new "protected" bike lane on Kinzie (Chicago: construction, safest)

[Chi-town Native]

thoughts?

Kinzie to get Chicago

it's still under construction as of 7:30 am.

[MannheimMadman]

motorists won't like it at all, but it's a step in the right direction IMHO.

[tomcho]

Cyclists will love it, non-bikers will complain...pretty standard in any cycling discussion. As someone who rides my bike into work often I think it's a great idea, and having the bike lane closest to the curb is the only way bike lanes should be built. This impacts motorists the least and is safest for cyclists.

[ParkerP]

Well I'm glad that the ones they are putting on stony island are ending at 77th because with that crazy intersection at 79th, that would be a recipe for plenty of accidents/deaths.

[Chicagodan]

For me, it's huge. Weather permitting, I take my bike to work and use that corridor all the time. I always took Kinzie because it used to be the "road less traveled," but not anymore. It's very busy during rush hour and have had more than my fair share of near misses. Every bicyclist's worst nightmare is getting "doored," when someone in a parked car ahead of you opens their door right in front of you. Some guy in an F-150 parked on east-bound Kinzie swung open his door, giving me seconds to slam on the brakes. I did hit it a bit and he looked at me like I was crazy. A protected bike lane on Kinzie will be a God-send for me and the many other bicyclists I see every morning using that street. Hope it eventually goes all the way to Wabash, just under Trump.

[jdiddy]

Love it.

[Chi-town Native]

I used to cut through the west Loop all the time coming from the NW to get to the South Loop.

Then when the building boom was at its peak/most reckless I totally gave up on it, as the streets were always a disaster.

This seems like a great idea, but I am still puzzled about the "protected lane" designation - paint isn't protection in my book, a small curb would be. Anyone know if that's coming as part of the plan?

CDOT did a great job keeping this project under wraps, took everyone I knew by surprise!

[tomcho]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

I used to cut through the west Loop all the time coming from the NW to get to the South Loop.

Then when the building boom was at its peak/most reckless I totally gave up on it, as the streets were always a disaster.

This seems like a great idea, but I am still puzzled about the "protected lane" designation - paint isn't protection in my book, a small curb would be. Anyone know if that's coming as part of the plan?

CDOT did a great job keeping this project under wraps, took everyone I knew by surprise!

The lane is nearest to the curb, with parked cars next then moving vehicles. So it's protected for now by parked cars. I hear eventually there will be a permanent barrier.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by tomcho

The lane is nearest to the curb, with parked cars next then moving vehicles. So it's protected for now by parked cars. I hear eventually there will be a permanent barrier.

Ah, I got it - as of this morning in addition to the ongoing striping/CDOT work there were still a few cars parked in what will be eventually be the bike lane, so the bikes were all taking what I gather will eventually be the parking lane. Makes total sense now, thanks!

[Chicagodan]

The Kinzie pilot will use flexible posts, according to chicagoist. City to Set up First Protected Bike Lane Downtown: Chicagoist (http://tinyurl.com/3jd9net - broken link)