Any Chicago commuters?

[CharlieBrown]

Unfortunately next week, my company will be moving my job location from Elk Grove Village down to the Willis Tower in the Loop. Any motorcycle commuters do the run? Fortunately (?) I work the second shift, so won't be fighting the early am traffic. My shift starts at 3pm and ends at 11pm. Not sure I even want to make the attempt unless someone here can give me the lowdown. I have prepaid parking, so that's not an issue, but I'm concerned about walking to the bike late at night and not being able to lock doors behind me. I'm planning on the Metra for at least the first month, but after that, I am open to possibilities.

[sharkette]

I would not at all be concerned about about walking in the loop at night.
In Pullman district, or other neighborhoods of course, but not the loop.

I would however, be HIGHLY concerned about getting hit on a bike commute..buses are the worst, cabs do not look, traffic is a nightmare. Peddle bikes are not allowed on the sidewalks, and are all over the streets, and pedestrian traffic is walking, and texting and will just walk right in front of you..Same for most car drivers.
Leave your bike home and take metra, or you very easily will be hit for no fault of your own. Go for a ride when you get home, or before work. Commuting down town on a bike is suicide.
imho...

[Fourstring]

I commute to Avondale every day by bike, rush hour.  Giggest issue you might have is the metal bridge grates on the way to downtown.

I've had no issues and after a few weeks the traffic/idiotic cagers become normal- bring a disk lock.

[OU812]

I quit riding the 20mile RT to Northbrook just cause I am saving my good luck for trips.

[bomber]

You'll be fine in the loop -- it is far from the tenderloin district it was long ago . . .. .

as for your 3PM start time, ya KNOW that rush hour never really ends, doncha?

Paid parking is a valuable perk, indeed . . . the city of big shoulders really sticks it to riders . . . make SURE teh lot will take motorcycles -- many do not.

[Dan K]

I quit riding the 20mile RT to Northbrook just cause I am saving my good luck for trips.

Hey, I ride to the loop every day from Northbrook - park at the Trump across the street from my office.  No problem.

But - be aware that driving INBOUND to the city from the north at 3pm (Edens and/or the Kennedy inbound) is for some reason worse traffic than at the early morning rush hour.

[CharlieBrown]

I would not at all be concerned about about walking in the loop at night.
In Pullman district, or other neighborhoods of course, but not the loop.

I would however, be HIGHLY concerned about getting hit on a bike commute..buses are the worst, cabs do not look, traffic is a nightmare. Peddle bikes are not allowed on the sidewalks, and are all over the streets, and pedestrian traffic is walking, and texting and will just walk right in front of you..Same for most car drivers.
Leave your bike home and take metra, or you very easily will be hit for no fault of your own. Go for a ride when you get home, or before work. Commuting down town on a bike is suicide.
imho...

Yea, I am a bit concerned about the number of buses, cabs, and brain-dead pedestrians down in the loop.  I'm planning the metra for a least a couple of months just to get a feel of things.

[CharlieBrown]

I commute to Avondale every day by bike, rush hour.  Giggest issue you might have is the metal bridge grates on the way to downtown.

I've had no issues and after a few weeks the traffic/idiotic cagers become normal- bring a disk lock.

A disk lock is a great idea.  I'm also considering one of those covers that have locking rings.  Not that it would really deter a determined thief, but just one more level....

Where do you commute to Avondale from?  

[CharlieBrown]

You'll be fine in the loop -- it is far from the tenderloin district it was long ago . . .. .

as for your 3PM start time, ya KNOW that rush hour never really ends, doncha?

Paid parking is a valuable perk, indeed . . . the city of big shoulders really sticks it to riders . . . make SURE teh lot will take motorcycles -- many do not.

Yea, I keep hearing nightmares about Chicago traffic.  I'm NOT happy about the move, but really don't have any choice.  Motorcycle parking was confirmed by both the lot and my company.  That'll save a pretty penny.

[CharlieBrown]

Hey, I ride to the loop every day from Northbrook - park at the Trump across the street from my office.  No problem.

But - be aware that driving INBOUND to the city from the north at 3pm (Edens and/or the Kennedy inbound) is for some reason worse traffic than at the early morning rush hour.

Unfortunately, I would be using the Kennedy, although I have been looking for alternate routes.  Any experience with using Milwaukee Avenue, Clybourn or Elston inbound?  All 3 seem to parallel 90/94.  I was thinking about the toll roads outbound.

[sharkette]

Unfortunately, I would be using the Kennedy, although I have been looking for alternate routes.  Any experience with using Milwaukee Avenue, Clybourn or Elston inbound?  All 3 seem to parallel 90/94.  I was thinking about the toll roads outbound.

Before the bike lanes were put in ..they were 4 lanes...now you have 2 lanes,,a bike lane..and cars illegally parked..and major pot holes..Exit Dempster E..to cicero rt51 can work..or at Peterson rt 14 get to Sherridan at Northwestern. & take the drive.. they used to do reversible lanes there..so not sure ar 3pm if 3 lanes are set for nbound or not now a days..Exit kimball west to Belmont east from there..works..sometimes..or Irving Park to Addison..or Elston works too. lots of little stores potjoles..bike lanes..alleys..same on the outbound..Tthere are signs that give you the minutes to the loop.. on the Edens  first one is just s of Northfieldish..and 680  ..or 720..or both have traffic reports evry 10 mins..if u have radio..am radio..it verries by the day..the traffic..the construction
...the pot holes..lol
You have ins if your bike is stolen..getting in a wrexk hurts though..

[Capirex]

Metra sucks.  Ride.

Traffic is not as bad as some make it out to be.  You'll adjust.  

[Fourstring]

Where do you commute to Avondale from?  

Glendale Heights, total trip of about 30 miles of Chicago traffic- North Ave to 355, to 290, to 294, to 90.  Reverse it on the way home.

Metra for a week or two is a good idea, as is caging it for a week or two after that.  Lets you get a feel for what it will look like, and gives your new office a chance to feel you out too.

Elston and Milwaukee are near my office; upon occasion they are faster, but they're also unreliable.  Clyborn goes through Lincoln Park and is a cluster all the time.  I'm not sure I'd take them all the way in.

Dan's also got a point that the inbound Edens is goofy that time of day, for no good reason that I can discern.  All told, Capirex has the idea.  

[Dan K]

Unfortunately, I would be using the Kennedy, although I have been looking for alternate routes.  Any experience with using Milwaukee Avenue, Clybourn or Elston inbound?  All 3 seem to parallel 90/94.  I was thinking about the toll roads outbound.

I usually take Edens on the way in and the Kennedy to 294 north on the way out.  If I'm in bad rush hour, I'll slide over to Lake Shore Drive.  Peterson is the best street for that, but you may be too far west...

Milwaukee slows to a crawl also, as does Elston at points, but Cicero is a good way south. Elston is not awful, just depends,  Clybourn is fine, but only starts once you're already pretty far south.  Elston to Chicago Ave. is a pretty good route.

Just try it.  No worries as to dangerousness of traffic.  I ride it every day.  Just be aware as you always must be. That being said, if you are afraid, maybe it's for a reason.  Can't ignore your fears.


- Dan

[Robus]

My commute is from the south suburbs to the southside along I-80 and I-57.  It isn't bad at all.  Fortunately I don't have to go into the loop on a daily basis, and my schedule is flexible enough that I can avoid rush hour.  I ride into the loop when I have a reason to go downtown, which is from time to time.

I can tell you I would not want to commute into the loop. Traffic backs up on the inbound Ryan for much of the day and it's a p.i.t.a.  By the time you get through twenty or thirty minutes of stop/crawl the clutch hand is aching and the engines on my air-cooled bikes are crying for mercy.  If I worked downtown I would ride to the nearest Metra station, park it, and take my seat.

[sharkette]

Yea, fourstring has a good point,, drive it a bunch and see the different routes.. it's just a grid with a few angle streets, that look easy on maps.. they all very by the day. eventually you are on one and say screw it and go to a different one/route..it's your tolerance level. and there is tons going on on all of them,, so extra alert is advised.

Chicago is all 100's starting at State Street, learn your hundreds..Irving park around 6000 N, Hollywood 5000N, Belmont 3200 N, Water Tower Place 800 N, Bloomingdale's 900 N, Sears/Wills maybe 1-200 S, 100E is Michigan Ave..etc
and learn you letter streets to0, or understand them,, 600East would be the LAKE! DO NOT GO THERE on your bike !

 Pulaski is 11 miles N of Indiana, in 1913, a proposal to Chicago's planning commission was approved for a new street-naming system. Pulaski Road was found to be exactly 11 miles west of the Indiana state line, and thus all streets west of Pulaski would be named starting with the 11th letter of the American alphabet: K.  his sequence of alphabetically-named streets begins at Pulaski Road, almost four miles west of Lake Shore Drive. Also, the street names emanating west of Pulaski start with the letter "K," and advance all the way to "P" where Chicago meets Norridge and Elmwood Park at its westernmost residential boundaries.
Chicago's Southeast Side has north-south streets that start with (only) the letter "A" (Avenue A, Avenue B, etc.) and extend eastward to the state line with "O."

The other thing to learn is what you are looking at. your landmarks Sear Tower is the taller one that's S and in the loop and the other other one is the Hancock about 850N   & 2 blocks to the lake.

for me. i still would just metra..

[evilmedic13]

Peterson is 6000, Irving park is 4000, Hollywood is 5700. Just wouldn't want anyone getting those messed up while trying to get somewhere. My old firehouse is at Peterson/Clark(9yrs), my new one is Milwaukee/Wilson(3yrs), just so you don't think I'm trying to be a twit.

[sharkette]

yea, you do not need to know them - the 100's or letter streets, exactly, just understand where approximately you are