowd cyclists unless they take a very aggressive lane position.  One could ride a sidewalk on the north side of 183rd from Harlem to 100 yds short of Ridgeland.   I'll suggest another route in my response to Duppie's message.

Serge Lubomudrov said:

Larry, I'm not sure about the route Frank is planning, but here's what I thought I'd do. What do you think?

Larry Mysz said:

My wife and I ride Flossmoor Rd from Ridgeland all the way to Dixie Highway a couple times a month. The section from Ridgeland to Cicero is excellent for cycling. 

There is a little more traffic on the section from Cicero and Kedzie, but it is still, IMO,  very bike friendly.  All in all, Flossmoor Rd is a good way to get to Flossmoor Station from the west.

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Permalink Reply by Larry Mysz on April 22, 2014 at 3:18pm

Hi Duppie,

You might want to change that route to avoid a private road at First Midwest Amphitheatre.  At mile 2.7 your route turns right onto S Road and continues to join Flossmoor Road at mile 3.6. 

 

The problem is that S Road is private, and is gated at mile 3.6 where it joins Flossmoor Rd.  The gate is visible when you zoom all the way down with google maps.   I don't know how fussy the Amphitheatre is about trespassing.  It is possible to hoist bikes over the chest high gate or to haul them thru the weeds around the gate. 

 

Here is another low traffic route that I'd be happy to take with an inexperienced cyclist.  After 191st St it works thru the subdivision and shopping mall to cross Harlem at Vollmer Rd, takes Vollmer east to Ridgeland, and then Ridgeland north to Flossmoor Rd.  Vollmer has wide lanes and not much traffic out there.

 

Harlem has a wide shoulder, so you could just as well take your route to where it meets Harlem, then ride the sholder of Harlem south to make a box left turn on Vollmer.

 

The entrance to the bike path at Cicero and Flossmoor Rd is really awkward.  It requires slowing to make a couple of right angle turns in a tight space.  If 3 or 4 cyclists try to cross Cicero and ride onto the path, several will queued up, slow pedaling in the northbound lanes as the light changes.  

 

Your residential roads east of Governor's Hwy are fine.  Personally I think even traffic adverse cyclists would feel comfortable on Flossmoor Rd east of Governor's Hwy to Sterling and Flossmoor Station, but I ride there a lot and that might just be my familiarity talkin'.

 

I'm driving SAG for the Folks On Spokes easter Ride on Sunday, otherwise I'd love join you on your pre-ride.   Have a great ride.

 

Duppie said:

Thanks Larry, for your feedback. 

Here's what I have in mind. I put a premium on residential roads over direct routes. (it does have an error in the route early on)

I will preride the entire rout again this weekend.

Serge Lubomudrov said:

Larry, I'm not sure about the route Frank is planning, but here's what I thought I'd do. What do you think?

Larry Mysz said:

My wife and I ride Flossmoor Rd from Ridgeland all the way to Dixie Highway a couple times a month. The section from Ridgeland to Cicero is excellent for cycling. 

There is a little more traffic on the section from Cicero and Kedzie, but it is still, IMO,  very bike friendly.  All in all, Flossmoor Rd is a good way to get to Flossmoor Station from the west.

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Permalink Reply by Duppie on April 22, 2014 at 9:00pm

Thanks Larry.

Very insightful, as always.

Larry Mysz said:

Hi Duppie,

You might want to change that route to avoid a private road at First Midwest Amphitheatre.  At mile 2.7 your route turns right onto S Road and continues to join Flossmoor Road at mile 3.6. 

 

The problem is that S Road is private, and is gated at mile 3.6 where it joins Flossmoor Rd.  The gate is visible when you zoom all the way down with google maps.   I don't know how fussy the Amphitheatre is about trespassing.  It is possible to hoist bikes over the chest high gate or to haul them thru the weeds around the gate. 

 

Here is another low traffic route that I'd be happy to take with an inexperienced cyclist.  After 191st St it works thru the subdivision and shopping mall to cross Harlem at Vollmer Rd, takes Vollmer east to Ridgeland, and then Ridgeland north to Flossmoor Rd.  Vollmer has wide lanes and not much traffic out there.

 

Harlem has a wide shoulder, so you could just as well take your route to where it meets Harlem, then ride the sholder of Harlem south to make a box left turn on Vollmer.

 

The entrance to the bike path at Cicero and Flossmoor Rd is really awkward.  It requires slowing to make a couple of right angle turns in a tight space.  If 3 or 4 cyclists try to cross Cicero and ride onto the path, several will queued up, slow pedaling in the northbound lanes as the light changes.  

 

Your residential roads east of Governor's Hwy are fine.  Personally I think even traffic adverse cyclists would feel comfortable on Flossmoor Rd east of Governor's Hwy to Sterling and Flossmoor Station, but I ride there a lot and that might just be my familiarity talkin'.

 

I'm driving SAG for the Folks On Spokes easter Ride on Sunday, otherwise I'd love join you on your pre-ride.   Have a great ride.

 

Duppie said:

Thanks Larry, for your feedback. 

Here's what I have in mind. I put a premium on residential roads over direct routes. (it does have an error in the route early on)

I will preride the entire rout again this weekend.

Serge Lubomudrov said:

Larry, I'm not sure about the route Frank is planning, but here's what I thought I'd do. What do you think?

Larry Mysz said:

My wife and I ride Flossmoor Rd from Ridgeland all the way to Dixie Highway a couple times a month. The section from Ridgeland to Cicero is excellent for cycling. 

There is a little more traffic on the section from Cicero and Kedzie, but it is still, IMO,  very bike friendly.  All in all, Flossmoor Rd is a good way to get to Flossmoor Station from the west.

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