Why are Chicago's suburbs so anti-pedestrian? (Naperville, Waukegan: home, school, zoning)

[j_cat]

Originally Posted by Chicago76

I think what the OP describes is not a Chicago thing so much as it is a neighborhoods designed between 1950 and 1985 or so thing all over the country.

Larger lots, all hail automobile, no need for anyone to walk anywhere mindset. Older suburbs don't have this, and those built in the last 15-20 yrs seem to have moved away from this as well. It just so happens that a huge chunk of Chicago's were built when pedestrian concerns were largely ignored.

This explanation makes sense. I guess so far I've mostly seen new west coast suburbs and old east coast suburbs. I didn't account for the in-between time.

I can see where a snow-shoveling climate would factor in, too.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by sonkab14

I was born and raised in major cities (Moscow, Chicago). This was one of the most bizarre things I noticed when me and my family moved to the suburbs. Places like Skokie, Oak Park, and Cicero are perfectly fine when it comes to sidewalks, while Wheeling and Arlington Heights are almost oblivious to the problem. Furthermore, they have all small streets link up to a major road (like Hintz or Dundee), without shortcuts through neighborhoods, so you're forced to take major streets everywhere (rush hour or not). I've read that locals do not want traffic going past their houses (which is also bizarre as we live in one of the most populous counties in the US).

jcat kind of summed this up perfectly in addition the burbs like cicero and oak park are old burgs originals so to speak and sidewalks were literally used not just for exercise but lieterally used. the farther out you go the new housing stock you get and you will also see the trends go with the housing like no sidewalks
It is like this in all directions except to the se into indiana as those are old industrial cities and villages (towns) in indiana

[nana053]

In Evanston, I could walk to everything. It is an older burb though. It has bike paths and jogging paths along the lake too partly because of Northwestern's campus.

[j_cat]

Originally Posted by nana053

In Evanston, I could walk to everything. It is an older burb though. It has bike paths and jogging paths along the lake too partly because of Northwestern's campus.

yeah it's basically an urban area

[Isebiel]

I've noticed most Chicago suburbs will have good sidewalks and pedestrian crossings near grammar schools... but sometimes that's it.

I think it never occurs to suburban governments that anyone other than kids too young to drive would want to walk. Waste of money to them.

[NorCal Dude]

I've noticed this same problem. Chicago suburbs are not very ped/bike friendly at all. The worst is when you go on a stretch of an area that has no sidewalks what so ever, when they are in incorporated cities, that really ticks me off...

[MSchemist80]

Some areas are OK for biking and pedestrians others are a nightmare. Anything arround O'hare is bad, most of Dupage County is bad, The western half of Cook is bad. I have yet to find a viable route from Niles straight west or South-west. I ride with Evanston bike club and every ride is either north to Gurnee or north then west to Barrington (Deerfield/Aptakisic and Cuba Rd). People look at you crazy when you bike down major highways but there is often no alternative.

Is it really that difficult to put a stinking 3' shoulder on some roads?

The latest thing is to put sensors in the pavement for lights that can't detect pedestrians, bikes, or motorcycles so you either have to wait at a red light for a car to come along, in some cases pull off the road to get to the ped button then pull back onto the road (assuming you are able), or carefully go through the red and risk getting pulled over (I did but the officer let me off with a warning).

[Chummy Waters]

This thread made me think of a concept. How much easier, cheaper would it be to build motorcycle and scooter lanes and highways? Wouldn't this encourage more people to drive these cheaper alternatives? You could build them the size of 2-4 sidewalk sized lanes off limits to other vehicles, hell, too small for other vehicles. They have a golf cart town in Florida, why not this?

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by sonkab14

I was born and raised in major cities (Moscow, Chicago). This was one of the most bizarre things I noticed when me and my family moved to the suburbs. Places like Skokie, Oak Park, and Cicero are perfectly fine when it comes to sidewalks, while Wheeling and Arlington Heights are almost oblivious to the problem. Furthermore, they have all small streets link up to a major road (like Hintz or Dundee), without shortcuts through neighborhoods, so you're forced to take major streets everywhere (rush hour or not). I've read that locals do not want traffic going past their houses (which is also bizarre as we live in one of the most populous counties in the US).

????????? My section of Arlington Heights has sidewalks everywhere with none of the dead-ends you speak of. I can use a sidewalk to downtown and many other areas. main reason we moved here instead of Prospect heights is because a vast majority of AH has sidewalks while Prospect heights does not.

And I don't know what section of Wheeling you are talking about, but the areas I frequent all have a sidewalk connection.
Now having places close enough and compelling enough to want to walk versus taking the car is another matter.
Our neighborhood has sidewalks, paths and many parks kids can get to without crossing a busy street!

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by MSchemist80

Some areas are OK for biking and pedestrians others are a nightmare. Anything arround O'hare is bad, most of Dupage County is bad, The western half of Cook is bad. I have yet to find a viable route from Niles straight west or South-west. I ride with Evanston bike club and every ride is either north to Gurnee or north then west to Barrington (Deerfield/Aptakisic and Cuba Rd). People look at you crazy when you bike down major highways but there is often no alternative.

Is it really that difficult to put a stinking 3' shoulder on some roads?

The latest thing is to put sensors in the pavement for lights that can't detect pedestrians, bikes, or motorcycles so you either have to wait at a red light for a car to come along, in some cases pull off the road to get to the ped button then pull back onto the road (assuming you are able), or carefully go through the red and risk getting pulled over (I did but the officer let me off with a warning).

The problem is finding a suitable east-west street that crosses the Des Plaines river. In Cook Co., these are busy thoroughfares I would not feel safe using. I agree with your disappointment/anger with not having safe infrastructure for cycling built next to yet seperated from busy roads.Why couldn't they have done a bike lane along Central Rd.? The latest example is the repaving of Cary-Algonquin Rd. They put a rumble strip on the shoulder, so now we are forced to ride in the traffic lane instead of the shoulder. And the bike lanes? Great idea, but if you don't fill the holes and run a street sweeper over them once in a while, the cyclist has to use the traffic lane. I agree with the 3' lane. Short-sightedness and perhaps lack of training in the highway engineering curriculum.
Hopefully your bike club donates to Cycling Advocacy groups like our club does, so we have a voice within the government agencies that build our roads.