Chicago Plans To Add Concrete Barriers To All Bike Lanes
The updates are expected to be completed by 2023.
Amanda Edelman - Staff Writer
Biking just got a bit safer in Chicago. The Chicago Department of Transportation just announced that all protected bike lanes will soon have concrete curbs to separate riders from vehicles on the road. This is a big win for the safety of Chicago’s biking community.
The project is considered the biggest expansion of bike routes in the city. The department of transportation plans to begin installing the concrete barriers all along Kinzie Street between Milwaukee and Wells.
By the end of this year, Chicago officials want to add up to 25 miles of concrete-protected bike lanes. This is four times the current total throughout the city.
The goal is for 70% of all protected bike lanes throughout the city to include curb separation, the Chicago Department of Transportation’s has said. In working towards that goal, officials plan to utilize a hardy combination of traditional concrete curbs and pre-cast curbs for more efficient implementation, according to officials.
By the end of 2022, CDOT plans add more than 125 miles of new bikeways to the city, a plan that has been in effect since 2020. This means Chicago should soon have more than 400 miles of on-street bikeways and off-street paths. In addition, any existing delineator-protected bike lanes will be upgraded to concrete material by the end of 2023.
The following bike lanes will receive concrete barrier curbs this year:
- Kinzie Street – Milwaukee to Wells
- Lake Street – Pulaski to Damen
- Logan Boulevard – Rockwell to Diversey
- Milwaukee Avenue – Addison to Irving Park, Chicago to Division, and Kinzie to Ohio.
- Independence Boulevard – Douglas to Harrison
- Douglas Boulevard – Independence to Sacramento
- 119th Street – Ashland to Halsted and Major Taylor Trail
[Featured image via chicago.gov]