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475 bicyclists making their way through Broken Bow during 30th annual Tour de Nebraska

475 bicyclists making their method through Broken Bow during 30th yearly Trip de Nebraska

6/22/2017 5:33:07 PM 475 bicyclists making their method through Broken Bow during 30th yearly Trip de Nebraska Top left: Paul Prentiss, Top right Jim Compton and Karen Sandene enjoying some AC at the intermediate school, Bottom: Susan Rodenburg and pals relaxing after 65 miles Starting with only 13 participants in …

See all stories on this topic Petition pushes for Milwaukee Opportunity bike lane in Wicker Park Bicyclists pedaling on Milwaukee Avenue pick up a traffic signal at the intersection of North Avenue in December 2016. Cyclists pedaling down Milwaukee Opportunity in Wicker Park squeeze in between vehicles, including CTA buses stuck in traffic. The Active Transport Alliance, a not-for-profit advocacy company, released an online petition today to prompt city authorities to consider adding a dedicated bike lane to assist minimize the danger of crashes and doorings where bicyclists crash into automobile doors opened by drivers. Without a devoted bike lane, cyclists must share the traffic lane with automobiles along Milwaukee from Department Street north to Armitage Opportunity, a greatly taken a trip path to downtown that has at least 3 intersections with complicated configurations. “There’s a great deal of individuals moving through the crossways,” stated Jim Merrell, advocacy director for the Active Transport Alliance. “It does produce a tense and difficult environment even for skilled bicyclists to browse overloaded streets and chaotic intersections.” After analyzing state information, the company found 195 crashes led to bicyclists getting harmed on that stretch of Milwaukee Avenue from 2011 to 2015, he stated. Data supplied by the Chicago Department of Transportation showed more than 5,000 bicyclists– and 13,000 automobiles– travel the Milwaukee Avenue corridor daily. Specifically, more than 800 bicyclists ride through the triple crossway of Milwaukee, Damen and North opportunities during the morning peak times to commute, according to the city. As the popularity of biking grows in Chicago– named last year as America’s Finest Bike City– there’s an instant have to assist keep cyclists safe, Merrell stated. More than 300 cases of cyclists crashing into open car doors on the streets of Chicago– deemed America’s Finest Bike City– were reported in 2015, a nearly HALF increase from the previous year. Inning accordance with the Illinois Department of Transport, the 302 cases of dooring reported that … “The only way to deal with the dooring and crash disputes is by executing bikeways that would produce more area between parked cars and bikes or by getting rid of parked cars and trucks completely,” he stated. The concept of getting rid of some parking was floated in the Wicker Park Bucktown Special Service Association’s 2016 Master Plan, which recommended removing parking from one side of the street to permit a bike lane on Milwaukee. Other bikecentric concepts included re-striping existing shared bike lanes and adding on-street bike corrals for parking and bike boxes, a marked area where bikes can get ahead of stopped traffic at a crossway. The city is checking out the expediency of installing a devoted bike lane, however there are difficulties that need to be thought about due to the narrow right of way shared by a variety of users, said CDOT spokesperson Mike Claffey. Elimination of parking to create a bike lane would mean the city would have to compensate the parking meter company for spaces taken out of service. On-street parking would end up being an even greater barrier for citizens, shoppers, and dining establishment and bar clients. Another problem could be where loading zones would be located for businesses on Milwaukee. Alex Wilson, executive director of West Town Bikes, want to see a dedicated bike lane along Milwaukee however acknowledged the engineering challenges provided the absence of space on the two-lane street. “It’s such a main passage for bicyclists and has such high volume, anymore amenities for bicyclists would just make the experience better,” Wilson stated. “Whenever I can ride without needing to contend for space with cars and trucks, I feel safer.” City authorities are preparing a neighborhood meeting this summertime to talk about proposed “near term” improvements based off the community master strategy that could be executed later on this year to enhance safety, slow vehicle traffic and increase space for individuals biking and walking. The Milwaukee corridor is also greatly utilized by pedestrians, Claffey said. Such suggestions for Milwaukee Avenue might range from adding bike boxes and new crosswalks, closing the slip lanes that allow lorries to turn right, installing curb “bump-outs” to shorten the distance for a pedestrian crossing a street and minimizing the published speed limitation. The latter is an idea explored in the Vision No action plan launched previously this month developed to reduce traffic crashes that result in fatalities and serious injuries. One bicyclist said he would be happy if the city would fill its holes and post indications on Milwaukee notifying chauffeurs to share the lane with cyclists and accept them. “I believe it’s a lot more crucial to advise chauffeurs that bicyclists are equivalent partners on the road,” stated Martin Rathgeber, who commutes daily from Logan Square downtown along Milwaukee. Even a devoted bike lane might be obstructed by stopped cars and trucks or cabs– as he’s seen firsthand. About 300 people have signed the Active Transport Alliance’s online petition, which the group hopes ultimately will reveal the city the level of assistance for such enhancements, especially a bike lane, before CDOT comes back to the neighborhood this summer with its suggestions, Merrell stated.

Greg

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