PB39th Ward 2024
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Traffic Calming and Connected Bike Lanes on Montrose Ave -Carry Forward Project from Cycle 4
On Montrose Avenue from Kostner to Pulaski there have been multiple documented instances of traffic collisions, complaints of reckless driving, and a continued high risk to residents of all ages in the neighborhood. Neighbors have filed multiple grievances over this stretch of road, especially the ongoing risk to our youngest and most vulnerable crossing Montrose in either direction on the way to school each morning.
Although a traffic study has been slated, we'd like to allot a portion of the neighborhood's menu money to implementing traffic calming solutions to this section of Montrose to ensure when recommendations come back from the Chicago Department of Transportation that we have the budget to act on them. Our hope would be at the bare minimum to have bike lanes and parking spaces painted on the street to prevent this stretch being used as a two lane highway, especially during the slated construction on the Kennedy. Bump-outs and protected bike lanes would be ideal.
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Conversation with Robert Szczesniak
New bike infrastructure would be welcome. However, I do not like the recent trend to put the bike lane on the curb with parking on the left of the bike lane. This separates the bike traffic from car traffic but makes the overall experience more dangerous. The cars can't see the bikes so any intersection the chance of a car turning into a bike it can't see increases. Then the cars tend to try parking farther away from moving cars and end up parking in the bike lane (I've observed this on the Belmont bike lane - cars drive between the plastic markers or park on them). This also increases the chances of pedestrians walking into or blocking the bike lane. The net result is a bike lane that is less usable and more dangerous.
Even worse is where bike lanes are routed onto sidewalks - this degrades the quality of bike travel and increases the chances of bike/pedestrian interactions.
"The cars can't see the bikes so any intersection the chance of a car turning into a bike it can't see increases."
The point of these lanes is to keep cyclists away from fast moving traffic. When cars and cyclists come to an intersection, parking is no longer permitted for several spots which then makes the cyclist visible to turning traffic. Furthermore, parked cars next to moving traffic is an effective way to "calm" them by making them drive slower. Slower cars means a lower chance a cyclist is hit.
"This also increases the chances of pedestrians walking into or blocking the bike lane."
What's wrong with this? Cyclists aren't moving nearly as fast as cars, so if a pedestrian walks into the lane you simply slow down. A cyclist won't kill a pedestrian, but a car will. Plus, cars already block the bike lanes which is more problematic than pedestrians blocking a bike lane.
It sounds like you are describing sidewalks and that you want pedestrian and bike traffic in the same place. There are places where that is a reasonable, even preferable, solution. I don't think a main traffic artery is one of those places.
The parking and separation is part of the design. Most of the built lanes do not properly prevent cars from parking too close to the driveways or entrances. At least weekly I encounter cars parked at these openings. With a closed lane, where to go?
Design should follow function, there are different solutions for different places. I'm only asking that the location be considered and optimal design built correctly.
Montrose Ave's purpose should not be a "main traffic artery" as you call it. There are too many cross streets, local businesses, and pedestrians who routinely cross this road. Have you ever tried to cross Montrose Ave while not at a stoplight? Few cars will ever stop for you. Remember, the goal of all these infrastructure updates is to make the roads safer for those not choosing to travel by a vehicle.
"Most of the built lanes do not properly prevent cars from parking too close to the driveways or entrances." Sounds like we need to include CPD to either ticket or tow these violations.
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