The Chainlink

improved Goose Island access

How did I miss this news item last fall? I've got a job interview on Goose Island and was trying to figure out my commute options. I was discussing it with a friend, who mentioned that there is now legitimate bike and ped access from the north. Yeah!

Way to go, CDOT! This is a very welcome change.

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Permalink Reply by Len Krietz on January 19, 2010 at 4:24pm
Since I work on goose island I use this bridge all the time. Best bike bridge path I've been on in this area. Only problem is access. Crossing North at the bridge sucks. I come in off Kingsbury at the light (do some steet weaving off Clybourn), cross North and travel up the sidewalk to the bridge. Do the same on the way home but in the "correct" direction. Only problem is by the Jiffy Lube sometimes with cars entering/exiting.
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on January 19, 2010 at 5:14pm
Wow. The idea by itself is cool, but to actually see it put in to practice is awesome. Hopefully all cyclists take heed to the ACTIVE RAIL signs.
Permalink Reply by Len Krietz on January 19, 2010 at 5:56pm
One thing I forgot. When you get on goose island from the bridge, beware the RR tracks! The start branching out. Unless you're careful you can ge caught & spill or worse (I did). I approach the tracks with CAUTION and try to keep my entry angle to them >60o (sometimes difficult).
Permalink Reply by Eric R on January 19, 2010 at 8:35pm
I rode by this a few weeks ago, but overlooked it because of the "beware of trains" sign. Next time I will definitely take a ride down it, especially since I am usually on the sidewalk at that point anyway. (Hint: North Ave is uber-unbikefriendly.)
Permalink Reply by John on January 19, 2010 at 9:22pm
As nice as it is to have it, entering off North Avenue is a struggle on a good day. For fun, a ride down Southport through the Finkl Steel plant to Cortland is a joy. Beautifully landscaped, seeing the open hearth, waving at the person operating the huge, bizarre vehicle hauling hot steel out of the mill (and having them wave back) is a joy. Warming yourself as you roll past a HUGE cylinder of hot metal cooling on the street is also a unique experience.
Permalink Reply by chixieonfixie on January 19, 2010 at 10:16pm
All of this is true, however it must be added that Cortland has a *ton* of glass and random crap all over it that is really not fun for any set of tires. There is a giant metal scrap yard on the side of the road that a lot of this debris seems to come from. I always hold my breath that I won't get a flat tire.

John said:
As nice as it is to have it, entering off North Avenue is a struggle on a good day. For fun, a ride down Southport through the Finkl Steel plant to Cortland is a joy. Beautifully landscaped, seeing the open hearth, waving at the person operating the huge, bizarre vehicle hauling hot steel out of the mill (and having them wave back) is a joy. Warming yourself as you roll past a HUGE cylinder of hot metal cooling on the street is also a unique experience.
Permalink Reply by John on January 20, 2010 at 12:16am
Quite true! One of my favorite commutes was the day I followed the street cleaning truck over the Cortland Avenue bridge, giving the driver a thumbs-up for cleaning the bike lane ahead of me. Only time I ever saw it free of debris.

chixieonfixie said:
All of this is true, however it must be added that Cortland has a *ton* of glass and random crap all over it that is really not fun for any set of tires. There is a giant metal scrap yard on the side of the road that a lot of this debris seems to come from. I always hold my breath that I won't get a flat tire.

John said:
As nice as it is to have it, entering off North Avenue is a struggle on a good day. For fun, a ride down Southport through the Finkl Steel plant to Cortland is a joy. Beautifully landscaped, seeing the open hearth, waving at the person operating the huge, bizarre vehicle hauling hot steel out of the mill (and having them wave back) is a joy. Warming yourself as you roll past a HUGE cylinder of hot metal cooling on the street is also a unique experience.
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on January 20, 2010 at 9:32am
Yes, North Ave. is NOT an ideal street for riding. However, having this bridge also offers access to peds coming from the red line at North and Clybourn. One thing I learned years ago is to watch out for RR tracks anywhere in the vicinity of Goose Island, because there are so many, and quite a few of them are at angles likely to catch wheels. Kingsbury near the new Whole Foods is a good example of that kind of challenge.

I do enjoy riding by Finkl. It's cool to see the glow of the open hearth when riding by at night. Seems like it's hit or miss with how much crap is on the pavement. I usually don't trouble. I appreciate my Schwalbe Marathon tires every day. Tire liners help, too, as long as you keep your tires pumped up hard.

John said:
As nice as it is to have it, entering off North Avenue is a struggle on a good day. For fun, a ride down Southport through the Finkl Steel plant to Cortland is a joy. Beautifully landscaped, seeing the open hearth, waving at the person operating the huge, bizarre vehicle hauling hot steel out of the mill (and having them wave back) is a joy. Warming yourself as you roll past a HUGE cylinder of hot metal cooling on the street is also a unique experience.
Permalink Reply by Len Krietz on January 20, 2010 at 6:50pm
Since there is a lot of fasination with Finkle, just a point of clarification. Finkle melts steel with an electric furnace, not an open hearth. No more open heaths used. But the glow of hot steel at night is impressive (I've spent too many nights in steel mills).
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on January 20, 2010 at 7:36pm
Thanks for the clarification on Finkl. I'm not an expert on steel mills. It's cool to look at either way.

Back on topic, I'm looking forward to checking out that improved bridge to Goose Island tomorrow.
Permalink Reply by Patrick O'Connor on January 20, 2010 at 8:52pm
I'll second that. Working in one down in Northwest Indiana, I'm always surprised that people have the ability to drive through the mill, and the fact that the ingot carriers are allowed on the road.

The novelty and sense of grandeur going by an active mill is completely gone though. I do, however, applaud the cleanliness of the roads around Finkl. It's really easy for them to go to hell in a hand-basket quite quickly, but they're well taken care of and pretty much always clear of scrap.

Len Krietz said:
Since there is a lot of fasination with Finkle, just a point of clarification. Finkle melts steel with an electric furnace, not an open hearth. No more open heaths used. But the glow of hot steel at night is impressive (I've spent too many nights in steel mills).
Permalink Reply by chixieonfixie on January 20, 2010 at 10:28pm
holy cow, they actually do street cleaning?? I sure wish I knew the day I would schedule all my crosstown trips on that day for that reason alone.

John said:
Quite true! One of my favorite commutes was the day I followed the street cleaning truck over the Cortland Avenue bridge, giving the driver a thumbs-up for cleaning the bike lane ahead of me. Only time I ever saw it free of debris.

chixieonfixie said:
All of this is true, however it must be added that Cortland has a *ton* of glass and random crap all over it that is really not fun for any set of tires. There is a giant metal scrap yard on the side of the road that a lot of this debris seems to come from. I always hold my breath that I won't get a flat tire.

John said:
As nice as it is to have it, entering off North Avenue is a struggle on a good day. For fun, a ride down Southport through the Finkl Steel plant to Cortland is a joy. Beautifully landscaped, seeing the open hearth, waving at the person operating the huge, bizarre vehicle hauling hot steel out of the mill (and having them wave back) is a joy. Warming yourself as you roll past a HUGE cylinder of hot metal cooling on the street is also a unique experience.

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