Lincoln Park Intersection Among Most Dangerous for Bikers, Study Shows

A new city of Chicago study is taking a hard look at local bike crashes, and it turns out that one Lincoln Park intersection is responsible for a significant number of accidents.

Released last Tuesday, the Chicago Bicycle Crash Analysis analyzed crash data between 2005 and 2010 in hopes of finding ways to improve the city’s bicycle grid. It found that bike crashes are on the rise, from almost 7 percent of all traffic collisions in 2005 to nearly 10 percent in 2010.

“Bicycle crashes in Chicago remain a serious concern,” the city said, in a statement. “In the six-year period between 2005 and 2010, there were nearly 9,000 injury crashes involving bicyclists, with 32 bicyclist fatalities.”

Data shows that more than half of all bike crashes in the city happen at intersections, and three in particular are responsible for a majority of them.

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The intersection where Fullerton Avenue meets Halsted Street in a six-way crossing that also meets Lincoln Avenue was listed as one of the worst. While the study did not break down the percentage of crashes at that particular juncture, it does indicate that 18 of the 32 fatalities during the study period happened at an intersection.

Both Lincoln Avenue and Clark Street were also cited as having the worst dooring rates.

That’s combined with the number of crashes reported on Clark Street between Racine and Fullerton avenues. When compared with other city streets, the stretch had one of the highest per-mile crash per breakdowns in all of Chicago.

Of Chicago’s 77 communities, Lincoln Park was one of six accounting for a third of the city’s injury crashes. Others were areas including Wicker Park and Lake View.

“The period of study gives us a clear picture of what we need to achieve the goals of Chicago’s Bike 2015 Plan and the Streets for Cycling Plan 2020,” the city continued in the statement. “… Perhaps the most important point to be made is that with proper street design and behavior change amongst road users, the overwhelming majority of bicycle crashes are preventable.”

The end of the study looked at potential solutions to the various crashing issues, with protected bike lanes and public awareness marketing campaigns as options.

City Council already approved a plan to double the fines, from $500 to $1,000, for motorists who cause a dooring crash with a cyclist. Fines for leaving a vehicle door open in traffic also doubled from $150 to $300. 

And earlier this year, Mayor Rahm Emanuel launched an awareness campaign for taxi passengers; reminding them to look before opening passenger doors for their safety, and the safety of pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers. 

READ: Emanuel Calls for Crackdown on Doorings, Rule-Breaking Bicyclists

Emanuel says stickers will be placed on the rear passenger windows of all 7,000 Chicago taxicabs that read, "Look Before Opening Your Door."

• Read the full 64 page study here.