Quote:
Originally Posted by Hayward
I don't care about the branding, I just want it to open! I had a conversation with some folks today that it would be nice if there was a good connection across the tracks to Elston. I believe this ends at Ashland. But just having that link would provide a continuous thoroughfare for bicyclists to downtown.
Despite Milwaukee Ave's popularity with cyclists, the portion through the heart of Wicker Park really scares me. Very narrow and lots of parked cars with doors just ready to swing out.
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by ardecila
The portion west of Ashland is a costly one. You'd need to build an underpass below the Metra tracks to connect with Elston. The rail line extending east across the river is still active, too, but the ultimate plan is to extend it to Clybourn I think. We'll have to wait and see what happens to the Finkl site.
|
It wouldn't be costly at all - in fact I'd be shocked if they didn't connect it Cortland, which already has bike lanes between Elston and Ashland, and could be connected to either via the fairly wide sidewalk on the east side of Ashland or using the ROW between the Metra tracks and the Kennedy immediately south of Cortland. Alternately you could just make Marshfield shared-lanes for bikes between Bloomingdale and Cortland and extend the Corland bike lanes one block west from Ashland to Marshfield. That'd be even cheaper, although force cyclists to do sort of a small loop to get from the down ramp in that Walsh Park to Marshfield.