Fallen Bicyclist - Milwaukee Ave.

Of course I'm following the story of the bicyclist who was hit by a flat bed truck and killed Tuesday morning on Milwaukee Avenue.  It made me cry when I first read about it (although I think I'm starting to become more of a crier).  Milwaukee is one of the few Chicago streets I actually feel felt like I could let my guard down just a little bit.

I read a comment that stated: "The city absolutely needs to be held accountable for their negligence in failing to protect both cyclists and motorists. The array of construction projects on Milwaukee have eaten away at the bike lane and often there is no adequate signage or markings provided to indicate where cyclists are entitled to ride. I ride this stretch every day and it's terribly unsafe during commuting hours. This was entirely preventable, and a tragedy for both the dead cyclist and the driver of the vehicle who has to bear the guilt of this accident."

I get the outrage from bikers.  (Today one smashed the window of trucks that were, again, in the bike lane this morning.)  But I also don't think that does any good.  

When you're blocking bike lanes on Milwaukee Avenue, the closer you get to downtown, the busier they are, you need to provide clear markings for bikes.  "Milwaukee Avenue is the city's 'busiest bike corridor,' city Transportation Department spokesman Michael Claffey said, with 500 to 600 people using it per hour during peak times."

500 to 600 people

Jeff Miller, who lives around the corner from the construction site, emailed Ald. Walter Burnett (27th) on Aug. 4 expressing his concern about intersection, cautioning "it’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt."
There is "literally no space for bicycles to go around that project causing them to also swerve into traffic," Miller wrote.
Miller said Burnett's office replied that they would "investigate the situation."

Most of what I've gathered is from this article. 

Milwaukee Avenue is supposed to be a safe space for riders...one of the few.  Remember this and this.

Please look out for bikers, friends.

Update:  more info