Last year my neighbors heard the presentations at the Village Transportation Commission’s meetings for the bicycle lanes on Harvard Street. We expressed opposition and concerns to removing all the parking and installing the painted bike lanes on each side of Harvard Street.
Our objections were often portrayed as being “against bike safety.” We in south Oak Park are genuinely concerned and want to promote bicycle safety. The painted bike lanes pose safety issues with the 57 driveways and 44 alleys that intersect Harvard.
The Transportation Commission repeatedly cited their use of the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) guidelines in their recommendations. But the proposed bike lane plan conflicts with NACTO’s recommendations for the conditions on Harvard Street.
Please Google search:
“What bicycle system is recommended by NACTO and is safer at streets with intersecting driveways and alleys? Are the painted bike lanes at the curbs or bike boulevards safer at driveways and alleys?”
Search the internet and you will find that Bike Boulevards are safer than painted bike lanes according to NACTO. This fact was not presented by the Transportation Commission. Protected bike lanes are mentioned as safe, like those on Madison Street with raised edges flanking the bike lanes not being proposed and impossible on Harvard.
NACTO says “obstructed views” at the intersections compound the safety issues. This is the case at many alleys and driveways, with wide mature trees, opaque wood fences and an occasional parked car on a driveway apron obscuring views both for a bicyclist riding and a driver backing out crossing the bike lane. This is even worse when the bicyclist is a child who is lower to the ground.
We have knocked on doors and obtained signatures from over 600 concerned neighbors asking for further review by the village before the implementation for safety concerns. We have felt left out of the process and these safety concerns and budget issues were not addressed in public presentations.
Please consider employing the “Bicycle Boulevard” on Harvard Street and not the painted bike lanes for safety’s sake.
Mark Klancic
Oak Park