CDOT to Install Protected Bike Lanes on Milwaukee Avenue

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) has big plans to install protected bike lanes on both sides of Milwaukee Avenue. The protected bike lane will span almost a mile in length between Elston and Kinzie. Milwaukee Ave is a well traveled road by both cyclists and motor vehicles and this announcement to install physical barriers separating cyclists from motorist traffic is applauded by the Illinois Bicycle Lawyers of Keating Law Offices.

Our attorneys have become intimately familiar with the potentially hazardous conditions that users of Milwaukee Ave face due to the high amount of traffic. In fact, our firm has been retained by two cyclists who have both been severely injured in motor vehicle vs bicycle collisions along that stretch of road. Road resurfacing, lane widening, and installation of pole barriers is expected to begin this May.

As was previously posted on our blog, CDOT and IDOT have been battling over the jurisdictional authority over planned installations of protected bike lanes. IDOT has decided to halt the city's plans to proceed with its goal of installing 100 miles of protected bike lanes by citing its authority over state-designated roads. Luckily for Chicago cyclists, Milwaukee Avenue is a city-run road, placing jurisdiction under CDOT.    

IDOT Requests Feedback on Bike Transportation Plan

The Illinois Department of Transportation is seeking resident bicyclists' input for the Illinois Bike Transportation Plan. The Illinois Bike Transportation Plan is one part of the state's Long Range State Transportation Plan. According to IDOT, the purpose of the Plan is "to set forth policies and goals that guide the development of the state transportation system. The Plan identifies issues and key needs that will guide IDOT in their investment decisions for the state transportation system over the forthcoming twenty years." 

The Illinois Bike Transportation Plan is specifically intended to make recommendations to IDOT regarding  a number of issues directly affecting Illinois bicyclists, such as bikeway safety, design, and maintenance, bicycling policies, and the development of regional-scale bikeway networks. IDOT is requesting that interested residents take a short online survey to assist IDOT in the early stages of developing the Plan. The survey may be found online at the following web address: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/IllinoisBicycleTransportationPlan. As development of the Plan progresses, IDOT anticipates that there will be a number of additional opportunities for public input, both in person and online. 

The Illinois Bicycle Lawyers at Keating Law Offices strongly encourage Illinois bicyclists to play an active role in all stages of the development of the Illinois Bike Transportation Plan. While cycling is an enjoyable method of recreation and exercise, it is also a vital method of transportation in the densely populated Chicago metropolitan area. Keating Law Offices applauds IDOT in recognizing that Illinois' active bicyclists are in the best position to make reasoned and informed recommendations regarding important issues affecting bicycle transportation, including bicycle safety. We hope that with active and ongoing input from Illinois bicyclists, the Illinois Bike Transportation Plan will result in a number of improvements to Illinois' bicycle pathways and safety policies.

For more information on IDOT's Long Range State Transportation Plan, visit http://www.illinoistransportationplan.org. If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury laws, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-208-7702 or MKeating@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.

Magura USA Announces Voluntary Recall of Disc Bike Brakes

Magura USA of Olney, Illinois has announced the recall of 2,800 Magura MT 6 and MT 8 hydraulic disc brakes. The brakes were manufactured by Magura Germany and imported to the United States by Magura USA, where they were sold by retailers and distributors between January 2011 and March 2013. 

 

According to the United States Consumer Products Safety Commission, the brakes "consist of a brake lever and master cylinder that attach to the handlebars" and "a hose that runs between the master cylinder and the caliper which attaches to the rear wheel." The recall includes both the MT 6 brake system, which is black and silver, and the MT 8 brake system, which is black and red. Both systems include the Magura logo on the master cylinder, the letters "MT" on the master cylinder, and the word "Magura" on the caliper.

 

The voluntary recall was issued due to the discovery that the brakes may fail in lower temperatures. To date, no incidents or injuries have been reported. Consumers should immediately stop riding bicycles equipped with the recalled Magura hydraulic disc brakes and contact Magura USA at 800-448-3876 or online at www.maguradirect.com for a free repair. 

 

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving a bicycle accident, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-208-7702 or MKeating@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.

Yuba Mundo V4 Cargo Bikes Recalled

Yuba Bicycles of Sausalito, California has announced a recall of 1,000 Mundo V4 cargo bicycles. The recall was issued following two reports of passengers getting their feet caught in the rear wheel of the bicycle. Fortunately, neither reported incident resulted in an injury. According to the United States Consumer Products Safety Commission:

The recalled bicycles are Mundo V4 cargo bikes. The 26-inch bicycles have steel frames, aluminum fenders on the front and rear wheels, and a wood utility deck mounted on the rear cargo rack. The bikes come in orange, black or blue. The word "Mundo" is on the top tube of the bicycle frame and  "Yuba" is on the down tube.

Approximately 1,000 Mundo V4 cargo bikes were sold nationwide online between May 2011 and December 2012 for around $1099.00. Consumers are encouraged to stop using the bicycles immediately and contact Yuba Bicycles toll free at (811) 889-9822 or online at www.yubabikes.com. Yuba Bicycles will install a free wheel cover/wheelskirt at no cost to the consumer.

In Illinois, the manufacturer of a product can be held liable when their product fails and the injured person was using the product in a reasonably foreseeable manner. Obviously, it is reasonably foreseeable that passengers will ride on Mundo V4 cargo bikes, and they should be able to do so without getting their feet caught in the rear wheel. Therefore, any resulting injury could be the basis for a claim against the manufacturer. This is arguably an instance not of poor manufacturing or poor product quality, but of poor design. A reasonably alternative design could have been utilized where there was no "pinch point" - a space where a foot could get caught in the rear wheel.

The attorneys at Keating Law Offices have handled numerous product liability cases. The Illinois Bicycle Lawyers of Keating Law Offices are committed to making sure that bicyclists stay safe.  Please check back regularly at our blog, www.IllinoisBicycleLaw.com, for updated information on bicycle-related product recalls.

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury law, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-208-7702 or MKeating@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.

Driver in Skokie Crash that Killed an 8-Year Old Sentenced

The intoxicated driver of a car that caused a horrific bicycle crash that killed 8-year old Carter Vo of Skokie has finally been sentenced. Hanin Goma, 24, of Skokie, has been sentenced to serve five years for the death of the Skokie elementary school student who was innocently riding his bicycle on the sidewalk at the time of the crash. Goma, who admitted she was driving under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash, pleaded guilty this past February. In addition to Goma's prison sentence, she has also been sentenced to two years of probation and fined a total of $3,319.00.

The presiding judge and Assistant State's Attorney all rebuked Goma's actions, dismissing the terminology of "accident" attached to this case, given Goma's admittance to driving under the influence of drugs and her prior record of drug abuse. Goma prolonged the case by repeatedly requesting continuances and delaying her eventual plea of guilty in the case.

Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Vo family.

U of I to Update Its Award Winning Network of Bike Lanes

The University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana is the only university campus in Illinois that is recognized by the League of American Bicyclists as a bike friendly campus. Even with this great distinction, the University of Illinois is not content with just maintaining the status quo. The University of Illinois has recently revealed its plans to update its network of bike lanes to integrate with the cities of Champaign and Urbana. Both Champaign and Urbana are both in the midst of updating their respective bike initiatives. Termed the 2013 Campus Bike Plan, the University of Illinois estimates that the cost of improving the biking infrastructure on campus will be roughly $4 million.

The University of Illinois has reached out to the student population to survey the opinions, queries, and issues voiced by the growing number of cyclists. The Facilities and Services department is spearheading the planned changes and although the funding for the project is still unknown, the Illinois Bicycle Lawyers at Keating Law Offices are optimistic that improvements to the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana's biking infrastructure will be implemented in the very near future.

If you have any questions about this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury law, please do not hesitate to contact Illinois Bicycle Lawyer, Mike Keating, by calling him at (312) 208-7702 or emailing him at MKeating@KeatingLegal.com. The attorneys at Keating Law Offices also have extensive experience representing clients from all over the State of Illinois. The Illinois Bicycle Lawyers at Keating Law Offices recently successfully settled a case for a Champaign bicyclist who was injured in a bicycle crash.  

National Trial Lawyers Association Again Names Mike Keating to its "Top 40 Under 40" List

Press Release:

The National Trial Lawyers Association (NTLA) has again named Attorney Michael S. Keating of Keating Law Offices in Chicago, Illinois to its "Top 40 Under 40" list of the top trial lawyers in Illinois under the age of 40. This is the second consecutive year Mr. Keating has received this recognition by the NTLA. In addition, this year Mr. Keating was named a "Rising Star" in Illinois by SuperLawyers and Chicago Magazine for the third consecutive year. 

Mr. Keating has not only established himself generally as a top young trial lawyer, his firm has ascended to the top of the ranks amongst firms nationally that dedicate part of their practice to litigation related to bicycle collisions and crashes. In recognition of this commitment to bicycle litigation, this summer Mr. Keating will be named the national Chairman of the Bicycle Litigation Committee for the American Association for Justice (AAJ). The AAJ, formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of American, is a prestigious national trial lawyer's organization.

Mr. Keating, who practices with the Chicago-based firm of Keating Law Offices, P.C., has rapidly ascended through the competitive ranks of the Chicago personal injury field. Keating Law Offices, P.C. has successfully handled hundreds of cases and in the process recovered millions of dollars for its clients. Mr. Keating has a reputation for being a skilled litigator in the courtroom and has made a reputation early in his career as an attorney who is not afraid to handle difficult and complicated cases.

Keating Law Offices, P.C. may be found on the internet at www.KeatingLegal.com.

Winter Bike Swap is Tomorrow! Stop by the Illinois Bicycle Lawyers Table for Free Chicago Bike Flag Swag

Keating Law Offices is excited to remind you all that the 3rd Annual Chicago Bike Swap event is going down this Saturday, March 9th at the UIC Physical Education Building. Not only has the venue moved to a larger location, but the steady momentum and growth with each successive event has garnered the attention of local media. Shopping for bicycles or some bike parts for that spring bike build? Come on out and enjoy the daylong event this weekend. We'll have a table set up handing out free gear including Chicago Bike Flag t-shirts, patches and stickers.

Illinois Bicycle Lawyer Mike Keating will also be participating in an expert panel to educate the public of their rights if involved in a cycling-related crash. The legal panel will start at 2:15 p.m.

The Bike Swap will run from 10am to 5pm in the UIC Physical Education Building: 901 W. Roosevelt Road. For more information on the presentations and demonstrations planned for the day, check out the Chicago Bike Swap website! And don't forget to stop by our table and say hi!

Snow Shouldn't Slow Chicago's Bicyclists

The largest snowstorm to hit Chicago in two years shouldn't deter too many riders from cycling in Chicago. For Chicago's Department of Transportation Commissioner Gabe Klein, any incoveniences that the snow might have had for bicycle commuters are issues that lie squarely on his shoulders. The responsibility for keeping the streets clear of snow has typically fallen under the jurisdiction of the Department of Streets and Sanitation. Now CDOT has assumed the responsibility for plowing the protected bike lanes free of snow.

Streets and Sanitation will still salt the roads--including the bike lanes-- but now CDOT will extend its responsiblity beyond just keeping the sidewalks on bridges clear of snow. According to CDOT spokesman Peter Scales, this assumed responsibility for the bike lanes was merely a logical extension of the department's use of smaller-scale equipment already in use for clearing sidewalks.

For those not already familiar, a protected bike lane is different in nature from a painted bike lane. A protected bike lane is a lane that has clear demarcations dividing motorist traffic and cyclist traffic through the use of actual physical barriers (a line of plastic pillars). This physical barrier would of course pose a problem to large snow removal trucks, like those used by Streets and Sanitation, since there would simply not be any room for them to navigate their equipment in such a narrow space.

While the number of protected bike lanes is still growing (there are currently 10.5 miles of protected bike lanes out of the promised 100 mile mark), there is the question of how easily CDOT will be able to handle their expanding role as mileage of protected bike lanes throughout Chicago increases. The answer for that remains to be seen.