hazard in Vincennes bike lane - or - a job half done

A few weeks ago, I spotted something on my Metra ride home that was baffling and disappointing.

In some spots along the east side of Vincennes, there are little areas of concrete that aren't connected by any sidewalk. They look like they might have been bus stops at some point. Are these used at all now, or are they just remnants?

One of several new ADA ramps with unfilled trenches in the northbound bike lane

At several locations along the northbound side of Vincennes from 95th to 89th, new ADA curb ramps were installed at these concrete remnants. There's a narrow trench along the right edge of the bike lane at each of these locations. Someone threw a bit of loose asphalt in the trench right at the bumpy part of the ramp, but the rest of each trench is unfilled - a potential hazard if someone riding in the bike lane doesn't see it before they hit it.

The thing that makes it more baffling is that the curb ramp installations on the west side of the street were completed with asphalt that was properly packed down, as seen in the photo below.

Vincennes at 89th St

I reported this to contacts at CDOT and never got any response. This week I reported it again - to CDOT and the 21st ward office. No response so far.

C'mon folks, can't this job be finished properly before winter to eliminate this hazard? Please make the northbound Vincennes bike lane safe again before we reach days of early darkness, when those most likely to get hurt are low income people of color who are riding for transportation.

If you're bothered by this, please share - on Twitter, Facebook or both. If you ride Vincennes or live in the 21st ward, please contact the 21st ward office.

bikes for basic transportation and as mobility devices

I was having a conversation with someone yesterday about the problem of drivers who think that bikes are only for recreation and should be out of their way, off the street. People who only drive and don't ride often fail to grasp the basic reasons why many people ride.

I know quite a few people who use bikes as their primary transportation and don't own cars. For them, a bike is for visiting friends, hauling groceries, taking young children to day care or school, and many other purposes.

Some people I know choose bikes for other reasons. If someone has a medical condition that makes it unsafe for them to drive (such as epilepsy or poor vision), they may ride because driving is not an option. Riding a bike gives them freedom and allows them to get around without having to depend on someone else to give them a ride.

A growing number of seniors use utility trikes as an alternative to driving - for grocery shopping, going to socialize with friends, to visit the library, etc.

Utility trike

Recumbent trike

I recently met a woman with multiple sclerosis whose ability to walk is very limited. She rides a recumbent trike and straps her cane on the side for use when she gets off the bike. She is able to drive, but she likes having another option that lets her gets some aerobic exercise and enjoy fresh air. A friend with epilepsy uses a recumbent trike as her favorite form of exercise and transportation.

Our bike infrastructure and traffic laws should accommodate all types of riders, regardless of what they ride and why they ride.

when ADA creates new problems

The installation of new ADA curb ramps across the city has definitely been a mixed bag. Some of them are very well done. Some create moats whenever there is any significant moisture - counter-productive when you're trying to improve walkability, and even worse in winter when the moats turn into mini skating rinks.

Then we have the special case of corners where a multi-use trail crosses a busy street, like the intersection of 87th, Damen and Beverly Blvd.  Sometimes large groups ride through this intersection, and these newly installed ramps create potential hazards.

Crosswalk for Damen - nice wide ramp, safer design
I rarely see anyone crossing here.

Ramp for crossing 87th, following Major Taylor Trail -
forces a sharp turn. Traffic waiting to turn (just out of frame to the left)
usually limits opportunity to use EB ramp as spillover space for riders
trying to go SB and get across 87th during one light cycle.

If you're riding with a group of people trying to get across
87th during walk signal, competing with turning cars,
does having this edge that could cause someone to fall
seem like a good idea?

Southwest corner - 87th at Beverly Blvd.
If you were riding from the opposite corner with a group of people
trying to get across 87th,  would you want this raised corner
in your path of travel, or would you want something like the corner shown below?

No hard edges next to curb ramp
Doesn't an installation like this make a LOT more sense 
for a location where a trail is crossing a busy street?

We need MUCH better oversight over contractors doing these ADA curb ramp installations.  Too many mistakes like this are made, causing close calls, accidents and injuries that could have been avoided.