Thursday, March 28, 2013

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.