Milwaukee Ave. construction project closes busy bike lanes

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A construction project on Milwaukee Avenue, one of the busiest bike lanes in the city, is putting riders at risk by forcing them into traffic.

While warm weather often means construction season, it also means more cyclists are on the road. Due to the construction, cyclists on Milwaukee Avenue either have to ride into traffic or into the construction itself.

Drivers and cyclists are taught to share the road, which is pretty easy when both have their own dedicated lanes. But what about when there's not enough road to go around?

"It's counter-productive, and its actually more dangerous because then bikes have to use the road. They're forced into the road. It just seems to make things worse when it's blocked like this, " said Ryan Curry, a cyclist.

City crews have closed this busy section of sidewalk and bike lane while they work on repaving the sidewalk along Milwaukee. The work is expected to take up to two months. In the meantime, drivers are warned to yield to bikes. But, of course, drivers in cars are a little better protected than bike riders.

"You just gotta ride cautiously," said Travers Gauntt, a cyclist. "Construction is always there. You just gotta deal with it as it comes."

Chicago Department of Transpiration officials say they have marked the area well. In a statement, CDOT says: "This is critical work that is necessary to safely maintain the public way. CDOT explored all options for staging equipment. However, due to the narrow geography of the roadway, it will be necessary to temporarily close a short section of the bike lane for the duration of the project."

Cycling advocates say 6,000 cyclists use this section of Milwaukee every day.

"This is another sign of the overwhelming biking boom that Chicago is experiencing right now, and another reason why people need to stay engaged and call 311 if they see something," said Jim Merrell, of the Active Transportation Alliance.