Traffic congestion before & after Kinzie Street protected bike lane

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If there's a long-term (greater than 3 months) increase in congestion, I will want something to be done. Increased congestion is not good for anyone - increased pollution, unproductive use of time, and stressed drivers.

But from where I'm rolling, the congestion was there prior to the lane reconfiguration.

I predict that many drivers will change their routes to avoid the perceived congestion on Kinzie Street, thus reducing the congestion here. If enough drivers change their routes, they will actually increase the congestion on other routes and reduce Kinzie Street to below previous congestion levels. But over time, it's likely that drivers will spread amongst all available routes, equalizing the congestion (making congestion equal on all routes).

Anyway, for bikes, things are just getting better on Kinzie.

Planners could make better assumptions about the now and future of congestion and transportation planning if they had current data. Miovision? Then we'd know for sure what was happening on Kinzie and could dispel myths and subdue misperceptions.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• transportation
• planning
• driving
• bicycling
• bikeCHI
• Chicago
• Kinzie Street
• protected bike lane
• bike lane
• Gabe Klein
• CDOT

[pawpawnorth]

So why aren't these everywhere? COME ON CHICAGO.

[brentcox]

Wow. Such a clear contrast. I'd love to live in a city with such bike-friendly streets.

[edgwaterprog]

This is a great step forward. Too long in coming!