Bike to Work Week gets an upgrade this year with the installation of more buffered/protected bike lanes around Chicago that will help people ages 8 to 80 get around town by bike.
Of course, these innovative bike lanes are a huge benefit for commuters.
On my recent commute from Oak Park to Active Trans’ downtown office, I took Washington Avenue westbound. A traditional bike lane starts at Central Avenue and I took that to another bike lane on Central Park Avenue — in Garfield Park — north to Lake Street where new buffered/protected lanes have been added between Central Park Avenue and Damen Avenue.
The Lake Street lanes are nearly completed, and while there were a few cars parked in the lanes (see below), most cars were parked in their new spots away from the curb and bike lane.
The new lanes are a huge improvement! The city is eyeing the Lake Street corridor as a Bike Superhighway from downtown to the border with Oak Park.
See where new innovative lanes are planned for this year, and the city's draft 2020 plan.
At Damen Avenue, I rode north and took Hubbard Street east until I could pick up the Kinzie Street protected bike lane at Milwaukee Avenue and on to the Active Trans office in River North.
A great ride, with protected lanes covering 2.5 miles — and more planned for the future!
If you would like to commute with others between the West Side or Western Suburbs and downtown, join the Westside Commuters Group by emailing [email protected].
While she was getting on the Green Line in East Garfield Park at the Central Park station, Active Trans staffer Cynthia Bell snapped the accompanying photo of a car parked in the protected bike lane on Lake Street.
We’re hoping drivers will soon get the hang of the new parking arrangements near protected bike lanes. If you see a car parked in a protected bike lane, call 311 to report it.