CHICAGO | General Developments - Page 1319

Rizzo · #**26361** Posted **Nov 3, 2014, 6:12 AM**

It's s repeat story. That path seems to get the top layer ripped off every time the waves crash over. I suppose it's too late for concrete restoration.

Rizzo · #**26362** Posted **Nov 3, 2014, 6:23 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

^What, specifically, do you believe was constructed improperly or wrongly specified?

Yeah, I'd say the pavement overlays are constructed to standards of roadways but not bulkheads. It's really a problem with improper engineering. It's a reasonable solution for a temporary fix, but the path needs to be rebuilt with a concrete curb. The water manages to get to spaces underneath the surface. Give it an edge and it rips the scab off. If there was proper engineering vs blaming construction the path would not be damaged by waves every year.

LouisVanDerWright · #**26363** Posted **Nov 3, 2014, 7:53 AM**

Yeah, asphalt overlay on top of a concrete slab isn't exactly designed to take a beating from 25' waves. The only real solution for this problem is to just rebuild the bulkhead with new concrete or push the lakeshore further out and build more natural beaches that will absorb the wave action. There is a reason why the natural state of the lakeshore in these parts is dunes. Not much can absorb the wrath of a body of water like Lake Michigan other than endless seas of loose sand.

Chi-Sky21 · #**26364** Posted **Nov 3, 2014, 2:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

The only real solution for this problem is to just rebuild the bulkhead with new concrete or push the lakeshore further out and build more natural beaches that will absorb the wave action. There is a reason why the natural state of the lakeshore in these parts is dunes. Not much can absorb the wrath of a body of water like Lake Michigan other than endless seas of loose sand.

Push the lakefront out!! This entire section should be built out when they fix the S curve. No reason to leave it as is. Well...no reason other than money.

Jim in Chicago · #**26365** Posted **Nov 3, 2014, 3:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hayward

Yeah, I'd say the pavement overlays are constructed to standards of roadways but not bulkheads. It's really a problem with improper engineering. It's a reasonable solution for a temporary fix, but the path needs to be rebuilt with a concrete curb. The water manages to get to spaces underneath the surface. Give it an edge and it rips the scab off. If there was proper engineering vs blaming construction the path would not be damaged by waves every year.

Same thing happens to miles of Chicago streets. The current method of rehab seems to be to come through and rip of the top layer, but to do little to actually repaid the underlying concrete. They simply put down a new top layer covering over broken spots, cracks, etc. It looks lovely, then, within a couple week the cracks come back and over the winter the whole thing is potholed again.

Via Chicago · #**26366** Posted **Nov 3, 2014, 5:21 PM**

side track, but why when new improvements to the trail are being made is additional capacity not being added? it seems like a complete no-brainer to have one lane for joggers/walkers and one lane for bikes. this would eliminate so many of the dangerous conditions that exist and theres plenty of land in most all sections. and yet there seems to be zero will or interest to do so (case in point, new expensive flyover which yup...will still be one lane each way. same with the new configuration near fullerton).

joeg1985 · #**26367** Posted **Nov 3, 2014, 6:05 PM**

^ That would involve a lot more planning than simply adding additional lanes every time you repair a segment.

There really needs to be two totally separate paths put in. Not simple two different lanes.

LouisVanDerWright · #**26368** Posted **Nov 3, 2014, 6:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeg1985

^ That would involve a lot more planning than simply adding additional lanes every time you repair a segment.

There really needs to be two totally separate paths put in. Not simple two different lanes.

Yeah, everything between North Ave and Roosevelt Rd should be completely separate paths for bikes. A friend of mine was running a 20 mile marathon training run, you know the informal ones that Fleet Feet puts together, and a girl in front of her got nailed head on by one of those bikers with the full suits and middle drop bar things. Sent three people to the hospital (two runners and the biker). I guess the bike totally slashed open her leg. I've seen people go to the hospital two times from similar collisions myself. Considering I don't even live on the North Side that seems like far too high of a rate of accidents.

All three of the accidents I'm talking about were between Fullerton and Grant Park. A friend of mine also saw someone on a bike ditch into the lake once around Chicago Ave because a big group of tourists wasn't looking and one of them almost stepped out in front of him.

The problem is there are simply too many people on that section of the trail to not have the speeds separated. One of the maxims of freeway planning is that increasing the speed limit only increases accidents slightly, but increasing the speed differential between traffic in one lane or one section of the freeway and another massively increases accidents. Same applies here: you can't have people going 25 MPH on carbon fiber road bikes on the same trail where people are walking at 2 MPH or running at 5 MPH. It's just bad news. I guess the problem is how to enforce the separation, how to keep the stupid tourists from wandering onto the cycle track.

Mr Downtown · #**26369** Posted **Nov 3, 2014, 6:32 PM**

Separate trails are at the top of everyone's wish list, but that requires both space and money. Even where two trails have been installed, as around Navy Pier, or between Randolph and Roosevelt, the tourists still walk four abreast on the bike path.

LouisVanDerWright · #**26370** Posted **Nov 3, 2014, 6:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

Separate trails are at the top of everyone's wish list, but that requires both space and money. Even where two trails have been installed, as around Navy Pier, or between Randolph and Roosevelt, the tourists still walk four abreast on the bike path.

It might be more cost effective to pay a couple of cops on segways to patrol the paths with billy clubs drawn breaking up any human barricades the tourists form.

wierdaaron · #**26371** Posted **Nov 3, 2014, 6:58 PM**

I always called the act of walking abreast as a human blockade "freshmanning", as in "Jesus look at those kids freshmanning the hallway again". Especially if they have huge backpacks loaded with 7 classes worth of books because they're scared of their lockers. The problem can easily be solved by automated sprinkler systems or volunteers with hoses.

Chi-Sky21 · #**26372** Posted **Nov 3, 2014, 7:16 PM**

As someone who loves to bike the lake... I still must say, some of these bikers are just stupid. They should not be going as fast as they are...where they are. A little common sense can go a long ways also. Completely separate trails would be great, but i still doubt people would follow the right one. Also, in some areas there is not enough space by far for this and if there is, at what point is to much of the lakefront devoted to trails? I prefer to have some nice open green space no just endless asphalt.

Via Chicago · #**26373** Posted **Nov 3, 2014, 7:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chi-Sky21

As someone who loves to bike the lake... I still must say, some of these bikers are just stupid. They should not be going as fast as they are...where they are. A little common sense can go a long ways also. Completely separate trails would be great, but i still doubt people would follow the right one. Also, in some areas there is not enough space by far for this and if there is, at what point is to much of the lakefront devoted to trails? I prefer to have some nice open green space no just endless asphalt.

i dunno, it seems like laying down markings would go a long way. somehow other cities make it work and these things tend to self regulate

i dont think an extra few feet on either side of what exists would radically alter the feel of the lakefront aside from making it safer for everyone. even if theres not room for a full extra lane, just widening what exists would help tremendously. every little bit helps, but the city cant seem to see past the status quo for this particular resource.

i agree that many cyclists go way too fast, and those aero bars should be banned from multi-use trails entirely. but the configuration is inherently unsafe given how popular and congested its become and the only solution is breaking out the modes of traffic. its no longer a "nice to have" IMO....it needs to happen.

LouisVanDerWright · #**26374** Posted **Nov 3, 2014, 9:04 PM**

^^^ If they can enforce "no trucks on LSD", then they can enforce "no pedestrians in the cycle track".

LouisVanDerWright · #**26375** Posted **Nov 3, 2014, 9:08 PM**

In other news, ground officially broke on the Goose Island advanced manufacturing hub:

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en...bs-break-.html

Let the transformation begin!

Skyguy_7 · #**26376** Posted **Nov 3, 2014, 9:21 PM**

^ Awesome. Would that be the largest manicured lawn in all of Goose Island?

harryc · #**26377** Posted **Nov 4, 2014, 4:20 AM**

Vacant and waiting

Ready to roll

harryc · #**26378** Posted **Nov 4, 2014, 4:24 AM**

Additions being subtracted.

The old will be preserved

ChiHi · #**26379** Posted **Nov 5, 2014, 6:15 PM**

I haven't walked over by this corner in a while but what the hell did Verizon do to this buidling? I'm sure there are plenty of people that didn't like what was there before but this facade redo looks pretty awful in context.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/reale...building-stake

LouisVanDerWright · #**26380** Posted **Nov 5, 2014, 6:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiHi

I haven't walked over by this corner in a while but what the hell did Verizon do to this buidling? I'm sure there are plenty of people that didn't like what was there before but this facade redo looks pretty awful in context.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/reale...building-stake

In context? The cartoonish Disney design before stood out far worse. The new design matches it's neighbors being the JHC and the new annex to the church.