I have written in the
past about Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plans to expand protected bike lanes throughout
Chicago. These protected lanes have taken shape the last few months,
specifically on a stretch of Dearborn Avenue that goes through the downtown
loop. Emanuel’s plan calls for up to 60 protected bike lanes by 2015.
According to a report
from the Chicago Tribune, this expansion may not happen so quickly.
The newspaper reported that the Illinois Department of Transportation
(“IDOT”), which has jurisdiction over many of the streets proposed in
the plan, wants to put a hold on the expansion until further studies have been
completed. “We don’t want to make
decisions on a scattershot basis. Our traffic engineers want to see more data
on the impact of protected bike lanes,” IDOT spokesman Mike Claffey
said.”We are also concerned about losing traffic lanes,” Claffey said,
noting that protected bike lanes require more space than traditional bike
lanes.
This
sudden move by IDOT has drawn the ire of many bicycle and transportation
experts. “With about 60 traffic crashes every day in Chicago that
result in injuries and fatalities, why would IDOT put the brakes on a proven
traffic safety strategy?” said Ron Burke, executive director of the Active
Transportation Alliance, which promotes greater use of alternative
transportation. “Chicagoans want safer streets, and studies show
that protected bike lanes create more order on the streets and
reduce injuries involving bikes, pedestrians and cars,” Burke said.
This seems to me as an
odd move by IDOT. I wonder if there were red flags in their office about an
uptick in car accidents in the areas where the bike lines exist. Or if there
were possibly complaints coming in from drivers. Either way it does not make
sense that they would slow this down. The number of bicycle riders around the
city – – specifically those who commute to work — increases every year. The
lanes installed by the city provide a safe haven for bicyclists as they ride
around the city. Unless the state and IDOT can show there has been a sharp
increase in bicycle accidents in the last year and a half, then their decision
to slow this program down makes no sense.
If you or someone you
love has been injured in a Chicago bicycle accident or Chicago car accident,
then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron Bryant, for a free legalconsultation at 312-588-3384 or go to the firm website at
www.blgchicago.com.