Wow, this really makes me jealous!  I can't wait until I can ride in a t-shirt.

 

My commute is about get alot easier.  Chicago is getting closer to building a new elevated bike and pedestrian trail.  It gives me hope for cities looking to build more advanced recreational trails beyond some asphalt and a stripe of paint.

 

Image Source ChicagoJournal.com

 

 

Project Name: Navy Pier Flyover

Length: 2,500 linear feet (self measured)

Cost: $40,000,000.00

Fair-Weather usage: 30,000 people a day

Access:  Pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles

Approvals: Requires Planning Commission Approval to begin construction

Funding: Funding goals met and received

 

Description:

This project will replace a section of the lakefront trail known as the Navy Pier Bypass.  The Navy Pier Bypass is an alternative route to a loop of the trail that extends out towards the pier, but then reunites just a block later.  The result is a mingling of tourists, cyclists, joggers, and walkers that has created congestion, confusion, and often time accidents. 

 

Additionally, the existing route follows a modified sidewalk that is well over capacity and has narrow clearances.  Support columns carrying the upper deck of Lakeshore Drive create obstructions on the trail below and require clever navigation for cyclists.  While many cyclists have become accustomed to passing people and bridge columns with just a couple inches of breathing room, many pedestrians feel uncomfortable passing through the area.  This stretch is also responsible for many bicycle traffic backups on warmer weather days.  Since the lakefront trail must provide detours during construction, a vehicular traffic lane must be shut down during maintenance which requires barricades to be brought in.

 

The new project would add additional lanes and provide wider clearances.  An elevated merge point would eliminate T-intersections and provide more visibility where the Navy Pier extension reunites.  Since most pedestrian traffic to Navy Pier is at street level, it will provide a nice grade-separated thru-way to cyclists and joggers without having to mingle within crowds of tourists.  The route will tunnel through the existing LSD bridge towers which are no longer in service, to accommodate the additional lanes.

 

It would hopefully reduce the number of injuries.  From personal experience I can say the existing trail is very dangerous.  My bike tire hit a wet spot navigating around one of the columns and I broke my head open, and now have a nasty permanent scar to show for it.  That said, I hope this project can begin construction soon.

 

Photo of route closure detour by Steven Vance / flickr

 

Other parts of the route are seeing substatnial upgrades.  The older and narrower asphalt Southside leg meets the upgraded, wider, concrete downtown section.  Photo source: me

 

The crosswalks were eliminated and replaced with an underpass beneath solidarity drive

Photo source: reallyboring / flickr

I decided it was finally warm enough and rode all the way in for the first time this morning. I'm not going to admit how long it took me, but I made it. So much more fun than going to the gym to get some exercise.

^ Totally agree.  I just wish the streets weren't wet here.  I don't have a fender so I'd get covered in nasty water.

 

 

The planning commission approved the Navy Pier Flyover today, unfortunately construction won't begin for another year.

I don't have a fender either so I've been alternating between steering around the puddles of melted snow and taking the sidewalk in places where it looks dryer. There were spots on the lakefront bike path where there are so many trees the path stays shaded all day long and on Wednesday there was still about 6 inches of snow.