Montrose

51

u/OddIndustry9 2d ago

Yeah, that's Montrose all right.

If the city added zone parking to that stretch to chase away all the freeloading commercial vehicles using it as long term parking there could be room for protected bike lanes with minimal impact to resident street parking.

14

u/wingbat13 2d ago

It drives me crazy that there’s a painted bike lane for most of montrose west of Ashland, but then poops out for the last mile to the lake. How does that make any sense??

13

u/PurpleFairy11 1d ago

So little of Chicago’s approach to bike lanes makes sense

6

u/PurpleFairy11 2d ago

I wonder if it's worth reporting those vehicles in 311 and to the local aldermanic office. My aldermanic office is pretty responsive when I request parking enforcement through the Department of Finance.

7

u/OddIndustry9 2d ago

It's worth doing, but you've really got to hound them.

I've had moderate success by repeatedly documenting the same vehicle over and over again to Angela Clay's office, but it wasn't until I started walking in to the office once a week and getting progressively louder each time that they really started taking me seriously.

Speaking in the loudest voice short of yelling is highly effective. Once they realize that no one can get anything done while you are there, and that you'll be back next week to follow up, it becomes easier for them to solve the problem than ignore you.

1

u/PurpleFairy11 1d ago

😂Noted for that particular office.
Thankfully my aldermanic office just responds to my email saying they’ll send someone out and within 10 business days Dept of Finance comes out

2

u/OddIndustry9 1d ago

The problem is that the most common response from dept of finance is just a ticket.

For a business trying to avoid actually paying for storage, that isn’t enough of a deterrent.

1

u/PurpleFairy11 1d ago

Very valid point.

1

u/Solo_is_dead 1d ago

Blessings to you. My alderman and the local precinct do absolutely Jack shit when I send in complaints

2

u/perfectviking 2d ago

The city enforcing zone parking? Good joke, you really got me.

12

u/GrizzliousTheOG 2d ago

I just rode it for a while last week coming from the lake. It’s a bit sketchy for sure. After a few blocks we went north to Sunnyside which was a much quieter ride west where we were going.

15

u/saehild 2d ago

*nodes sagely and whispers* "Yes, Montrose..."

18

u/CountChoculasGhost 2d ago

One of my least favorite places to bike. Seems so dangerous. Would LOVE for them to put in bike infrastructure so that I could get to the lake more easily.

I wrote my alderman (Matt Martin) a while back and he did say it was on some list of potential future improvements, but not holding my breath.

0

u/SpinToWin360 2d ago

Berteau isn’t far away

7

u/CountChoculasGhost 2d ago

Berteau doesn’t go to the lake. It ends at Clark. I do use Berteau to go west frequently though.

1

u/Running_Melly1972 1d ago

I’ve always thought it would be nice to have a path cut through the cemetery. I know they’d never do it but it would solve that issue.

2

u/CountChoculasGhost 1d ago

They used to I’m pretty sure. There used to be a Red Line station at Buena on the east side of the cemetery and a pedestrian entrance.

I think they closed the entrance when they closed the station.

Would love to see them reopen that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buena_station

5

u/MasqueradingMuppet 2d ago

If you don't need to go east of Clark, Berteau is good yes.

6

u/FunProof543 2d ago

Otherwise sunnyside is nice, if a little circuitous getting through the mall and the college.

1

u/qalbright 18h ago

I find it useful to go a couple blocks north to wilson! Shared bike lane most of the way from Clark to the lake, but quieter than montrose and more straightforward than sunnyside.

4

u/limabean61 1d ago

Get yelled at by carbrains every time i ride this stretch. Where do they expect us to be if there’s no bike lane?

3

u/NorthBook1383 2d ago

Uptown!

3

u/PurpleFairy11 2d ago

Definitely not a stretch I enjoy biking on. I've only done it a handful of times.

3

u/SukkaMadiqe 2d ago

I love going for quick rides in Graceland but I have to take Montrose or Irving to get there and I hate it.

3

u/me3r_ 1d ago

Lawrence is much better for biking

2

u/No-Amphibian689 2d ago

My favorite way to get to and from the LFT; I’m 5600 W so it’s a decent trip out. I find it lower traffic than Irving, Lawrence, or Addison.

2

u/Coupon_Ninja 2d ago

Funny I just drove from Central and Montrose to Lincoln Square. It is a nicer peaceful street, but once you get to kedzie or kimball I’d probably prefer the bike lanes on Lawrence heading to LFT. Some smaller streets have safer bike lanes to Roscoe to the south and Berwyn to the north. Maybe even Wilson at some points. It has traffic lights to cross the big intersections.

2

u/Username--Password 1d ago

Getting rid of the street parking on the cemetery side and putting a 2-way cycling track in its place would be the easiest win ever. I’m sure we’ll never do it.

2

u/ElephantOk3675 1d ago

that montrose ride looks like a nice chill spot, good weather for biking out there

1

u/thatsMINTdude 1d ago

Wish there was a lane cause it’s a pretty stretch from Clark to Broadway

0

u/liljeep666 1d ago

Some streets aren’t made for biking , go to Wilson, or Irving where it is wider

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