Humboldt Park “do over”

By On January 27, 2011 · 3 Comments

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Read the story below and the final paragraph to fully understand this drawing.

If you, like Alderman Roberto Maldonado (26th Ward), received complaints about speeding traffic and difficulty crossing Humboldt Drive, how would you respond?

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) responded by temporarily changing “the four-lane street into two travel lanes with a center lane used as a combination left-turn lane and pedestrian refuge area, using orange traffic barrels to keep moving cars out of the center lane.” (All quotes from Vote With Your Feet / Time Out Chicago, by John Greenfield.)

Narrowing the lane could reduce automobile speed and the refuge island should make it easier to cross the street, even if it has to be done in two movements. “After CDOT analyzes the effects on traffic speed and behavior, [CDOT spokesperson Brian] Steele says, the changes may become permanent next year.”

But bicyclists are not considered in this installation. That seems to be by design.

“He [Alderman Maldonado] told me that he has no intention of adding a bicycle lane or any other accouterments on that stretch because ‘the road is too dangerous for pedestrians,’” she says. Lottes recently posted on the local bike website thechainlink.org, asking members to lobby Maldonado for bike lanes on Humboldt. “To me the road seems too dangerous for pedestrians because there are no sidewalks, crosswalks or bike lanes.”

A local resident, Gin, asked me if I could draw up something for Humboldt Drive and I drew what you saw above. I based it on a bike lane design I saw in New York City: two-way, barrier protected (see photo below). The intersections between the bike lane and the other lanes will need special care – I don’t have any expertise there, but I know some people in Portland and New York City who do.

What else might you propose? Here’s a map of the park (centered on where I drew the bike lane), and a street view of the location.

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  • http://blog.theplannersdreamgonewrong.com jason tinkey

    I did some maps of Humboldt Park for Active Trans, they used them in a community “safe parks” event in collaboration with the park district. I didn’t go to the public meeting, but I think if you contact Adolfo Hernandez he could give you some more information on it.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=678847491 Gin Kilgore

    I also think bike lanes would work as part of a road diet through the park. With the service roads north and south of the park, it’s actually a very nice corridor for biking. Working through the intersections at North and Division is a little tricky though.

  • Anonymous

    I agree with Gin that the service roads on the north and south of the park make this plan precarious. It would be a hassle for north bound cyclists on Humboldt to cross North Av in the pedestrian crosswalk and then shuffle over to the frontage road to continue north to Logan Square. A more traditional layout with a bike lane on each side would make the reemergence into traffic at Division and North simpler. I’d love to see the bike lanes along that stretch painted a different color and protected from traffic to some degree, maybe a raised hump but at this point I don’t think that Maldonado is focused on being an innovator, so much as towing the line.