EDGEWATER — A protected bike lane is coming to the stretch of Clark Street linking Andersonville to Rogers Park, officials said.
The Chicago Department of Transportation this summer will install a protected bike lane in both directions of Clark Street from Hollywood to Devon avenues in Edgewater, Ald. Harry Osterman (48th) said in an email to constituents.
The bike lane comes after years of work to help make the portion of Clark Street north of Andersonville safer for bicyclists and pedestrians, Osterman said. The city’s transportation agency said it has received “many requests” to improve this stretch of Clark Street for pedestrians and local business patrons.
“Between Ashland and Devon, Clark Street has multiple wide travel lanes which encourage fast automobile speeds and make it difficult for people to comfortably walk and bike on the corridor, cross the street, or access transit and local businesses,” the transportation department said in an informational pamphlet.
Parking along this six-block stretch of Clark Street will be reconfigured, with some “unused” parking spots being removed or relocated to off-street sites, according to the transportation department.
The bike lane will be separated from car traffic by a “paint-and-post” installation of plastic dividers or by a parking lane, said Osterman spokesperson Ally Brisbin. The configuration of the bike lane will depend on each block’s parking needs.
The bike lane will bring more activity to the commercial corridor north of Andersonville, Brisbin said. According to the transportation department of, people who commute on bike more frequently shop local.
“Making the street inviting and safer for all modes of travel will help to ensure we have a thriving corridor on North Clark Street for years to come,” Brisbin said.
Northbound Clark Street between Granville and Devon avenues will be reduced to one lane to accommodate the bike lane, Osterman said. Two-car traffic lanes will remain on the southbound portion of the street.
“This project is expected to calm automobile traffic through our community, creating a safer experience for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike,” Osterman said in an email.
The bike lane will connect to an existing shared bike lane along Clark Street in Andersonville. Clark Street is considered one of seven “spoke routes,” which are direct biking routes from neighborhoods to Downtown.
Clark Street south of Ashland to Lawrence avenues is being repaved, with curb and sidewalk improvements also being installed on the street.
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