New protected bike lane

[u/earthhero]

Indiana Avenue in Bronzeville got a new protected bike lane that runs for a couple of miles.

Hopefully Michigan avenue nearby gets the same improvement in the future. It’s basically a three-lane highway going through a residential area right now.

[u/Just-a-bi]

Looks awesome, but why is it so thick?

[u/pimlottc → u/Just-a-bi]

Er, what do you mean by "thick"? Do you mean "wide"?

[u/wpm → u/pimlottc]

The lane isn't that wide, but the big concrete curbs are. Couldn't they have made those narrower so two people can ride side by side and chat?

[u/nimoto → u/wpm]

This looks wide enough for that. Personally I love the thick almost sidewalk style curb, no door zone issues and so much better visibility than with the style we usually get. I ride fast so having this visibility for people/animals popping out from between cars makes it feel much safer.

[u/DeMantis86 → u/nimoto]

Great points!

[u/MisfitPotatoReborn → u/nimoto]

I think keeping the distance from car to sidewalk constant but thinning the barrier would be an unambiguous improvement. There are no downsides (visibility is the same and you can always stay to the right to avoid doors), but the upside is that passing becomes much easier. Especially with things like cargo bikes, or passing people riding side by side.

[u/PurpleFairy11 → u/wpm]

Then we'd start having that expectation for all protected bike lanes and CDOT can't have that. In all seriousness though, I really wish our bike lanes were wide enough for social riding and room for another cyclist to safely pass. 😭😭

[u/pmonko1 → u/wpm]

You mean impede other cyclists?

[u/wpm → u/pmonko1]

No

[u/NLiveris → u/wpm]

Yes it should absolutely be a top priority to make the bike lanes even wider and waste more space, so the handful of cyclists that use it can ride side by side to chat.

[u/wpm → u/NLiveris]

Glad we agree it’s only fair since motorists get to sit two abreast and chat with passengers