A tale of five bridges

An alternate title I thought of using: Three steps forward, five steps back?

Both Chicago’s Complete Streets policy and the Bike 2015 Plan talk about the need to “ensure that roadway construction zones are bicycle-friendly”, but this is not being practiced. Here are five examples. I previously discussed this problem, at length, in June 2011, in Making construction areas and detours bike-friendly. It included a short mention of the second bridge project in this post.

Harrison Street

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No more jersey barriers. See what this used to look likeContinue reading A tale of five bridges

Watch Commissioner Klein’s recent speech at the City Club

Hear transportation commissioner Gabe Klein address the audience at the City Club of Chicago about the Chicago Fast Forward Agenda, to be released early 2012. Gabe told me that it’s similar to the Washington, D.C., Department of Transportation (DCDOT) Action Agenda.

Continue reading Watch Commissioner Klein’s recent speech at the City Club

Streetfilms publishes their Kinzie cycle track video, and bike lane updates

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In this video published by New York City-based Streetfilms and producer Elizabeth Press, you’ll hear from me, Gabe Klein, David Gleason, Bradley Topol, Brandon Gobel, Alderman Solis, and Lorena Cupcake. We’re all talking about the coolness of Chicago’s first protected bike lane. Continue reading Streetfilms publishes their Kinzie cycle track video, and bike lane updates

Kidical Mass video

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Photo of a family participating in Kidical Mass by Sherry Keating. 

If you’re a Chicago parent and you want to cycle with your children, I invite you to check out Kidical Mass, “Critical Mass for the smaller set”. It’s a monthly, slow bike ride starting at Palmer Square Park (3064 W Palmer Blvd) for families. The next ride is December 10, 2011, at 10:30 AM.

Marisa Paulson published an introductory video at The Northwest Passage, embedded below. The video features short interviews with three Logan Square parents talking about why they ride in Kidical Mass.

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Watch the video on Vimeo. Elizabeth Bartom posted more photos.

Project watch: 18th Street and Jackson Boulevard protected bike lanes

Two Grid Chicago Bike Lane Correspondents have sent photos and videos that show the few-days old construction of a protected bike lane on 18th Street between Clark and Canal Streets, a half-mile stretch between South Loop/Chinatown and Pilsen. It’s in the very early stages of construction and it looks to have a design very similar to existing Kinzie Street and fellow, in-progress cycle track, Jackson Boulevard. As we noted before, plates to cover the open metal grate bridge will come in 2012.

[flickr]photo:6330214662[/flickr] Continue reading Project watch: 18th Street and Jackson Boulevard protected bike lanes

Bicycle Film Festival starts tomorrow and an interview with event producer Terry Bloom

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Photo of Bicycle Film Festival in Chicago in 2007 by Steven Wade. 

I was thinking about the Bicycle Film Festival on Tuesday when I realized it started Friday and neither John nor I wrote anything about it (except on this fall events page). I contacted Terry Bloom, who I ran into a few weeks ago, and quickly setup a video interview for Wednesday. We met at the Logan Square monument, across the circle from the film fest’s venue: the Logan Square Auditorium (2539 N Kedzie Blvd).

Watch the video below to hear Terry, the show’s Chicago producer, tell you how it’ll be fun and unique. He also describes Goldsprints (I’ve never been) and that Chicago is one of the select cities to get “Bill Cunningham New York” (watch the trailer on Chicago Street Style). Continue reading Bicycle Film Festival starts tomorrow and an interview with event producer Terry Bloom